So I'm looking at Proof for my next barrel, and I'm contemplating a 6mm Creedmoor. There are only two options I'm interested in and that's the 16.5" or 22" Sendero in the 16.5" and Sendero Light in the 22". I'd really love to get an 18-20" barrel but it isn't offered, the reason is I'm wanting to use either barrel with a suppressor (Omega 300). I'm waiting on a reply from Silencer Co to see if I can use the 6mm CM in a barrel as short as 16.5". Main use will be as a deer, pronghorn, and varmints at medium to short ranges as well as shooting steel.

What's your thoughts on a 16.5" 6mm CM? I'm also not 100% sold on going with Proof barrel, but I've been wanting to try one.

Carbon or steel?

I just had a 6mm Creedmoor built with a Sendero Lite barrel. I'll have to check but I think its 22".

If you really want a 16.5” barrel the 6cm would be a waste you would be better off with a 6BR with that length barrel.
Also with a 16.5” barrel why the extra cost?? Of carbon fiber?? Just flute it

Carbon fiber is what I want because I get a Military discount on two barrels a year. I'm going with the CM because I want the availability of factory ammunition. The CM has tons more factory options than the BR.

The main reason I'm considering the 16.5" barrel is that my suppressor adds around 7" to the barrel, and 23.5" barrel inside the hunting blind sounds a lot less unwieldy than a 29" barrel. I figure there are specialty pistols shooting this cartridge successfully in sub 16" barrels. Plus I read this article and they weren't getting horrible velocity out of a 17" barrel.

6mm CM by the inch.

They only do the Sendero Lite in the 22" blank according to the web site. I can get a Carbon 6 barrel in a FWT 18" long, but the Proof is still cheaper with my discount.

I'm a huge fan of a shorty... I have no carbon fiber experience yet but I wouldn't hesitate...

Carbon Fiber is an easy skip for me. Saw two more being pulled off yesterday to be shipped back to manufactures to be replaced after the first of the year.

A 16-17” 6 CM wouldn’t bother me a bit. I had a 20” Tikka and it easily ran the 105-108s around 3025-3030 suppressed.

Still outruns my 6BRs with 26” barrels.....empirical results and all.

Go for it. I've got a 16.5" Christensen Carbon Wrapped barrel chambered in 6.5 CM. That length along with a 7" Thunder Beast Can makes an overall length of rifle manageable.

You may want to check out barrels from Carbon Six.They'll cut it any length you want from 16" on up. They do prefits and are very accurate (from my sample of one). They also offer a military discount of 10% if you ask.

Even at 10% discount from Carbon 6, I'm getting the Proof enough cheaper to make me consider it.

A barrel that short looses most of the advantages of a carbon wrapped barrel. The weight savings over a fluted or skinnier barrel are practically nil. It would look cool though if that's your style. With the can then the short barrel sounds like a good option but I would go 18" in case I shot it with out the can.

Velocity loss shouldn't be that bad maybe 100 - 200 fps. Hopefully the can takes care of muzzle blast some, most do.

What seems to be the issue josh?

Inconsistent stress relief in the cores and heat retention of the carbon fiber.

Copy that

I returned a new 6.5 1:8 CF barrel for accuracy reasons... No hassle replacement barrel from Proof Research.

Haven’t tried out the new pipe for improvement. My other CF barrel has been great. 😎

I guess I'm too lazy to search....but do any PRS competitors use carbon wrapped barrels?? Seems like that would be a true test.

And to the OP.....I'd agree with an 18" barrel instead of 16.5. Still plenty manageable with a can. I've got a couple of 18" Fieldcrafts - 6.5 CM and a 6 CM - and they are a joy to shoot with a can.

ETA: I see that's not an option for you. 16.5" it is.

Military discount? Where do get this info? I've googled and can't find anything concrete and since they don't sell direct how do you get the military discount?

I've used a few Proof barrels, including a 22" Sendero Light in 6.5 CM, and they have all shot exceptionally well.

For the record, I'm getting 2854 fps with an 18-inch Fieldcraft (Omega 300 mounted) with the Precision Hunter 6mm Creedmoor load; 2955 with the 21-inch version.

Very, very few. Makes zero sense when you are going through 2-3 barrels a year depending on what round you’re running.

When it’s a crapshoot if a CF barrel is going to keep a 5 shot group together without a 3-4” POI shift, then imagine where you’ll be in a 10-15 shot string in 90 seconds.

Thanks Josh. Kinda' what I figured. They never appealed to me....being hamstrung with a certain length and not being able to cut it down if needed. And the cost doesn't appeal to me, either. LOL.

I can’t say 100% that a PCF pipe is a forever barrel. I haven’t got enough rounds through them....I have done enough gun play with my GAP 6.5 CM to say it’s an accurate .5’s or better pipe, dependent upon my trigger finger each time out.

I do builds based off a specific criteria that I have planned for each toy. My cf barrels are on builds for the purpose of carrying a lightweight rifle - not a 1000 round a year practice/play rig.

I have a 6.5 PRC set up for lightweight hunting with a PCF barrel...I won’t blaze this barrel...But, I liked the PRC chambering enough that I have a second build that ships tomorrow with a SS barrel just for shooting, practice, and play. This one, I will heat the barrel with high round counts.

Not to derail this thread...I’m very curious about Proof’s SS barrel offerings and how they shoot and hold up with high round counts.

😎

SS Proofs are solid Beaver....

Likewise I build/spec rifles for a certain purpose. All the CF barrels I have mentioned that needed to be replaced have all been on dedicated hunting rigs. The last two I referred to are LW 300 Win Mag builds with zero skimping on components. I build loads for customers hunting rifles just as I do a match rig, and they all have gone through the same vetting of variables before the barrel is pulled.

Not saying there hasn’t been good ones I’ve dealt with, cause there sure has been. Seems like a 50/50 shot on whether or not they are going to be consistent IME. But if the owner is good with 3 shot groups with complete cool downs in between, then I let them make the decision on what happens next.

Inconsistent stress relief in the cores and heat retention of the carbon fiber.[/quote]


Yeah the carbon fiber displacing heat never made sense to me, seems like it would insulate a thinner than regular contour barrel anyway. But I’m no engineer, so I’m probably wrong.

I shot most of last season (both matches and practice) with a Proof CF barreled 6.5 CM. It wasn’t because it gave me a competitive advantage. Your typical PRS rifle weighs an average of 20lbs including optic. It’s not uncommon for some to approach 30lbs.. The rifle and optic I shot weighed about 9 lbs. in a MCS-EH2 and about 10.5lbs. in a McMillan ADJ A-5 Thumbhole with an ArcaLok rail. The Proof held up well. While I haven’t specifically tested for it, CF barrels seem to dissipate heat better and cool down faster than conventional barrels. It also seems like I get less mirage off a CF barrel.

I’d love to see a weight restricted division to make lighter weight LR hunting rifles competitive. Even without it, PRS matches are a great place to test this type of equipment. They’re also a great venue to hone skills shooting from awkward field positions under time.

I considered building another Proof CF barreled rifle for 2020 with their Bull contour, but it’s only offered in 24” lengths. A 28” or 30” Bull contour CF barrel with a .243 bore might be kind of interesting.

Josh,
Were these CF wrapped barrels Proofs or someone else’s?

Josh. I have always been in the thought process that cut rifle barrels usually stress relief better than button. The proof is cut rifled.

I didn’t get past 500 rounds on my gap and I didn’t shoot 20 round strings but I did work it pretty hard and it shot amazing.
Wife’s 7-08 is showing the same traits.

I find the proof cools off faster than my steel barrels in 3b contours.

I also agree that I would have no use for a proof in a prs setting
As they cost is just to high per round -VS- steel.

I got an invite.



Yep, 18" would have been my first choice.

I’m with you on this. You hear a lot about how well they make button rifles barrels these days. For the modest premium in price, I’m still buying cut rifled barrels.

3 different manufactures, Proof included.

OK. Serious question that I honestly do not know the answer. How do you tell if a carbon fiber wrapped barrel is cooler? Isn't it always cool on the exterior? I've never had one, obviously. I'd like to try one some day. And I typically take several rifles and alternate them between groups to allow the barrels to cool down some.

Same....Give me cut rifling or give me death!

Little dramatic 257? 😆. I believe I have bought at least four rifles from you and all had button rifles barrels. Of course .... maybe that’s why you sold them. Hahaha. That NULA 250AI is sure a favorite. Haven’t warmed up to the 6AI at all or the 25-284 much though. One day hopefully I will get caught up and use ALL my stuff.

Owning proof barrels as well as steel I am not sure how you check the temp on them. Valid question in my eyes. Mine get warm exterior but not hot. I have had two duds out five with proof. I am on pause with them currently and back to steel. Still building with proof but many don’t shoot enough to notice barrel behavior. No customer complaints to date just my personal one. Go figure. Bad luck maybe. One bad barrel is 7-08 1-9 a sendero chambered and gun smithed by Proof. Other is a 280AI sendero light. Smithed by kampfeld. Doubt the Smith was a problem in either. Point of impact shifts are the problem I am seeing as well as vertical stringing. These are hunting rifles with short shot strings and low use. Noticed during load development and verify dope. Appear great shooting a cold bore threee shot group from the bench.

Tom Beckstrand at Guns & Ammo (who knows his sh*t) did a side-by-side comparison of steel (both fluted and unfiluted) vs. carbon fiber barrels. He did it by firing a specific number of rounds and then putting a thermometer in the chamber. The CF barrel, which was a Proof, cooled the fastest of the three tested.

Proof is a one of a kind manufacturing process the resin they use is A development of the aerospace industry they have purchased exclusive rights to. They wrap cut rifle barrels which resist stress better than any other rifling process.
Adding any of the other wrapped barrels is not a comparison of any kind. A Pontiac Sunfire ain’t a Cadillac!
I own button barrels I will not even flute them because I don’t want to fûck up final heat treat from the manufacture.

Again I would not PRS a proof due to cost but a killing practice rig he’ll yes every time.

I hear ya... and I get it I assure you. To each his own, I’m not here to tell anybody how to spend their money.

The other manufactures are held in high regard as well, but Proof numbers have been the highest. BUT that’s simply a reflection of the numbers as they are more “popular”.

All have been replaced with just a phone call to the manufacture from seasoned smiths. The feedback has been the same in that there is some difficulty in consistent stress relieving of the thin cores.

Buscchhhhhh....

I guess that's the best way to do it.

LOL. Maybe.......

2 out of 5 bad isn't a good ratio. Have you contacted Proof to see if they will do anything about it??

As a point of reference, I’ve had the one I shot this past season so hot you couldn’t pick it up by the barrel, many times.

Yep... happens quite frequently. Esp when it’s 110*.

Good test of powder temp stability too..grin....

I have three proofs sitting at my smiths so I will have more samples to judge from soon.

.264 8T gap4s 22” lite
.284 8T 7-08 AI. 22” sendero
.284 8T 28 Nosler. 24” sendero

I will post results when they arrive and get a work out.

JFC!,,,Why do you have so much shît sitting at your smiths, deputy dog? Let’s get these parts assembled, made into something that resembles a fûck’n rifle, hang some pictures of it hammering away on rocks, paper, or fur.

Merry Christmas Freddy 😂😎

😏
I’m next.



.875’s are running now.

Yes they were good to deal with on resolving the matter. Both barrels were replaced in the end

Black oxide will really set these babies off.
Best brakes on the market period.

Freddy,

What’s the cost for a brake without cerakote? I can use (2)

😎

150$ on his web page. I’m sure I can help.

Plus the new ones are going to be like above or black oxide. No more Cerakote it burns off around the holes.
What caliber do you want I can get some cheap.

.284 x2

I need to check the thread size on my 7WSM. I will get with you when I’m ready for them...👍🏻😎

I also have two Proofs at Shaen’s but one will be a 6.5CM so that is a gimme....
The other will also be a 7-08AI. 24” 1-8.2 T.....👍👍

Sounding eerily similar to the Leopold saga... Some have really good luck, some dont...

fredIII:

Who makes those??

Scott Weichel at Live Oak Accuracy

😎

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
And they are the best I have used.

As much as I hate em, those are the best lookin ones I’ve seen for sure

I am going to hunt high country with the loudener on my Ridgeline. Turns the 270 into a 243. Still figuring out hearing protection.

Joel, just shoot once, they’ll only ring for a bit!! 😂😂

I pretty much destroyed my hearing on helicopters in the CG. I like the idea of being able to see hits.

My reason as well it’s cool watching the show.

That’s why he is so far behind....👍

He’s been setting up new equipment for three months and it’s finally paying off.

He’s got those anodized and is making.875” 5/8 24 Right now.
He will have several hundred in stock of each soon.

Mine are still ringing from doing that back in Oct 2016. Sux