Bartlein stainless vs CF barrels?

[Thejunk07]

I’m doing a 6.5PRC build that will be used for elk hunting but I plan to use quite a bit at the range as well. I am trying to decide between a Bartlein #3B stainless or a #4 carbon fiber.

I’ve read on other forums that the CF barrels will heat up after X amount of shots and the mirage coming off the barrel will effect the sight picture in the scope. How does a stainless 3, 3B or 4 compare in a situation like that? Should it theoretically be more resistant to that?

[stagpanther]

Interesting question to which I don't have an informed answer--but I generally tend to go with thicker profile SS barrels since the majority of my shooting is sustained sessions at a bench. CF barrels are generally exotically-priced and like synthetic stocks and fluted barrels I think of them as weight-saving premiums. Most typical hunters I know are not really shooters, they just put a few cartridges of coreloks through their rifles a week or two before season opening and that's about it except for the one or two shots they might get off on the hunt. They may also want to minimize the weight they haul so that's who I think CF barrels would appeal to.

[old roper]

One of my hunting rifles is 30-06 has Bartlein #3,5r,26" long,1/11 twist barrel. When I was shooting BR I used Mirage Shield and it helped.

[Nathan]

From my research, carbon fiber is nearly twice the price, but less accurate. It might be only less accurate in some cases, but it is generally less accurate.

On the SS side, fat barrels shoot better for longer, but in a 1-2 shot hunting situation, a lighter 2B-3B blank can do it with very good accuracy.

So, I went with a Brux #3. I wish I could tell you how it shoots.....still waiting.

[Thejunk07]

Originally Posted by stagpanther

Interesting question to which I don't have an informed answer--but I generally tend to go with thicker profile SS barrels since the majority of my shooting is sustained sessions at a bench. CF barrels are generally exotically-priced and like synthetic stocks and fluted barrels I think of them as weight-saving premiums. Most typical hunters I know are not really shooters, they just put a few cartridges of coreloks through their rifles a week or two before season opening and that's about it except for the one or two shots they might get off on the hunt. They may also want to minimize the weight they haul so that's who I think CF barrels would appeal to.

Yes I am intending to use it as a weight savings...but I still want it to be able to shoot and be effective for some local competitions where I can have fun and put some rounds through it but not really worry about being too too competitive

[Jim Watson]

I used a mirage shield even on my target rifles with heavier barrels than I would take hunting. The usual sort is a broad elastic tape stretched between the front scope base and a front globe sight base, or just a couple of screws. What I had looked like a piece of Venetian blind stuck to the gun with patches of Velcro.

[Nathan]

The Rem Varmint contour is a nice mid weight. I have one on a Savage 12 at 26”....13lb with a 32oz optic, I think. For me it is too heavy for hunting, unless we’ll slung and not crossing mountains! It’s no sheep rifle! ....but 750 yd elk in the foot hills should be afraid!

[T. O'Heir]

"...barrels will heat up after...and the mirage..." So do steel barrels.
CF barrels aren't 100% CF either. They're actually SS wrapped in CF.
I kind of suspect prices have to do with who made the barrel and how much time it needed in the machine shop.
Read this. It might help. It is advertising though. As mentioned, a CF wrapped barrel is about twice the price. $600ish vs $355 for a Bartlein. Don't waste your money on fluting either. That's pure decoration.
https://proofresearch.com/barrels/
Here's another that's not from a manufacturer.
https://www.fieldandstream.com/advan...fiber-barrels/

[Thejunk07]

Originally Posted by T. O'Heir

"...barrels will heat up after...and the mirage..." So do steel barrels.
CF barrels aren't 100% CF either. They're actually SS wrapped in CF.
I kind of suspect prices have to do with who made the barrel and how much time it needed in the machine shop.
Read this. It might help. It is advertising though. As mentioned, a CF wrapped barrel is about twice the price. $600ish vs $355 for a Bartlein. Don't waste your money on fluting either. That's pure decoration.
https://proofresearch.com/barrels/
Here's another that's not from a manufacturer.
https://www.fieldandstream.com/advan...fiber-barrels/

Yeah I realize that both will heat up... I was trying to figure out if the all steel barrels would heat up slower, or in other words take more shots to heat up than the CF? Because if they are both equal, then I’d go CF and save the pound of weight. I can be at 9.5lbs with the CF and 10.5 total with the stainless.

[Bart B.]

If the barrel is correctly installed in the receiver, it will shoot to point if aim for 40+ shots fired 10 seconds apart.

Virtually all commercial barrels are fit incorrectly to an out of square receiver face. Factory's could fix that for $36 per rifle

[stagpanther]

Yes I am intending to use it as a weight savings...but I still want it to be able to shoot and be effective for some local competitions where I can have fun and put some rounds through it but not really worry about being too too competitive

I'd go with a medium thick sporter profile 26" SS barrel--probably without a brake or compensator unless you really need it.