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Best Bang for Buck Carbon Fiber
$692
at OpticsPlanet
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
Available Coupons
-
25% off all OAKLEY products – OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Who Is It For?
- Competition shooters who want a stiff bull barrel profile but not all the weight
- Shooters who don’t want their barrel heating up and all the accuracy problems that come with it
- Someone who needs your barrel to look really really cool
About BSF
I only heard about BSF in the last year but they are making a splash in the carbon fiber (CF) arena with their perforated barrels instead of standard wraps. My understanding is that there’s a 416R stainless steel match barrel underneath there that is covered with CF. However…95% of the CF doesn’t even touch the steel (only 4 contact points: chamber, before/after the gas block, and near the muzzle). This creates air gaps that cool the barrel through the perforations.
Fit & Feel
The barrel was a sight to behold. Even the wife said it was cool…and by now all the barrels and uppers around the house look the same to her. I tried out the 16.5″ .223 Wylde in 1:8 twist which clocks in at 26.9 oz. Compare that to a standard M4 profile 16″ barrel at 28 oz. If you want to go bull barrel stainless…it can reach 3 lbs (48 oz). I couldn’t find exact numbers since I could only find 18″ bull barrels that are over 3.5 lbs.
- F1 Firearms UDR-155-3G Upper Receiver (Best AR-15 Uppers)
- Brigand Arms Carbon Fiber Handguard (Best AR-15 Handguards)
- Superlative Arms .936 Adjustable Gas Block (Best Gas Blocks)
- Strike Industries J-Comp V2
- RCA Titanium BCG (Best AR-15 BCGs)
- BCM Gunfighter Charging Handle (Best Charging Handles)
- Vortex Viper PST II 1-6x (Best 1-6x Scopes)
Install
It is a little more difficult to install since there’s no barrel shoulder to gauge where to put the gas block. But if you have an electronic caliper…you should be good. My go-to Superlative Arms block (this time in .936 for the bull barrel) went on easily after I made a small etch marking on the stainless section of the barrel.
Testing
What you’ve been waiting for…does it actually work? I conducted two rounds of tests…one with the touching CF handguard and one with the free-floating.
- Lead Sled DFTÂ ($200)
- Schmidt & Bender PMII 5-25x Scope with Larue Mount ($3500)
- Hiperfire Eclipse Trigger ($230)
Specifications:
- Lightest .936 bull barrel
- Chambered in .223 Wylde
- Twist Rate 1:8
- Drilled to vent heat-fastest cooling carbon fiber barrel
- Carbon sleeved space between the carbon and stainless barrel- there are air gaps in between the stainless and the carbon
- Can be held without burning hand after 60 consecutive shots
- Match grade double stress relieved
- Roll wrapped carbon is 3 times stronger than stainless steel
By the Numbers
Reliability: 5/5
No failures of any kind in the ~400 rounds I shot through.Accuracy: 4.5/5
Great groups when you consider shooting with no cool down and as fast as I could get back on target. A 5 would be consisten sub-moa even at high speed.Looks: 5/5
I’d make it a 10 if I could. But it really stands out…especially with the sweet carbon fiber drilled holes.Bang for the Buck: 3.5/5
It’s $500…would I count it as double a really high quality 16″ Wylde barrel? Probably not. But if you’re at the top of your game or want an unfair advantage in relation to your groups opening up due to heat…this could be it. However…the most affordable out of other CF options.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Conclusion
I believe the hype of carbon fiber barrels now. Take a lightweight bull barrel profile with great groups at speed…and you have a winner. If you have the coin for a sweet new build…check out BSF. It’s definitely my new competition rifle. Ringing steel at 100 was easy standing up and with a 1x. The rifle was well balanced and once I got the Superlative Arms gas block tuned in…it felt like a pea shooter.Best Bang for Buck Carbon Fiber
$692
at OpticsPlanet
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
Available Coupons
-
25% off all OAKLEY products – OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
5 Leave a Reply
What if the BSF with these holes and space get dirty? What if you drop it on the ground? What if there will be a desert sand or mud? And all of it will go on the barrel? Will it still be that good?
And how to clean it, get rid of all that dirt out the holes and inner space?
I do not think this design is the best idea..
And I don't think about battlefied sort of thing but i.e. hunting or 3 gun comp where it is pretty easy to get the rifle dirty by accident. For me this isn't good idea to buy BSF.
I bought a 20" had accuracy problems,, tried so many powder bullet combinations that my brain burnt out,,, but I did find one load yes i said 1 and only 1 load,,,, that shot worth a crap,,,and that shot 3/4 inch, I have many barrels 3-4 barrels at half the price that will shoot 1/2 or better ,, To say the least, for that kind of money that barrel should be 1/2 moa with no problem!!! I ended up sending mine back for a replacement one from BSF,,, time will tell if its crap too as I haven't received it yet
It's nearly impossible to get 1/2 moa with the ar platform. CF barrels are made to be lightweight anyways.
Same I want to send mine back did you ever get it
So i recently bought a new B.S.F. 18in 223 wylde barrel and got the SA gas block to go along with it, but I am just discovering that the new .875 OD of the barrel and the the block on top of that wont fit into my Aero Atlas S-One hand guard. Seeing as you had a similar issue with a slight touch would you have any suggestions on handgaurds that would fit properly? Forgot to measure twice and cut once.