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Thread: What's the consensus on carbon fiber barrels?

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    What's the consensus on carbon fiber barrels?

    I'm having a hard time understanding how it could improve anything but trying to keep an open mind.

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    A buddy just got one for his LMT MWS. I guess weight savings is a positive.
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    Simple stuff but, costly. Lighter, stronger, cooler. Any improved accuracy remains with the shooter.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bamashooter View Post
    Simple stuff but, costly. Lighter, stronger, cooler. Any improved accuracy remains with the shooter.
    When people say "cooler" I can only imagine they're talking about the carbon fiber insulating the barrel, but that has to be the most counterproductive thing you could do for accuracy. It sounds like they're literally wrapping the barrels in a highly insulative material thereby preventing the barrel from dissipating heat. I see how that would stiffen the barrel which could be good for very low volume (like a hunting rifle where you only take one shot), but how it could be productive for an AR barrel I just don't understand.

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    Quote Originally Posted by okie View Post
    When people say "cooler" I can only imagine they're talking about the carbon fiber insulating the barrel, but that has to be the most counterproductive thing you could do for accuracy. It sounds like they're literally wrapping the barrels in a highly insulative material thereby preventing the barrel from dissipating heat. I see how that would stiffen the barrel which could be good for very low volume (like a hunting rifle where you only take one shot), but how it could be productive for an AR barrel I just don't understand.
    Carbon fiber by itself is a conductive material, but not nearly as efficient as metal so there’s a misconception that it’s an insulator. That being said I completely torched a proof research barrel on my AR a couple of years ago during a competition season, and I absolutely agree it should be limited to low volume of fire situations.
    Last edited by VIP3R 237; 12-12-22 at 09:07.
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    Quote Originally Posted by VIP3R 237 View Post
    Carbon fiber by itself is a conductive material, but not nearly as efficient as metal so there’s a misconception that it’s an insulator. That being said I absolutely torched a proof research barrel on my AR a couple of years ago during a competition season, and I absolutely agree it should be limited to low volume of fire situations.
    I'm mostly just not understanding how the carbon fiber is helping anything on any barrel meant to fire more than one shot consecutively (i.e. anything but a hunting rifle). Seems like it would do nothing but make the bore get hotter faster and make it dissipate that heat slower. I can't think of any reason that it's functionally any different from taking a pencil barrel and wrapping it in insulation.

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    Quote Originally Posted by okie View Post
    I'm mostly just not understanding how the carbon fiber is helping anything on any barrel meant to fire more than one shot consecutively (i.e. anything but a hunting rifle). Seems like it would do nothing but make the bore get hotter faster and make it dissipate that heat slower. I can't think of any reason that it's functionally any different from taking a pencil barrel and wrapping it in insulation.
    Very, very stiff insulation.

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    Quote Originally Posted by lysander View Post
    Very, very stiff insulation.
    I get it's stiff, but stiffness isn't the limiting factor with ARs, or even most bolt actions, especially if they're floated. The main reason for a bull barrel isn't stiffness or harmonics or whatever but just to keep the bore cooler. I mean anyone who's shot a pencil barrel and a bull barrel can attest to how cool the bull barrel stays. And I get that the carbon wrapped barrel will be cool to the touch, but that doesn't mean that the metal under it is.

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    The proof carbon barrels are great on long range hunting guns, where you want the accuracy of a precision barrel, but much lighter than a PRS type setup. I think that's where they excel.

    I don't personally think they have much place on a gas gun, but i've also only shot one on a semi-auto .22, so maybe i'm missing something. In the long range PRS competition world, it seems things are going towards "the heavier is better" model, with more heavy straight tapered steel barrels for reduced recoil etc.

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    What's the consensus on carbon fiber barrels?

    Quote Originally Posted by okie View Post
    The main reason for a bull barrel isn't stiffness or harmonics or whatever but just to keep the bore cooler.
    This is news to me, and probably everyone else reading this read.
    Last edited by grizzman; 12-12-22 at 17:13.

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