CARBON FIBER BARREL GOOD/BAD?

[Highlander44]

Hi guys,
I’m looking for a replacement barrel for my .280 AI. It’s set up as a lightweight mountain rifle, currently with a kreiger cro-Moly #2 contour barrel. It’s been a great lightweight tack-driver, but the velocity is now dropping off daily. Considering a carbon fiber barrel replacemt? Are they good? Heard mixed reviews about longevity. Does anybody have any 1st hand experience, and what brands would you recommend?
Thanks in advance.
Mike

 

[whiskeysierra762]

Ive had great luck with Proof Research.

 

[WeiserBucks]

My Proof 7 RM has about 500 rounds through it and it's been great .

 

[Goatie]

I really like my carbonsix barrels on my .204 and .243. They were cheaper than proof too as they only charged $160 to chamber thread and mount the barrel

 

[Middleofnowhere]

I don’t have a lot of experience with carbon, as I’ve only had my Ridgeline 2-seasons. I will say I think it looks cool

 

[Highlander44]

Ive had great luck with Proof Research.

Thanks for the reply,
Wondering what you have found to be the positives other than weight. Do you find they shoot better or cooler than a steel barrel?

 

[SkunkCabbage]

Heard good things about hell’s canyon barrels. They use benchmark as their barrel blanks.

 

[HuntnPack]

Might check into the New Bartlein #4 carbon. These are the same as a std #4 contour. Smaller than Sendero or Sendero light I believe. May fit well in smaller stocks.

 

[SDHNTR]

The concept is you get a stiffer barrel without the extra weight required to make a steel barrel actually stiff. That said, I think it’s mostly a fad. They don’t do anything more accurately than any other quality steel barrel.

 

[tdhanses]

The concept is you get a stiffer barrel without the extra weight required to make a steel barrel actually stiff. That said, I think it’s mostly a fad. They don’t do anything more accurately than any other quality steel barrel.

But they sure look better doing it

 

[Seeknelk]

Might check into the New Bartlein #4 carbon.

I have a 300 PRC with a proof barrel, it's accurate and I like the looks. But you can get a lighter steel barrel pretty easily. I'm not sure but I dont think a carbon is any lighter than a #2 ? But starts to get lighter around a #3 I think. But again, they r just fine, tough too, not going to wreck it. Depends on your goals, one thing tho, is will that fat barrel fit in your stock?

 

[SDHNTR]

But they sure look better doing it

That’s true! Flat brimmed hat and fat barreled guns seem to go hand-in-hand!

 

[hodgeman]

The only advantage in a carbon barrel I've found is that they manage heat better and can shoot longer strings of fire without heating up and shifting POI.

Pretty moot in a hunting rifle.

 

[30338]

I’d grab a nice #2 Benchmark all steel for $350 and save the rest for the next barrel.

 

[SDHNTR]

Flute me out a Benchmark #3, or a Bartlein 2b. To me, that’s just about the ideal contour balance between shootability and packability.

 

[roosiebull]

The only advantage in a carbon barrel I've found is that they manage heat better and can shoot longer strings of fire without heating up and shifting POI.

Pretty moot in a hunting rifle.

I agree but also don’t. The pro is managing heat better, and apples to apples, if you take 2 barrels of the same weight, one steel, one carbon, you are going to most likely be waiting around a lot between groups with the light steel barrel.

the one thing I don’t like about light rifles is those skinny barrels heat up quickly, and often times I am just shooting one rifle. Heat management is a plus for me on a hunting rifle, especially a light one.

I doubt I will get any rust spots on my carbon barrel too

some of my light rifles have shot well with a warm barrel, but some haven’t, the less wait time between groups the better for me.... unless I’m sighting in a slug gun, my urgency goes away in that case

 

[tdhanses]

I’d grab a nice #2 Benchmark all steel for $350 and save the rest for the next barrel.

Unless you get a carbon 6 that is already threaded and chambered for under $700. Your barrel while the blank is $350 is still a $700 barrel chambered and threaded. So really isn’t cheaper.

 

[freebird]

I presently shoot a CA Traverse, it has a carbon barrel. If I still have it when it comes time to rebarrel it will probably go with one of Mike Johnson's carbon barrels. Sounds like a solid dude and solid barrels......want to keep as much of my money in Idaho.

 

[30338]

Unless you get a carbon 6 that is already threaded and chambered for under $700. Your barrel while the blank is $350 is still a $700 barrel chambered and threaded. So really isn’t cheaper.

Checked out the site, seems like nice stuff. I'll stick with smaller diameter all steel barrels, but different strokes for different folks. They certainly are the rage right now though.