Bartlein Carbon Fiber 6.5CM AR308

[padom]

Many of you know Bartlein released their new Carbon Fiber barrels recently. They currently are only available in a few contours and calibers to start. They do not offer AR barrels in carbon fiber right now.

In talking to Bartlein yesterday, I am going to have a Bartlein carbon fiber 6.5cm barrel to put through its paces and test. Just a heads up to tune in here for testing and reviews in a head to head comparison with my current Bartlein steel 22" AR308 +2 gas barrel in the near future.

More info in about 4 weeks.

Stay tuned!

 

[Biggie1976]

Will be neat to follow

 

[Longshot85]

Thanks for always sharing your info, helping people and being on the forefront of a lot of testing

 

[bobke]

Very interested in following your results, as always. Any consideration of or additional value in a gain twist or just looking for a straight up comparison to your existing +2 barrel?

 

[padom]

Very interested in following your results, as always. Any consideration of or additional value in a gain twist or just looking for a straight up comparison to your existing +2 barrel?

For purposes of the review, I want a straight up comparison to my exact same spec Bartlein. Only difference being carbon fiber vs all steel. I will be doing the exact same contour, gas tenon size, +2 gas, length, muzzle threads, chamber, etc....

My current Bartlein is a hammer. Looking forward to see how the carbon fiber compares.

 

[Rootshot]

Watching this thread with great interest....

 

[Longshot85]

For purposes of the review, I want a straight up comparison to my exact same spec Bartlein. Only difference being carbon fiber vs all steel. I will be doing the exact same contour, gas tenon size, +2 gas, length, muzzle threads, chamber, etc....

My current Bartlein is a hammer. Looking forward to see how the carbon fiber compares.

And this methodology is what makes you so legit

 

[bobke]

Bump to keep this on the radar. Padom-any updates on an ETA?

 

[padom]

Bump to keep this on the radar. Padom-any updates on an ETA?

@Frank Green and I have talked a few times this week about specs, reamers, gas length, etc. for this Bartlein 6.5 CF barrel review/testing. Dont have a timeframe on when it will be in my hands to start testing for you guys but its actively being worked on.

 

[bobke]

Any thoughts on keeping freebore more in a line relative to available magazine lengths or is that even a consideration vs a bolt action chamber dimension?

 

[padom]

Any thoughts on keeping freebore more in a line relative to available magazine lengths or is that even a consideration vs a bolt action chamber dimension?

A 6.5cm sammi reamer is what I have used on all the 6.5cm gassers Ive built over the years (20+). That reamer allows you to use 130 and 140gr 6.5 match bullets (ELD, AR Hybrids, SMK, 130 GT, etc.) and get all the way to the lands and still have room in the mag.... I dont run my loads at the lands in my 6.5cm gassers, Im typicall .02 off but I have plenty of room to get there and chase in a mag. Now, I am not using PMAGS. Im running KAC, Larue and ASC SS magazines that allow a COAL of 2.871". Looking at my notes here, this is the distance to the lands with these bullets so you can see the amount of room I have in the mag allowing me to maximize case capacity...

Distance to lands 6.5cm SAMMI reamer

130 GT: 2.833"
130 ELDM: 2.820"
140 ELDM: 2.853"
130 AR Hybrid: 2.818"
123 Lapua: 2.799"


This is the main reason everyone started building 6.5cm gassers instead of 260rem gassers....Because you can fit all the heavy top BC 6.5 bullets into a mag to get at and close to the lands if you wanted.... You cant do that with a 260rem reamer unless youre using a short freebore reamer to allow this....

 

[bobke]

Appreciate the feedback. Use ASC mags in both of my 6.5CM AR’s, but because of a chambering issue that was tied to an improperly fitted barrel extension, I have a short chambered 22” Bartlein barrel that mandates handloads only. Shoots great, just requires different sizing than my other 6.5CM’s, to accommodate corrected chamber.
That said, and pending your findings, ready to put in an order for one of these-maybe a gain twist/+2 gas 22” barrel for my next pass. Look forward to your results.

 

[bobke]

Ping for updates.

 

[padom]

I talked to @Frank Green over @ Bartlein today. No updates on the 6.5cm CF AR barrel yet. As soon as I know more Ill keep this thread updated.

 

[big67]

Interested

 

[shax2lex]

following

 

[bfoosh006]

Very interested.
I am a precision ( accuracy nut ) minded AR shooter.
So I will be watching for results !

Thanks padom.

 

[LongRangeAggie]

Any updates??

 

[Painless300]

Following

 

[BigPrince]

waiting to see results. interested.

 

[DavidAR10]

 

[padom]

No updates at the moment. Ill check with @Frank Green and see if he has any

 

[Frank Green]

No updates at the moment. Ill check with @Frank Green and see if he has any

Brady here just started shooting a AR15 CFW barrel this past weekend. Not a ton of rounds on it but it's shooting great. I want him to get more rounds on it before we make a decision.

We have a couple of others out in the real world. One is on a full auto M4 carbine type gun but it's not being shot for accuracy testing per say. Just abuse testing. The other one is not up and running as of yet.

Later, Frank

 

[padom]

Brady here just started shooting a AR15 CFW barrel this past weekend. Not a ton of rounds on it but it's shooting great. I want him to get more rounds on it before we make a decision.

We have a couple of others out in the real world. One is on a full auto M4 carbine type gun but it's not being shot for accuracy testing per say. Just abuse testing. The other one is not up and running as of yet.

Later, Frank

There's your answer boys, not ready yet.

 

[big67]

Brady here just started shooting a AR15 CFW barrel this past weekend. Not a ton of rounds on it but it's shooting great. I want him to get more rounds on it before we make a decision.

We have a couple of others out in the real world. One is on a full auto M4 carbine type gun but it's not being shot for accuracy testing per say. Just abuse testing. The other one is not up and running as of yet.

Later, Frank

Thanks for the update!

 

[Frank Green]

Here is the other thing I have to work out if we would make AR type barrels in CF.

Do we do it per order....or do we make a run of them in a given caliber/contour/length per say?

What would the demand be?

I'll put a feeler out here right now.

So on AR15's (223 guns) what contour and gas length system would you guys want to see?

Standard 20" finish length and rifle length gas system? Or something else?

AR10 guns...besides finish length and gas system length....give me a vote on caliber? Just 6.5CM and 308win?

 

[tate1976]

Here is the other thing I have to work out if we would make AR type barrels in CF.

Do we do it per order....or do we make a run of them in a given caliber/contour/length per say?

What would the demand be?

I'll put a feeler out here right now.

So on AR15's (223 guns) what contour and gas length system would you guys want to see?

Standard 20" finish length and rifle length gas system? Or something else?

AR10 guns...besides finish length and gas system length....give me a vote on caliber? Just 6.5CM and 308win?

I’d like to 6.5 or 6. +2\3 on the gas system finished length 24

 

[padom]

20" AR15 rifle gas

20" 308win rifle gas
22" 6.5cm +2 gas

 

[big67]

6.5 CM, +2/+3 gas, 20'-24"

 

[bobke]

In terms of production efficiency, setup, QC and cost control-and the most favorable cost to end user, seems would make sense for either a group buy or an optimal/minimum run qty before production would commence, and am good with either.
What would the external dimensions of a 22” +2 gas 6.5 CM barrel be ie. muzzle, gas block diameter, etc? Ready to order, once final details are released. Thank you, Frank and Padom, for moving this project forward. Love to have one in 6.5 Grendel somewhere downstream, as well.

 

[RyanScott]

16” intermediate 1/7 5.56. Proof uses 1/8 only so it won’t handle some bullets I want to shoot.
16” rifle+1 6.5CM. Proof doesn’t make anything shorter than 20” in this caliber.

 

[dms416]

16” intermediate 1/7 5.56. Proof uses 1/8 only so it won’t handle some bullets I want to shoot.

I second this

 

[LongRangeAggie]

Thank you Frank!

I would love to see 18"-24" +2 Rifle 260 Rem.

 

[BigPrince]

Personally will be looking for these in the near future:
AR10:
20-22" Rifle+2 1:7.5 or 1:8 6.5creedmoor for AR10
AR15:
18-20" Rifle+1 1:7.5 6mm ARC
18" Rifle 1:8 6.5gren

 

[padom]

I think guys are getting off track here. You aren't going to see all the boutique barrels in cf, at least not right now. They need to make something that the masses will be. Imho, that's going to be 16" and 20" AR15....20" 308win rifle gas, and 22"-24" 6.5cm +2 gas. I'm not saying nobody would by anything else, but you gotta look at it from Bartleins side....what are the masses going to buy if they do a run.

I can surely put a group buy together like I did with the recent Bartlein 22rf blanks, but what is the majority going to want. I think the above covers that from past experience...

 

[padom]

My interest lies in the 6.5cm 22" +2 specifically. That's the one I want to test and compare to its identical steel counterpart in my safe..

I dont doubt accuracy being the same, is it the same over strings of fire, say a 6x5 once things heat up?...whats the weight difference when contour, length, gas tenon, chamber is all the same....? What's the weight difference vs its fluted counterpart? Whats the cost to performance ratio....

These are the things im most interested in comparing and why the masses want to see that review/comparison done.

 

[BigPrince]

I think guys are getting off track here. You aren't going to see all the boutique barrels in cf, at least not right now. They need to make something that the masses will be. Imho, that's going to be 16" and 20" AR15....20" 308win rifle gas, and 22"-24" 6.5cm +2 gas. I'm not saying nobody would by anything else, but you gotta look at it from Bartleins side....what are the masses going to buy if they do a run.

I can surely put a group buy together like I did with the recent Bartlein 22rf blanks, but what is the majority going to want. I think the above covers that from past experience...

With utmost respect, Frank did ask some targeted questions but left things open with “or something else” for example. Perhaps a survey/poll with specific options would be more appropriate and more helpful if there are guide rails?
Personally my suggestions are all currently offered by their main CF competitor, and for 6.5cm inline with your review criteria. I hope you get your barrel soon to keep the momentum forward on these CF barrels. I’d 100% rather have Bartlein but if Frank doesn’t sell it I’ll have to buy the competition.

 

[padom]

With utmost respect, Frank did ask some targeted questions but left things open with “or something else” for example. Perhaps a survey/poll with specific options would be more appropriate and more helpful if there are guide rails?
Personally my suggestions are all currently offered by their main CF competitor, and for 6.5cm inline with your review criteria. I hope you get your barrel soon to keep the momentum forward on these CF barrels. I’d 100% rather have Bartlein but if Frank doesn’t sell it I’ll have to buy the competition.

Yea I just don't see some of these calibers/spec available off the shelf but could be ordered special order.

But I could see the 223 AR, 308 and 6.5 large frames made in qty and stocked. Just my $0.02 but I don't speak for Bartlein

 

[LongRangeAggie]

Any progress on this @padom?

 

[GUNNER10]

Brady here just started shooting a AR15 CFW barrel this past weekend. Not a ton of rounds on it but it's shooting great. I want him to get more rounds on it before we make a decision.

We have a couple of others out in the real world. One is on a full auto M4 carbine type gun but it's not being shot for accuracy testing per say. Just abuse testing. The other one is not up and running as of yet.

Later, Frank

Awesome,

Any chance of shorter 308 or 6.5CM that could ultimately converted for use in an LMT MWS?

 

[padom]

I just reached out to @Frank Green to get an update on doing this review. Last time Frank and I spoke about this, he was holding off while they had 2 being tested in house on machine guns I believe. As soon as I have an update Ill update you guys as I have the steel AR10 Bartlein ready to test side by side with the CF.

 

[bfoosh006]

padom, Thank You for the update.

Looking forward to the results.

 

[padom]

Well Frank has gotten back to me and the initial CF machine gun testing went great. He's ready to make the barrel and send it to me for testing and review. No promise on TimeFrame but he said he would get it done as quickly as possible for me. Stay tuned. It's happening

 

[bfoosh006]

Best news of the day !

Thank You to both !

 

[padom]

Frank asked what specs I want this CF test barrel to be and here is what I sent him to compare to my existing Bartlein 416SS barrel:

22"
6.5cm
8 twist
+2 gas length,
Muzzle threaded 5/8-24...
.936 Gas Tenon
Its 1.2” Diameter for 1inch
Then its 1inch diameter all the way to the gas tenon
Drops down to .936 gas tenon
Then its .885” out to muzzle…
Gonna use a honed Lilja barrel extension and headspace it to my JP HP bolt which I will be sending Frank once hes ready to chamber
Chamber will be the 6.5cmBartleinMatch chamber which puts a 140Amax at 2.831" COAL which is almost identical to my existing barrels chamber.

 

[CoriolisEffect]

Awesome,

Any chance of shorter 308 or 6.5CM that could ultimately converted for use in an LMT MWS?

Pretty sure Dave Wilson has said carbon barrels can't be converted for use in an MWS. I've never seen a reason as to why that is though.

 

[Skunkworx]

Pretty sure Dave Wilson has said carbon barrels can't be converted for use in an MWS. I've never seen a reason as to why that is though.

Maybe because there’s not enough steel in exposed in front of the barrel extension to press/thread the adapter collar

 

[padom]

Maybe because there’s not enough steel in exposed in front of the barrel extension to press/thread the adapter collar

Bartlein will make whatever you want if you want more steel in front of barrel extension before the CF starts.....

 

[bobke]

Necro update….

 

[LongRangeAggie]

Frank asked what specs I want this CF test barrel to be and here is what I sent him to compare to my existing Bartlein 416SS barrel:

22"
6.5cm
8 twist
+2 gas length,
Muzzle threaded 5/8-24...
.936 Gas Tenon
Its 1.2” Diameter for 1inch
Then its 1inch diameter all the way to the gas tenon
Drops down to .936 gas tenon
Then its .885” out to muzzle…
Gonna use a honed Lilja barrel extension and headspace it to my JP HP bolt which I will be sending Frank once hes ready to chamber
Chamber will be the 6.5cmBartleinMatch chamber which puts a 140Amax at 2.831" COAL which is almost identical to my existing barrels chamber.

What ever came of this?