Composite Carbon Fiber Barrels
- Thread starter snakepit
- Start date
That is a good question you asked and it had me wondering about that so I thought I would do a little research. I watched the video again and noticed that he never says that it sheds heat better but he says the Thermal Performance is better than steel and he mentioned Thermal Stress and no POI shift like a full steel barrel. I then Googled this topic and found another company's website that had good FAQ information about Carbon Fiber Barrels which included your thermal question.ARXV said:
http://www.christensenarms.com/christensen-arms-customer-support/carbon-fiber-barrel-faqs/
jonbearman
I live in new york state,how unfortunate !
Proof research really perfected these types of barrels but at 940.00 each they wont sell many to the average guy. We can buy almost 3 kreigers for one of theirs,it would be cool but way to much coin.
Warning on carbon fiber wrapped barrels. Several years ago myself and a couple friends did some testing on these barrels and although I don't have the data any longer, bottom line is they trap heat within the barrel and cause the throats to erode 3-4x faster than non wrapped barrels. This is also dependent on type of cartridge being used. As we tested it on a 220 swift side by side with a HV SS barrel. Common sense is if you can't feel the heat generate out of the barrel them its trapped inside and only escape is out the bore. So each time you fire a round it generates heat and the more you shoot the more heat is produced. If the heat can't escape then it produces immature throat erosion.
Working in the aircraft industry we have tested for many years the heat resistance of carbon fiber along with strength on all sorts of airplane parts. And bottom line here carbon is an insulator. Do a test get a small sheet of carbon fiber and some sheet metal attach the sheet metal to one side and apply a heat lamp on the sheet metal side and see how hot the metal gets and then see how hot the carbon fiber side is. Then time it and see how long it takes to cool down, then do same thing to just sheet metal alone and time how long it takes for it to cool down as well. You'll be amaze at how much difference there is.
Working in the aircraft industry we have tested for many years the heat resistance of carbon fiber along with strength on all sorts of airplane parts. And bottom line here carbon is an insulator. Do a test get a small sheet of carbon fiber and some sheet metal attach the sheet metal to one side and apply a heat lamp on the sheet metal side and see how hot the metal gets and then see how hot the carbon fiber side is. Then time it and see how long it takes to cool down, then do same thing to just sheet metal alone and time how long it takes for it to cool down as well. You'll be amaze at how much difference there is.
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
They may have a place somewhere, just not competition or hunting rifles. If you shoot offhand a little barrel weight keeps you from stirring the muzzle around. One of our BR Hall of Fame guys was furnished a few barrels. I saw and talked to him at the Super Shoot. He said they were best a .375 barrel. Maybe you know Bill Forrester.
Brians356
Gold $$ Contributor
If I may revive an old thread (Yes, I may.):
In the latest Shooting Times are two articles about rifles with Proof Research CF-wrapped barrels - a custom built PRS rifle, and a production Nosler Mountain Carbon Rifle.
There's much prose on the positive attributes of the CF-wrapped barrels - light weight, heat dissipation, accuracy, etc. But having owned fly rods and golf club shafts made of carbon fiber, has anyone experienced or considered the effect of physical trauma - crushing, chipping, or abrasion - on the wrap's surface skin or fibers? With fly rods or golf clubs, once you damage the CF tube, even slightly (e.g. a small nick or scratch) it's likely to fail catastrophically under bending stress.
In the case of a wrapped barrel, there's a steel core to support the tube, so it's not going to fail catastrophically. But it's not unlikely that damaging the wrap could upset the vibrational integrity of the barrel, or alter the uniformity of heat transfer. Too, once there's a breach in the wrap, moisture can enter. It seems that a proper repair would be needed to extend the viability of the barrel. How does one repair a damaged CF wrap, if it's even practical to try? It's akin to mending a crack in an eggshell in my mind.
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In the latest Shooting Times are two articles about rifles with Proof Research CF-wrapped barrels - a custom built PRS rifle, and a production Nosler Mountain Carbon Rifle.
There's much prose on the positive attributes of the CF-wrapped barrels - light weight, heat dissipation, accuracy, etc. But having owned fly rods and golf club shafts made of carbon fiber, has anyone experienced or considered the effect of physical trauma - crushing, chipping, or abrasion - on the wrap's surface skin or fibers? With fly rods or golf clubs, once you damage the CF tube, even slightly (e.g. a small nick or scratch) it's likely to fail catastrophically under bending stress.
In the case of a wrapped barrel, there's a steel core to support the tube, so it's not going to fail catastrophically. But it's not unlikely that damaging the wrap could upset the vibrational integrity of the barrel, or alter the uniformity of heat transfer. Too, once there's a breach in the wrap, moisture can enter. It seems that a proper repair would be needed to extend the viability of the barrel. How does one repair a damaged CF wrap, if it's even practical to try? It's akin to mending a crack in an eggshell in my mind.
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Dusty Stevens
Shiner
You can shoot a proof or christensen barrel without the carbon on it so even if it did fail it wouldnt mattter
Brians356
Gold $$ Contributor
Fair enough. But, would it shoot as well? And if so, why bother with the wrap to begin with?
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You get the stiffer characteristics of a heavier profile barrel without the weight.
Bought my first Proof carbon barrel this year for a custom hunting rig. So far I’m liking it.
Wouldn’t be what I would choose for a competition rifle. Too damn expensive to subject to the wear and tear those conditions impact on a barrel
Straightshooter1
Gold $$ Contributor
I've really liked the carbon fiber application on things that I've had, like. . . fishing poles, golf clubs and car parts. And I seriously wanted a CF Proof barrel for my precision shooting here is AZ, but after taking a close look and doing some research, the heat issue just doesn't bode well for this kind of application. But . . . for a hunting rig I'd say it's a really good thing as you can have a stiffer, lighter barrel to haul around when hunting. . . and it looks pretty cool too. 
I’m talking about internal wear
Straightshooter1
Gold $$ Contributor
I think the wear and tear mentioned has to do with the inside of the barrel rather than the outside. . .??? Carbon fiber material is pretty doggone tough and shouldn't cause much concern for wear and tear on the outside.
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
No i bet it would shoot terrible. It has a pretty small barrel inside
What concerns me with carbon fiber is how the epoxy that binds it holds up to high heat. There are high temperature resistant epoxies, but as I understand that the epoxy will eventually break down. If you look at modern F1, Indy, prototype race cars along with supercars were high is generated in the engine compartment especially the exhaust pluming, you will heat see reflecting/insulating fabrics attached to the carbon fiber bulkheads and inner body panels. If the heat reflecting/insulating material is not there the epoxy will break down and the carbon fiber will delaminate.
In the case of a gun barrel, if delamination were to accrue especially the epoxy bond on the barrel steel liner, it could cause a barrel to burst. The steel liner is of a ultra light weight barrel contour and the carbon fiber wrap then brings it out to a bull barrel contour. If the rifle is set up as a Pdog rig, and one is shooting fast with long strings of shots this could be a problem, but at the cost of these barrels, I’m sure 99% of Pdog shooters would opt for a chrome moly or SS barrel at 1/3 the cost. Where I see the advantage is light weight mountain rifle as others hear had stated.
In the case of a gun barrel, if delamination were to accrue especially the epoxy bond on the barrel steel liner, it could cause a barrel to burst. The steel liner is of a ultra light weight barrel contour and the carbon fiber wrap then brings it out to a bull barrel contour. If the rifle is set up as a Pdog rig, and one is shooting fast with long strings of shots this could be a problem, but at the cost of these barrels, I’m sure 99% of Pdog shooters would opt for a chrome moly or SS barrel at 1/3 the cost. Where I see the advantage is light weight mountain rifle as others hear had stated.
Raythemanroe
Bullet Whisperer
They are pencil barrels with wrap that holds heat in but they are so damπ cool.
Ray
Ray
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