Carbon fiber Wrap Barrel troubles

[johnnymac]

Having some issues with my most recent build and hoping some of those with more experience will be willing to offer some suggestions. I just completed building a 6 Creedmoor on a Kauger action, Manners stock and 18” Bartlein carbon fiber barrel (M24 contour). Stock has been pillar and glass bedded. Plan is to shoot factory loads if possible. So far I’ve tried 3 different types of ammo. Fed Gold Medal (105gr Berger and 107 SMK) and Hornady Precision Hunter with 103gr ELD-X. Have not been able to get any kind of consistency with 100 yard groups. Have fired roughly 100 rds and have only had two groups that looked pretty good (around 0.3”). The rest have been considerably larger….some even approaching 2”. I’ve only chambered around 25-30 barrels so not claiming to be an expert but the only two that have ever given me any trouble were carbon fiber…the other was a proof. I’m just curious if those with more experience with carbon fiber barrels have found those to be a little more picky with factory ammo choice or tuning of hand loads.

Also, I have double checked action screws, base and ring screws to make sure everything is torqued to spec. Have even tried two different scopes…Leupold Mark 4 and Nightforce NXS.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
John

 

[DLT]

Assuming it’s a 7 or 8 twist barrel ?

 

[drop_point]

I've owned exactly three carbon fiber barrels, other than heating up pretty quickly, I've never had a problem with them. I wasn't the one who chambered them so I can say anything about the gunsmithing aspect, but of those three one of them shot the best group I've ever fired in my life, strangely with a generic untuned load. The other two have been pretty solid as well. I don't think there is anything about carbon-wrapped barrels that is inherently accurate or inaccurate. You've tried three types of ammo, you've gotten both good and bad results. I think there is more experimenting to do. Also, how long between shots and groups? Carbon heats up faster than your run of the mill steel varmint or match contour barrels so you must give it time to cool.

 

[johnnymac]

Assuming it’s a 7 or 8 twist barrel ?

Yes

 

[johnnymac]

I've owned exactly three carbon fiber barrels, other than heating up pretty quickly, I've never had a problem with them. I wasn't the one who chambered them so I can say anything about the gunsmithing aspect, but of those three one of them shot the best group I've ever fired in my life, strangely with a generic untuned load. The other two have been pretty solid as well. I don't think there is anything about carbon-wrapped barrels that is inherently accurate or inaccurate. You've tried three types of ammo, you've gotten both good and bad results. I think there is more experimenting to do. Also, how long between shots and groups? Carbon heats up faster than your run of the mill steel varmint or match contour barrels so you must give it time to cool.

Shooting 3 shot groups. No time in between shots and maybe 5-10 min in between groups. Groups don’t seem to open up as the barrel gets warmer…they just start bad and stay bad haha.

 

[ShtrRdy]

With my 6mm Creedmoor I didn't have good results with Hornady's ELD-X cartridges.

However, with Hornady's ELD-M cartridges I had mixed results depending on lot number. One lot gave me 0.25 moa 3-shot groups while a couple other lots gave me 0.5 and 0.75 moa 3-shot groups.

Do you have an old steel barrel laying around you could cut back and chamber the same?

 

[10XSHOOTER]

I have 2 rifles with Carbon fiber barrel. both are proof.
one is a .300 Win Mag Improved 30*, second is a .260 AI
I have the same calibers in second rifles with Krieger barrels.
Neither of the carbon barrels shoot as good as the full Metal barrels.
they are chambered with the same reamers!

 

[L.Sherm]

I have a couple Proof Carbon barrels that shoot as good as steel i have in hunting platforms 1 has been chambered with the same reamer in carbon and steel.
Factory ammo is a crap shoot, I bought a box of Berger factory ammo for my 6 creed just for the Lapua brass because I couldn't find any.
It shot 1" groups at best my reloads will shoot easily .5 m.o.a at 665 yards, you want accuracy then you better reload.

 

[johnnymac]

Thanks for all the replies. I noticed today that some rounds were a little tight when chambering and bullets were getting scuffed on one side slightly. Long story short it turned out to be a burr or something in the chamber that I think was causing the rounds to be in a bit of a bind when going the last 1/16” or so into the chamber. Cleaned it up with the reamer and just shot 4 consecutive groups at 100 all between 0.25” - 0.5”. Thanks again.

 

[ELR LVR]

I have only had one experience so far with chambering a Carbon Wrapped
I read too many 50/50 stories with Proof
I mean yeah they will back their product up and send you a new barrel
But Id rather not have to go through all that
So I chose a Bartlein to try and reduce as many possible problems as necessary
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It shot well from gate
I paid no attention to barrel heating and barrel cooling during load development
I wanted to see, if accuracy would change
So my experience was good, and was the most concentric to bore barrel I have ever seen
.0003" concentricity from OD to Bore
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What i tell my customers when a Brand New part goes bad or shows up bad from the package
"Babies can still die at only a month old"
There is such as thing as "BAD" new parts
I would contact Bartlein and see if they could issue you a new barrel
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This was an 8 tw / 7mm barrel
it didnt shoot well with Copper Solids is the only thing I noticed
(That middle is a group with 3 different seating depths, meaning very seating depth tolerant)