Carbon Fiber Barrel vs. Steel — Which Is Better?

[Mike H.]

Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Carbon Fiber Barrel vs. Steel — Which Is Better?” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/carbon-fiber-barrel-vs-steel-which-is-better/.

 

[Hammer67]

Greta Thunberg told me that carbon is bad.

 

[CEW]

Great read for those of us they were a bit suspect as to the longevity of Carbon wrapped. Watched a "you-tube" the other day of a thousand rounds passed through one, in a short time. Found I was surprised the carbon was cooler than the exposed steel. Didn't watch to the end and will have to return for the poster's final comments. In short, tougher than I thought and having dealt with the whipping action with pencil barrels to include my M1A (standard) and a Tavor, me thinks the CF barrel has a great application to pencil barrels...

 

[Bassbob]

I’ll stick with steel.

 

[Talyn]

Greta Thunberg told me that carbon is bad.

Greta Thunberg using a well known Nazi anti-Semitic symbol, showing Jews as some kind of octopus, is unforgivable.

 

[Mountain Man]

Great read for those of us they were a bit suspect as to the longevity of Carbon wrapped. Watched a "you-tube" the other day of a thousand rounds passed through one, in a short time. Found I was surprised the carbon was cooler than the exposed steel. Didn't watch to the end and will have to return for the poster's final comments. In short, tougher than I thought and having dealt with the whipping action with pencil barrels to include my M1A (standard) and a Tavor, me thinks the CF barrel has a great application to pencil barrels...

I do wish more people knew about the efficient thermal cohesion with carbon fiber. I have a large carbon fiber build plate on my 3D printer. Depends on what's printing. I need to heat that thing up to 90-105c for 5-18hrs. And it's still +/- 0.0008" flatness. Been using it for a couple of years now. I wish I could afford a carbon fiber wrapped barrel for my AR-10 and AR-15.

 

[RickAnderson]

Is the proof pressure of a barrel close to the pressure of the water at the Titanic?
Cause we saw how hybrid metal / carbon fiber worked out in that application.....

Carbon Fiber is mature technology in certain applications....
Nothing will beat the reliability and safety of 1 consistent material and an even more mature technology of steel...
Remember, the Army Rejected Armalite's entry for the M-16 because the company selected, against the designer's will, an Aluminum/Steel hybrid lightweight barrel that burst during torture testing...

Having said that, its not like carbon fiber barrels are brand new....
If it fits your application, and you want to spend the money go for it...
If your application is extreme conditions and abuse, I'm thinking you're better off with a steel barrel, chrome lined...