Carbon barrels

westcoasthunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Messages
139
I’m looking at building a 24” 30 Sherman with a carbon barrel. Does anyone have any experience with bartlein carbon barrels? Also open to other brands
 

mxgsfmdpx

WKR
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
Messages
4,183
Location
Central Arizona
Don’t know anything about their carbon barrels but they used to send me stainless barrels for shooting competitions. Best in the business back then.
 

madcalfe

WKR
Joined
May 9, 2019
Messages
902
Location
British Columbia
dont think you can really go wrong with any of the carbon barrels.
proof, bartlein, christensen, carbon 6, ibi all are great barrels.
trick is gonna be finding one that your not gonna wait over a year for
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
8,171
I have one carbon bartlein chambered in 300wm, shoots great. That said, i can only think of one good reason for a carbon barrel - you get a barrel with more meat on the muzzle for bigger muzzle threads than a similar weight steel barrel allows. If you're going to order a barrel from a maker, i'd rather order a steel barrel with a custom contour - pick your desired contour but have them leave more meat on the muzzle end for threads. I can see a number of positives to a steel barrel like this:
  1. Cheaper
  2. I would have higher confidence in getting a shooter because there's less opportunity to induce stress in the barrel with the carbon wrapping and you don't have a really thin steel liner.
  3. Probably stiffer than a similar weight carbon barrel
  4. Bore heats up slower in strings
  5. Slower to have barrel heat/mirage issues starting with a cold bore

Despite the above, you can usually find a carbon blank on the shelf somewhere that will work rather than waiting for a custom contour. Bartlein has more steel in their liners than some others so they are heavier but it makes me feel better about them. I'd consider a benchmark carbon too.
 
Last edited:

archp625

WKR
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
2,033
Location
St. Joseph, Missouri
dont think you can really go wrong with any of the carbon barrels.
proof, bartlein, christensen, carbon 6, ibi all are great barrels.
trick is gonna be finding one that your not gonna wait over a year for
I ordered a Carbon Six Barrel this year and it took about 3 months to get to my door. Easy and fast process. I have not build the rifle yet but quality seems good.
 

madcalfe

WKR
Joined
May 9, 2019
Messages
902
Location
British Columbia
I ordered a Carbon Six Barrel this year and it took about 3 months to get to my door. Easy and fast process. I have not build the rifle yet but quality seems good.
thats lucky when i called them in march to order one was told 6 months. Also bartlein posted on sniperhide saying they are currently at a full 12 month wait time.
 
OP
W

westcoasthunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Messages
139
I have one carbon bartlein chambered in 300wm, shoots great. That said, i can only think of one good reason for a carbon barrel - you get a barrel with more meat on the muzzle for bigger muzzle threads than a similar weight steel barrel allows. If you're going to order a barrel from a maker, i'd rather order a steel barrel with a custom contour - pick your desired contour but have them leave more meat on the muzzle end for threads. I can see a number of positives to a steel barrel like this:
  1. Cheaper
  2. I would have higher confidence in getting a shooter because there's less opportunity to induce stress in the barrel with the carbon wrapping and you don't have a really thin steel liner.
  3. Probably stiffer than a similar weight carbon barrel
  4. Bore heats up slower in strings
  5. Slower to have barrel heat/mirage issues starting with a cold bore

Despite the above, you can usually find a carbon blank on the shelf somewhere that will work rather than waiting for a custom contour. Bartlein has more steel in their liners than some others so they are heavier but it makes me feel better about them. I'd consider a benchmark carbon too.
Thanks for the heads up. Right now I can get a proof , bartlein , and benchmark, all in the same Sendero ish contour . Is there one you would go with over the other all 24” all 1-9Twist
 
Joined
Dec 30, 2014
Messages
8,171
Thanks for the heads up. Right now I can get a proof , bartlein , and benchmark, all in the same Sendero ish contour . Is there one you would go with over the other all 24” all 1-9Twist

Based on the reportedly thicker steel cores in bartlein, it makes sense to me that they should be more forgiving of any imperfections in the wrapping process. My sample of 1 bartlein is good, so that's the direction I'd lean. There's a good chance any of the 3 would work well for you.
 

madcalfe

WKR
Joined
May 9, 2019
Messages
902
Location
British Columbia
its probably a wash. i run a proof and my gun shoots 1/4".
bartlein id imagine is every bit as good but they are a little heavier
 

archp625

WKR
Joined
Jan 17, 2018
Messages
2,033
Location
St. Joseph, Missouri
thats lucky when i called them in march to order one was told 6 months. Also bartlein posted on sniperhide saying they are currently at a full 12 month wait time.
I just took a look. I ordered it July 25 and made the last 50% payment on October 21. I had head earlier this year they were having trouble with their carbon fiber source.
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
328
Location
Oregon
I have 4 proofs, bartlein I would pick over them in todays world. I just received 2 benchmark carbon sendero blanks in the mail today. I think I would go sendero lite… I may exchange them. Go benchmark or bartlein and don’t look back. I like that they are cut rifled. Carbon6 is tempting but I’m hesitant of the button rifling.
 
OP
W

westcoasthunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Messages
139
I think I’m have it down between benchmark carbon and bartlein carbon. Was the benchmark sendero a lot bigger then you thought?
 

B23

WKR
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Messages
1,006
Location
NW
Go benchmark or bartlein and don’t look back. I like that they are cut rifled. Carbon6 is tempting but I’m hesitant of the button rifling.
I know Bartlein are single point cut but I'm pretty sure Benchmark are button rifled barrels.
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
328
Location
Oregon
I know Bartlein are single point cut but I'm pretty sure Benchmark are button rifled barrels.
Correct on the bartlein. But benchmark you can get either one with their stand ss barrels and their carbons are all cut. Back in the day they were all button but made a change a while back.
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2018
Messages
328
Location
Oregon
I think I’m have it down between benchmark carbon and bartlein carbon. Was the benchmark sendero a lot bigger then you thought?
I had went with the sendero as I was in a rush to buy these blanks (15% off… Black Friday) I ordered the sendero as it had a 1.250x3.00 shank. One of the LW actions I was considering needs that. I no longer plan on that action and figure the weight saving of the sendero lite with the standard 1.200x2.75 shank (which is what most standard senderos are from pretty much every other maker unless you custom order) will be plenty. I don’t think I will notice the visual size difference but maybe the weight. I’m going to reach out to benchmark and confirm weight differences first. To be honest they are a tad heavy. Which I new benchmark and bartlein both are but still want to save where I can. Other then that I’m super happy. There’s some pretty well known smiths that have switched to them. Also like they are NW made. Either way can’t go wrong with benchmark or bartlein. They usually flat shoot. I’ve got a couple standards of each they all shoot lights out.
 
Last edited:

Wrench

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
5,595
Location
WA
Ive had good Christensen and ho hum Christensen tubes. The last proof i chambered had some interesting hard spots when i cut it that made me wince....it seems to shoot in the 6s. Ive never had a steel benchmark or bart that didn't stay well under the 5s.
 
OP
W

westcoasthunter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 27, 2014
Messages
139
I had went with the sendero as I was in a rush to buy these blanks (15% off… Black Friday) I ordered the sendero as it had a 1.250x3.00 shank. One of the LW actions I was considering needs that. I no longer plan on that action and figure the weight saving of the sendero lite with the standard 1.200x2.75 shank (which is what most standard senderos are from pretty much every other maker unless you custom order) will be plenty. I don’t think I will notice the visual size difference but maybe the weight. I’m going to reach out to benchmark and confirm weight differences first. To be honest they are a tad heavy. Which I new benchmark and bartlein both are but still want to save where I can. Other then that I’m super happy. There’s some pretty well known smiths that have switched to them. Also like they are NW made. Either way can’t go wrong with benchmark or bartlein. They usually flat shoot. I’ve got a couple standards of each they all shoot lights out.
Feel free to post the weight difference when you find out.
 

madcalfe

WKR
Joined
May 9, 2019
Messages
902
Location
British Columbia
if your looking for a light weight carbon barrel you can also look at paradigm.
there under 2lbs once there chambered and seem to be shooting 1/2 moa or better
 
Top