carbon fibre - the future?

[novice]

Having just got the feeling back in my neck and shoulder after lugging around my tikka/Harris/pes combo, id be interested to hear members thoughts on carbon fibre barrels and stocks and whether they are a viable component for production rifles of the future?

I know Emma custom rifles had some howa prototypes with carbon barrels and very nice they looked as well.

Surely a carbon fibre barrel, titanium mod and carbon fibre stock would be the way forward for a lightweight stalking set up? What happened to the joint venture between Brock norris and others on this vein from a few years ago?

Novice

 

[mereside]

it would be interesting to here from people who build rifles what the recoil is like with carbon i am all for a light weight rifle but for me im using a 270 and 300 win and find a nice solid wood stock all be it heavier seem to handle recoil better than composite stocks will read with interest what peoples thaughts are on this,atb wayne

 

[novice]

I must admit that I do not enjoy using any centrefire without a mod up front, so recoil would hopefully not be an issue for me anyway.

Novice

 

[Mr. Gain]

Both Christensen Arms (imported by the much-maligned Global Rifle) and Anglo Custom Rifle offer ultra-light rifles that make use of carbon-fibre stocks, and wrapped barrels. And, as per the "plastic silencer" thread, Anglo are also due to release a polymer CF moderator soon.

 

[chrisc]

i had a rifle built and put a edge tech mcmillan stock on it only weighed 22 oz for the stock.

 

[klunk]

I've never actually handled a carbon stocked rifle, but surely if it's that light at the back it'll make the whole setup a bit front-heavy, wouldn't it, particularly once you've got a bipod and/or mod on there? Just a thought.
Could always add some lead to the stock to balance it again I suppose......

 

[novice]

Any input as to prices compared to more traditional steel barrels and synthetic stocks?

If I was going lightweight I'd go the whole hog and want a titanium mod or an a-tec, so hopefully I wouldn't be too muzzle heavy!

Novice

 

[Brithunter]

A couple of points to make:-

1) Are modern hunters so weak now that they cannot manage a normal rifle and recoil?

2) Just how stable are these super lightweight rifles? For instance Whelen claimed too light weight a rifle and accuracy fell off due to it not holding steady.

3) Is this just the latest must have fad aimed more at relieving your pockets of your loot or is it really an improvement?

The clamour for light weight rifles is nowt new and has been going on in some quarters fro over half a century in sort of fits and starts. It becomes the in thing then fades away before resurfacing once more. Surely if it was sooooooo good it would have been sorted out and most rifles and not just the few would have been made like it by now?

 

[Kalahari]

Take off the bipod and the moderator and put on a light fixed mag scope! You might need to hone a few more skills like getting closer and learning to shoot without all the aids but it would save weight and money!

David.

 

[novice]

Not weak it just makes sense to me to minimise the weight of kit i carry around.

Production methods and technological advances are constantly changing in all fields, so no doubt there are some improvements to be made in rifle construction that may turn out to be worthwhile.

Novice

 

[novice]

Take off the bipod and the moderator and put on a light fixed mag scope! You might need to hone a few more skills like getting closer and learning to shoot without all the aids but it would save weight and money!

David.

I make every attempt to get as close as I can and enjoy the stalking aspect to our sport. As I've said, I prefer to use a mod so if that makes me nesh, so be it.

It still interests me as to what advances there are to be made in weight reduction that aren't at the expense of accuracy and consistency.

Novice

 

[bewsher500]

man up you bunch of whimps!
I am all for wanting the latest sexy toys hewn from carbon fibre and titanium but not because "o' me bad back!!"

 

[jamross65]

Remington introduced a rifle a few years ago that had a carbon fibre barrel with a steel bore, if that makes sense. If I remember correctly there were problems with the 2 materials separating and it didn't stay on the market for very long...

 

[reiver]

Take off the bipod and the moderator and put on a light fixed mag scope! You might need to hone a few more skills like getting closer and learning to shoot without all the aids but it would save weight and money!


David.

Bingo!!!

 

[Brithunter]

Take off the bipod and the moderator and put on a light fixed mag scope! You might need to hone a few more skills like getting closer and learning to shoot without all the aids but it would save weight and money!

David.

Why not go the whole hog and ditch the scope to. A nice set of sporting aperture sights fitted and :-



Bingo

There you go:-

Actually the majestic has a P-H6E sight fitted which has simple adjustments and nott eh 1/4 min clicks like the Redfield shown below.

nice clean lines ........................ classic stalking rifles. Oh yes the stock dings were there when I acquired the rifle for the princely sum of £100 .

 

[pierred]

A carbon wrapped Barrel will cost circa £1100 + chambering screwcutting and fitting, a carbon stock about the same and in a magnum caliber unmoderated or without a brake will kick like a mule.

 

[chrisc]

A carbon wrapped Barrel will cost circa £1100 + chambering screwcutting and fitting, a carbon stock about the same and in a magnum caliber unmoderated or without a brake will kick like a mule.

pierred have you shot a carbon wrapped barrel rifle before ? i have shot 2 and both where in lonewolf stocks and there was hardly any recoil at all 1 in 7-08 and the other 7mm rem mag. But i do think that carbon fibre does really soak up recoil alot but alas the carbon wrapped barrels are not for me as when i saw them they just reminded me of sootys wand .

 

[Thar]

While I am total agreement that a lot of UK stalkers would do well to lose a few pounds themselves before looking to trim down there rifle, I use a Browning A-Bolt Titanium mountain rifle even with a 22” barrel this weighs 5 ½ lbs it comes standard with Bell and Carlson Carbalite stock, carbon fibre, bolt shroud and titanium action. I have fixed Sarvo scope’ lightest scopes I recon’, A-tec mod and harris 25” bi-pod. It is a dream to carry as for accuracy it shoots 5/8” groups with home loads. For over 30 years now I have never been convinced that when shooting free hand that a heavy rifle is easier to shot more accurately that a lighter on in fact quite the opposite.

Brit one for you, when I was 14 all I could afford out my paper round money was a Crossman 760 pump air rifle with a 4X32 scope weight with its plastic stock 4 ½ lbs, my mate had a wealthy dad and he had a HW35 export with a 4X40 on top weight 8 plus lbs and yet both of us could shoot the Crossman more accurately in the field I have not found anything to make me think any different to this day.

Edi of this site has made some very light carbon fibre stocks, I am sure he will contribute, Titanium moderators and carbon fibre moderators are very poor conductors of heat, if they are of over barrel design they could cause super heating of the barrel after long shot strings, not too much a problem when stalking but a point to remember, titanium blast shields with alloy body is the way to go IMO like the one I made.

ATB

Tahr

 

[Brithunter]

Hmmm so exactly how does carbon fibre rewrite the laws of physics?

After all the lighter a rifle weighs the more recoil is generated for a given bullet weight and velocity.

 

[pierred]

pierred have you shot a carbon wrapped barrel rifle before ? i have shot 2 and both where in lonewolf stocks and there was hardly any recoil at all 1 in 7-08 and the other 7mm rem mag. But i do think that carbon fibre does really soak up recoil alot but alas the carbon wrapped barrels are not for me as when i saw them they just reminded me of sootys wand .

I have actually Chris in 300 win mag was a pleasure to shoot with a muzzle brake but became very unpleasant without, the concept for a target or bench rest rifle is fantastic but for a lightweight stalker IMHO they just become to unwieldy , kinda like sootys wand.