Has anyone cut a carbon barrel?

[Eleven]

I have a proof research CF 6.5Cm barrel. I love it. Except, it’s a bit longer than I want At 22”. Has anyone cut a CF barrel?

I have a lathe. I have cut and crowned barrels before with great success. I have made (legal) form 1 suppressors with great results. So, I’m not so concerned with skill. Just in the feasibility of the process. Am I going to F up a good shooting barrel by cutting into it?

I’m not sure I’ll actually do it, just really kind of curious.

thanks.

 

[wapitibob]

I've read of it being done, long range hunting forum maybe.

 

[RockAndSage]

I wouldn't. Part of what's going on with CF barrels is that the extra metal at the muzzle and the metal at the back serve to allow the carbon fiber to keep things stiff. Remove the chunk of metal at the front, and the CF won't have anything to press against on the front. At a minimum, I'd suspect it would be less stiff, especially after you've fired it a bit and had the pressures and harmonics going on. I'd be concerned about it leading to the CF and its epoxy separating from thin-profile metal barrel if you cut that metal end off.

The Proof-style of carbon fiber barrels wraps a much narrower barrel in CF and epoxy, between those two chunks of metal at the shank and muzzle, and then trims the profile down to size after everything cures. The other style, like Christensen's, is essentially a tension-fit CF tube, with air/free-space between the thin-profile metal barrel the CF tube - tensioned between the end caps. Cutting one of those would literally destroy the purpose and utility of the carbon fiber tube. It's not an issue with your Proof barrel in that way, but thought I'd share the differences.

The other thing I'd be concerned about is airborne carbon fiber particulate. If you were to cut into that or a CF stock, etc, I'd definitely suggest looking into best practices for that, health and safety, etc.

 

[Eleven]

Thanks Rock, I appreciate knowing the differences in barrels. My plan, if I were to really do it, would be to cut the barrel longer than I wanted to end at, then ‘trim off‘ an inch or so of carbon, and then thread a stopper and red locktire it in place. In theory it should work. But as you said, I don’t want to ruin a good barrel just because I want to take a few inches off of it.

In reality I think this is just an exercise in ‘can I do it’ and I doubt that I’ll actually make the move.

 

[RockAndSage]

I find myself doing something similar lately, thinking about wildcatting a cartridge for the first time...

If there's a lot of life in the barrel, I wonder if you could just sell it and buy the length you want?

 

[Wrench]

One of the mfr's sold barrels on the concept of being able to be cut and threaded. If you were to cut it, I'd be nervous about the crown unless you built a gas deflection crown from steel.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Only one way to find out. Cut that sucker!

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

I've seen my precision smith do it. Even has a brake shoulder up nice

 

[gt3499a]

I've done it before on the 22lr sleeved barrels. Works fine but you have to double thread and make a custom adapter. 22 inches is already as short as i would want the barrel

 

[TaperPin]

I’ve always been curious what diameter the metal part is under the carbon fiber?

 

[gt3499a]

Half inch on the volquartsen ones

 

[SloppyJ]

Please take pictures!

 

[Savagenut]

Spuhr did it. And he knows his stuff

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View this content on Instagram

 

[khuber84]

Certain CF barrel makes say go for it, Helix6, Pedersen Precision(maybe others). However, several brands would give you no warranty support afterwards(Bartlein, Proof, Benchmark).

 

[Eleven]

Spuhr did it. And he knows his stuff

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That is exactly what I was envisioning!! Thanks! I still haven’t done this, in fact I forgot that I was even thinking about it. But, now that the threads been revived I might just give it a go.

 

[RockAndSage]

That is exactly what I was envisioning!! Thanks! I still haven’t done this, in fact I forgot that I was even thinking about it. But, now that the threads been revived I might just give it a go.

Might be worthwhile to reach out to him, and ask him how everything went with it over time, and for any tips. Cool to see the video of the cut, and making the new endcap/threads, but it can't be called a success until it's got a bunch of rounds downrange with it without things coming apart. Great stuff though, if it works.

 

[Wprinkle]

I had my gunsmith take a Hells Canyon CF from 26 to 22''... Its on a 300 Sherman Max and I have zero issues. And it looks flawless...

 

[Savagenut]

I had my gunsmith take a Hells Canyon CF from 26 to 22''... Its on a 300 Sherman Max and I have zero issues. And it looks flawless...

I think the main difference is Mikes barrels are designed to be cut.