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Carbon Fiber Barrels

Boatninja

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 3, 2018
968
849
Out there somewhere
Any first hand experience with load development in Carbon Barrels, difficulty in finding a node, wide node, narrow etc? Specifically, I have a 6mm Creedmore with 20 rounds down the tube and after a few more will start load development. I have been following break-in procedures and haven't seen better than 1" at 100 yds with loads I shoot in two other 6mm Creed"s I have.
 
What CF barrel? My Proof barreled 338 LM AI is a tack driver. Even w factory Lapua 338 ammo while fire forming held 3/8 inch at 100. I don't like to start load development till i get 100-150 down the tube.
 
I put my carbon 6 6 creedmoor together the same time my buddy put his McGree precision 6 creedmoor together I ramped up some loads with 107 grain SMKs and h4350 and found mine shoots cloverleafs with 39.5 grains with 20k jump at around 2900fps in less than 50 rounds down the tube he tinkered with his much longer to get it to shoot less than 1/2 moa and tried several different powders before settling with H4831SC. I may beable to tighten mine up I’ve always used 20k off lands to start my development and get my powder correct before adjusting jump but I’m so pleased with the way mine shoots I haven’t messed with it.
 
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What blanks do Carbon 6 use?
 
Zero experience with carbon six but I put together my 6.5 creed with a 20” savage profit proof and had a super accurate load within 30 rounds and no fancy breakin proof srp brass 143 eldx 50 thou jump= bugholes .... easiest load development ever for me and first bolt gun I’ve put together maybe I just got lucky!!!
 
Another positive experience with CarbonSix. My 300WM prints 3/8 groups all day with 215 Berger's with little development required.
 
Im not saying they don't shoot out of the box but barrel speed up can be a issue if your tweaking loads. My Bartlein sped up 160 Fps from the first to the 200th. My Proof has almost 200 rounds now and I'm sure it has sped up.
 
I might give them a try .5 moa guarantee. They also do a custom 338 1.350 shank bull barrel which Proof won't build for me!
 
This was the last lot of load dev at 100m with two rifles using the same load. The top target is using a proof research steel medium palma barrel and the bottom is with a proof research carbon sendero barrel. both barrels are 26" in length. I initially got quite pissed off with the carbon build when I started shooting it as it was shooting at MOA or just under, turns out I'm actually just really shit at shooting lightweight rifles off of the bench.

The carbon took about 120 rounds before it sped up.

RL16 TMK Ladder Results.jpg
 
Got my first Proof CF barrel on a 300 WM SAC hunting rifle. 30 rounds of break in with medium loads then found best length, then best powder -shoots very accurate out to 900 = all my range has. Extremely pleased with it
 
What CF barrel? My Proof barreled 338 LM AI is a tack driver. Even w factory Lapua 338 ammo while fire forming held 3/8 inch at 100. I don't like to start load development till i get 100-150 down the tube.
I should have posted, Proof Research Carbon
 
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I would shoot at least 120 rounds of factory ammo before trying to find a node.
 
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Just curious I am very new to hand-loading, is that a universal thing, or just carbon barrels?
No, all brands of barrels speed up or break in at different intervals(rd ct), and my Proof's all needed at least 120 rds. 2 set up right now, in 3-4 shots when time, one took around 45 rds bouncing back and forth in velocities before it was done.
 
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This was the last lot of load dev at 100m with two rifles using the same load. The top target is using a proof research steel medium palma barrel and the bottom is with a proof research carbon sendero barrel. both barrels are 26" in length. I initially got quite pissed off with the carbon build when I started shooting it as it was shooting at MOA or just under, turns out I'm actually just really shit at shooting lightweight rifles off of the bench.

The carbon took about 120 rounds before it sped up.

View attachment 7135078
How do expect the 2 rifles to shoot the exact same load and retain the same accuracy from both?
 
So far my proof cf barrel in 280ai seems to shoot anything well and a little load development makes things even better. From 57-59.5 gr of h4831sc with Nosler accubonds largest group was .944” smallest .333”. But I started with seating depths others had success with, which probably helped. Factory Nosler ammo I bought for the brass shot a 6 shot group at .75”.
 
When I first started handloading, I was using new brass with a new Proof CF barrel. I just did a modified Satterlee test (3 rounds per charge, 0.3 gr) and every group was a cloverleaf or better (100 yds) I was very glad I was using a Magnetospeed. Otherwise I would have had to extend the range, which would be an hour drive for me. Just picked the lowest ES between charges loaded up 20 to chrono, then stuck with it. Got to about 150 rounds when velocity stabilized. Once the brass was "fireformed" I did another Satterlee test (1 round per charge) to find a velocity node then loaded 20 to to chrono for groups. I have the MKM adapter for the Magnetospeed, so affecting harmonics is a non-issue. I'm at 1160ish on my 4th reload and haven't changed anything and still printing the same groups. Proof barrels are amazing. I have a steel Proof barrel that I'm currently doing load development with as well. Put 17 rounds of 0.2 gr (correction, not 0.3) increments in 1.2 MOA with over 220 FPS ES. I thought that was pretty cool.
 
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