Do carbon fibre barrel sleeves do anything meaningful?

[jwai86]

This CZ 455 rifle has been advertised on Oz Gun Sales for a while now.

https://www.ozgunsales.com/listing/1018 ... _22lr.html



I've read that the carbon fibre sleeve is a tube that goes around the thinner barrel and are attached to each other at the muzzle. However, I'm sceptical as to whether this setup actually does anything significant for shooting performance. It seems telling that CZ didn't offer carbon fibre barrel sleeves with their subsequent CZ 457 range. Can anyone confirm that it's more than a gimmick?

[deye243]

If a carbon stainless barrel is done right it gives rigidity and a big drop in weight

[jwai86]

If a carbon stainless barrel is done right it gives rigidity and a big drop in weight

Would you consider the setup on the above mentioned rifle as being 'done right'?

[deye243]

Depends who made the barrel but on a 22 I find it pointless. when they first came out on centre fires they had major accuracy issues that has been fixed now can't remember the name of the brand but they have very large diameter barrels and only weigh 6 1/2 7 pounds but they are long-range accurate mountain rifles

[bigpete]

Depends who made the barrel but on a 22 I find it pointless. when they first came out on centre fires they had major accuracy issues that has been fixed now can't remember the name of the brand but they have very large diameter barrels and only weigh 6 1/2 7 pounds but they are long-range accurate mountain rifles

Christensen ?

[deye243]

Depends who made the barrel but on a 22 I find it pointless. when they first came out on centre fires they had major accuracy issues that has been fixed now can't remember the name of the brand but they have very large diameter barrels and only weigh 6 1/2 7 pounds but they are long-range accurate mountain rifles

Christensen ?

That's them thank you bigpete

[bladeracer]

This CZ 455 rifle has been advertised on Oz Gun Sales for a while now.

https://www.ozgunsales.com/listing/1018 ... _22lr.html



I've read that the carbon fibre sleeve is a tube that goes around the thinner barrel and are attached to each other at the muzzle. However, I'm sceptical as to whether this setup actually does anything significant for shooting performance. It seems telling that CZ didn't offer carbon fibre barrel sleeves with their subsequent CZ 457 range. Can anyone confirm that it's more than a gimmick?

I don't believe there's any benefit for 95% of what you might use the rifle for, and probably even less in a .22LR. I'm sure barrel makers and their shills will have plenty of factual test data to prove otherwise, but start asking shooters on forums and you find a lot less factual data agreeing with them.

In a hot centrefire you can perhaps gain a bit more, but that's more down to doing a whole lot less shooting than you would with a rimfire than any actual benefit from the barrel. If you're going to build a rifle for a very specific and narrow niche purpose, a carbon-wrapped barrel may be awesome. For most of us, if you painted it black you could own it for years before you ever realised it was carbon.

[scoot]

The 455 carbon barrell I looked at isn't a carbon "wrapped" barrel. You can unscrew the carbon fibre cover to reveal the teeny barrel underneath. If memory serves it wasn't even a snug fit. I saw absolutely no gain apart from filling out the chanel of the mdt stock and looking cool.

[bladeracer]

The 455 carbon barrell I looked at isn't a carbon "wrapped" barrel. You can unscrew the carbon fibre cover to reveal the teeny barrel underneath. If memory serves it wasn't even a snug fit. I saw absolutely no gain apart from filling out the chanel of the mdt stock and looking cool.

Same as a whole lot of "carbon" motorcycle mufflers were a few years ago, take the carbon tube off and it's just a standard steel/ti/aluminium can underneath. A true carbon can is very significantly lighter (saved about 2-8kg on the bike's weight), but it does not stand up well to crashing at all.

[on_one_wheel]

A mate on mine had a Ruger 10/22 with a carbon fibre/ stainless barrel. It was incredibly light and such a joy as a walk around bunny gun.

[bladeracer]

A mate on mine had a Ruger 10/22 with a carbon fibre/ stainless barrel. It was incredibly light and such a joy as a walk around bunny gun.

The 10/22 is very light anyway though. Mine was the standard wooden carbine - claimed weight is 2.27kg (5lb). The synthetic stainless is only 2kg (4.4lb). The synthetic Ruger American Compact 18" bolt-action is 2.4kg (5.3lb) in comparison. I doubt the carbon barrel made more than 100gm difference.

[womble]

I’m not allowed to own a 10/22 because its too dangerous.

[MtnMan]

Tacticoolness

[InisBineest]

I can't say of they do based on any comparison, but I have owned a PWS summit with a carbon barrel, and I have a Bergara B-14R Carbon, both shot (shoot) very well with the right guy ammo. Wouldn't say more accurate than a standard steel barrel, but just as accurate without the weight of a bull/varmint barrel.

As for the CZ one, I'm massive fan of CZ, but I was never sold on their take on a carbon sleeves barrel. They struck me as cheaply made compared to others I have used/owned.

[jwai86]

The 455 carbon barrell I looked at isn't a carbon "wrapped" barrel. You can unscrew the carbon fibre cover to reveal the teeny barrel underneath.

The carbon fibre being just a tube around the actual barrel is what I mentioned in my original post. I also took care not to call that setup a wrapped barrel after recently finding out what the process was to make one.

As for the CZ one, I'm massive fan of CZ, but I was never sold on their take on a carbon sleeves barrel. They struck me as cheaply made compared to others I have used/owned.

I guess it's for the best that CZ didn't continue with that idea with the CZ 457 range.

[Lsfan]

I have this rifle and it was my first rifle purchase. It is very accurate at the range but can't say it has anything to do with the carbon fibre sleeve. It does look good though if nothing else and you may argue it provides some protection to the barrel.
One of the guys at the range said he had one with the thumb hole stock and liked the idea that you can take the sleeve off and use a suppressor with a certain sized thread.

[Larry]

If the sleeve can move at all it is not doing anything. To be of any use it needs to be bonded to the steel or at least in very tight contact with the barrel.

[straightshooter]

Do carbon fibre barrel sleeves do anything meaningful?
Of course they do.
They increase the profit margins for manufacturers and retailers.
Do they do anything for rifle functionality?
Well that is open to speculation of all sorts but the probable answer is ....if anything then very little.

[Mattraff]

The CZ is just a marketing excersize to cash in on the tactical craze although from what I saw they were very reasonably priced, perhaps the traditional CZ buyer wasn't interested in them? I have an ibi barrel on my 457 that is stainless and carbon wrapped. It shoots amazingly good but the carbon is more for weight saving as the barrel is thick.

[InisBineest]

The CZ is just a marketing excersize to cash in on the tactical craze although from what I saw they were very reasonably priced, perhaps the traditional CZ buyer wasn't interested in them? I have an ibi barrel on my 457 that is stainless and carbon wrapped. It shoots amazingly good but the carbon is more for weight saving as the barrel is thick.

I think of you want a carbon wrapped barrel, like with most things, you get what you pay for. IBI barrels seen to be pretty decent, as are the wrapped barrels on the PWS/Volquartzen summit rifles. My Bergara B-14R Carbon sleeved barrel shoots pretty decent groups too. Can't say better or worse, but pretty brilliant for the weight savings compared to the steel barreled version.

[InisBineest]

Do carbon fibre barrel sleeves do anything meaningful?
....if anything then very little.

True, but most tricks to get a more accurate rifle bring the dollars up significantly, for an accuracy increase that is measured in points of 1 moa. Depends how much you want to spent to tighten up that group:)

[jwai86]

I have this rifle and it was my first rifle purchase. It is very accurate at the range but can't say it has anything to do with the carbon fibre sleeve. It does look good though if nothing else and you may argue it provides some protection to the barrel.
One of the guys at the range said he had one with the thumb hole stock and liked the idea that you can take the sleeve off and use a suppressor with a certain sized thread.

Does the sleeve increase the diameter of the barrel and the required width of the channel in the stock to something equivalent to a varmint barrel?

Have you tried using your CZ 455 without the sleeve attached? I read that the barrel underneath is a 16.5" threaded sporter barrel.

[Shootermick]

A mate on mine had a Ruger 10/22 with a carbon fibre/ stainless barrel. It was incredibly light and such a joy as a walk around bunny gun.

I nearly bought one of those this year, ended up going with a stock standard 10/22 though. Still an extremely light rifle.

[Lsfan]

I have this rifle and it was my first rifle purchase. It is very accurate at the range but can't say it has anything to do with the carbon fibre sleeve. It does look good though if nothing else and you may argue it provides some protection to the barrel.
One of the guys at the range said he had one with the thumb hole stock and liked the idea that you can take the sleeve off and use a suppressor with a certain sized thread.

Does the sleeve increase the diameter of the barrel and the required width of the channel in the stock to something equivalent to a varmint barrel?

Have you tried using your CZ 455 without the sleeve attached? I read that the barrel underneath is a 16.5" threaded sporter barrel.

Yes the sleeve adds thickness and it sits quite tightly in the stock. I think without the sleeve it would sit OK would float more freely. Maybe not such a good thing.
Yes it is a shorter barrel underneath and probably is around 16.5". I haven't tried it without the sleeve.

[jwai86]

Yes the sleeve adds thickness and it sits quite tightly in the stock. I think without the sleeve it would sit OK would float more freely. Maybe not such a good thing.
Yes it is a shorter barrel underneath and probably is around 16.5". I haven't tried it without the sleeve.

Someone told me the other day that the sleeve on the CZ 455 Carbon is more than cosmetic because it applies tension to the barrel, and removing it would result in inaccuracy and perhaps a floppy barrel.

Does this line up with your experience at all?

[Lsfan]

Yes the sleeve adds thickness and it sits quite tightly in the stock. I think without the sleeve it would sit OK would float more freely. Maybe not such a good thing.
Yes it is a shorter barrel underneath and probably is around 16.5". I haven't tried it without the sleeve.

Someone told me the other day that the sleeve on the CZ 455 Carbon is more than cosmetic because it applies tension to the barrel, and removing it would result in inaccuracy and perhaps a floppy barrel.

Does this line up with your experience at all?

I haven't tried it without so don't know. I would say though that because I use it for benchrest at the range, there would be some more flex in the stock due to the gap left after removing the sleeve.