carbon fiber barrels

[Nukes]

Who has experience with carbon fiber barrels?

I am dubious of the claims of better heat dissipation, but the claim of increased stiffness (assuming proper weave and epoxy) seem plausible and the claim of light weight is undeniable.

[Joseph5]

I don't have any personal experience with them but I have been studying Proof Research barrels and everything I have read about them from testing others have done supports their claims. They have drop in 6.5 Grendel barrels for AR's listed on their website but it says the barrel thread is 1/2 x 28. Same as 5.56 barrels? That seems dangerous to me as someone is sure to put to small of a flash hider/muzzle brake on one. I don't know if that is a typo or they just didn't think that through. When ever I get the money set aside for another Grendel I was going to seriously look into one of their barrels.

[am4966]

Yeah that's funny I was looking at them too for a 18" spr barrel, I might even go longer.

[babaganoush]

As far as the threading on those barrels is concerned, it is likely 1/2" due to the smaller diameter barrel steel, which is clad in CF. Not enough diameter steel to thread anything bigger. I saw a show which spotlighted their products, and they remind me quite a bit of some of those competition 10/22 barrels I've seen. I would be quite interested to hear from anyone shooting one of these in an AR of any caliber, let alone a 6.5 Grendel.

[Nukes]

One of our shooting buddies has a PROOF in 7 SAUM and loves it, but I have not heard any testimonials from AR users with PROOF barrels.

[babue]

I have an ABS carbon fiber wrapped barrel, PROOF bought out ABS and the barrels still look the same so I expect they did not change much. It is an 18" in 223 with a Wylde chamber and is certainly lighter when you compare the diameter of the wrapped barrel to an all steel barrel. This one has a 1/9 twist so I have not shot anything heavier than 69gr. SMK's, real consistent .75moa shooter and at times better than that. This one is built on a PacNor blank. If weight savings are really important the barrel will do that. Accuracy wise good steel barrels will shoot just as well. I built this for my wife, so weight was a main factor. Nothing wrong with the barrel but expensive unless you really want to save weight.

[Nukes]

Yes, thank you, light weight without sacrificing accuracy.

[Sniper338]

IMO carbon fiber wrapped barrels are all about weight. They are lighter while the carbon fiber aids in stengthening the THINNER barrel... im sure they do shoot fine. Fact of the matter is stainless steel is harder and stronger than carbon fiber. So to claim a carbon fiber barrel is stronger is wrong. Just my common since here talking...

[Joseph5]

There is a video that PROOF Research put online. They take one of there barrels, screw it into an action and shoot a group which is nice and small. Then they unscrew the barrel out of the action and smash a concrete block with it, swinging it like a baseball bat! They screw it back into the action and shoot another group which is just as small. It was impressive.

[NugginFutz]

There is a video that PROOF Research put online. They take one of there barrels, screw it into an action and shoot a group which is nice and small. Then they unscrew the barrel out of the action and smash a concrete block with it, swinging it like a baseball bat! They screw it back into the action and shoot another group which is just as small. It was impressive.

I think that to validate the premise that their CF barrel is as strong or stronger, PROOF Research should have performed the exact same demo with a conventional barrel of similar weight and of the same chambering. At the very least, it would have shown they are at least as strong.

[Sniper338]

haha thats interesting. I don't have nothing against them, barrels have been made like that for many years already for ruger 10/22's and all. I still think when it comes down to it their best quality is just weight. If there was something super about accuracy they would all be used in benchrest competitions and that is not the case.