While it is a straightforward question, the answer can be complicated depending on your needs.
A long range competition shooter may have different requirements than the shooter looking for a quality hunting rifle.
There are two things you notice immediately with carbon fiber barrel rifles.
Springfield Armory offers several Model 2020 rifles with carbon fiber barrels suitable for hunting and other shooting applications.
The first thing is weight.
The second thing is cost.
Carbon fiber barrels easily cost twice that of a steel barrel.
The Waypoint’s use of carbon fiber in the stock and barrel ensures it is extremely light.
So, is a carbon fiber barrel worth the cost?
If you hunted the backcountry you know that any added weight grinds you down.
That hill looks more like a mountain to me.
Carbon fiber barrels tend to have a distinctive look created by the lamination process and weave of the fabric.
Ask any backpacker and they will say the less weight the better.
Next would be the stiffness.
If you are solely a hunter, three shots is perhaps the maximum you shoot at a time.
Carbon fiber barrels still incorporate steel. The liner and the attachment point to the receiver as well as the muzzle device are all made of this material.
More efficient cooling may not be high on your list of priorities when comparing carbon fiber and steel barrels.
What Is a Carbon Fiber Barrel?
They are most frequently used on rifles instead of handguns.
The BSF carbon fiber barrel is designed with a fluted stainless steel barrel or liner and a carbon fiber exterior that fits over the liner.
In the firearms industry, carbon fiber is most often used in barrels and stocks.
As mentioned above, carbon-fiber barrels typically use some steel components.
A thin steel tube or liner is at the center of the barrel.
Carbon fiber barrels offer a drastic reduction in weight over steel barrels.
Some people refer to CF barrels as carbon-wrapped barrels because of the techniques used.
If you are mounting a suppressor, for example, you will screw into steel threads.
Again, this is where the magic at each company varies.
The real benefit of a carbon fiber barrel is lower weight, which can mean a lot for someone who hunts the backcountry.
Also, part of the secret sauce is ensuring the vibration in the two materials resonates the same.
The BSF process differs from other makers in that there are flutes on the steel liner.
This reduces weight even more.
Plus, it helps the barrel to dissipate heat at a faster rate than a non-fluted barrel.
They then slide a carbon fiber tube or jacket around the fluted steel liner.
This creates air gaps to allow the barrel to cool faster.
Different, or the Same?
A characteristic where both steel and carbon barrels merge is firearm maintenance.
The carbon fiber barrels are also very durable and weatherproof.
Carbon fiber does not rust, but the steel components of a carbon fiber barrel can succumb to corrosion.
Carbon fiber is also practically immune to nicks, scratches and dings.
All in all, the added costs of carbon fiber are usually offset with added benefits.
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