Carbon Fiber Barrel vs Steel – Which is Better?

The age-old discussion of which barrel option continues with the newer focus on whether a carbon fiber barrel or steel barrel is better. This selection is important, especially for your hunting/precision builds.

So we are going to go over the pros and cons of each to see which one you should choose.

The Difference Between Carbon Fiber and Steel Barrels

Comparing two options requires us to know how each functions and how they are made. This means we have to look at carbon fiber barrels.

How is a carbon fiber barrel made?

Despite the name, carbon fiber barrels are not fully made from carbon fiber. They are actually a steel barrel wrapped in carbon fiber “sheets” which causes them to be referred to as carbon wrapped barrels.

How narrow, stepped, or tapered the inner steel barrel is will depend on the manufacturer, but it is still a metal tube wrapped in layers of carbon fiber. Now let’s get into the differences.

Steel Barrel: Pros and Cons

Steel barrels are the standard for rifles, they are familiar and reliable but they come at the cost of weight since they are made entirely out of steel.

Pros

Steel barrels are easily acquired in any configuration you desire. They have relatively good barrel life depending on the load, and can be had at almost any price point. This makes them the normal choice for a rifle, especially if it is bought off the shelf.

• Simple and reliable

• Varying levels of cost and quality

• Great off the shelf options

Cons

The drawbacks of a steel barrel are few but significant. The drawbacks are heat mitigation and weight. Let's look at heat first. 

Since the barrel is made of a homogenous steel, the entire barrel (depending on the design) will trap heat at the same rate. This means that once a certain level of heat is reached your barrel starts to bend slightly and this can throw off the accuracy. Letting the barrel cool, which can take some time, is the only solution to getting your accuracy back.

Weight is a little different. Depending on the style of shooting and barrel you are using, weight can help with things like magnum loads and keeping the scope on target. However that weight starts to become a pain when carrying the rifle for hours.

What you need the rifle to do will determine if the barrel’s weight is actually an issue.

• Less heat mitigation

• Takes time to cool

• Weight can be an issue

• More barrel equals more weight

Carbon Fiber Barrel: Pros and Cons

Carbon fiber combines newer manufacturing technologies with traditional ones. This allows for consistency and lower weight costs than barrels that are only made from steel.

Pros

The primary benefit of carbon fiber barrels is weight savings. There is less steel in the barrel and carbon fiber weighs less than steel. Carbon fiber is multiple times stronger than steel at the same weight level. This means a lower weight amount can produce the same durability of a normal steel barrel while maintaining the same integrity.

Carbon fiber is also more resistant to temperature changes. This means it doesn’t warp from heat or cold. You will be able to shoot longer and have the heat dissipate more easily with a carbon fiber barrel (depending on the resin and design) when compared to a steel barrel.

• Similar durability at a lower weight

• Better heat mitigation with the correct resin use

• Little to no change in barrel due to heat.

• Cools faster than a steel barrel

Cons

Carbon fiber barrels are great options but they do have their drawbacks. This is predominately cost and barrel diameter.

There are a lot of cost effective options out there but many carbon fiber barrels are as expensive as some new firearms. They are an investment in your rifle and should be treated as such.

The other drawback is for those individuals who want “stronger than steel” barrels. Carbon fiber is 4-5 times stronger than steel, but only if they are compared with equal weights. This means more carbon fiber has to be used which leads to larger diameter barrels. It also leads to a barrel weighing the same as a steel barrel which defeats the purpose of using carbon fiber. 

• Carbon fiber barrels are more expensive than other options

• Increase barrel diameter for stronger barrels

• Increased strength comes from barrels of equal weight

Which is Better?

The better barrel comes down to what you want out of your rifle. This may mean that a heavier steel barrel will suit your needs better than a light carbon fiber barrel. If your goal is to have a rifle you can shoot for a while and carry for a long time, a carbon fiber barrel should be one of your primary choices.

Which barrel should you get? That is up to you. Check out our carbon fiber options for an idea of what’s out there. We have Proof Research, Bartlein, and other manufacturers available.