Carbon Fiber Barrel Tension Kit

[DBlue]

I got the FX carbon fiber kit and installed it on my M3...I first tried it by just slipping the carbon fiber over the liner and securing it on each end inside the barrel housing and I shot it like that, and it was shooting pretty good. I then decided to go ahead and bond the carbon sleeve to the liner, I used the regular JB weld and bonded it and let it sit for 24 hrs to cure. I shot it some more after bonding it and could tell a difference, the groups tightened up some and it seemed more consistent, I'm glad that I went ahead and bonded it and I'm very happy with the way it's shooting now. The only thing I didn't like about the kit is when you install it you can't use the factory shroud as the cone end is too small to fit over the carbon fiber outer sleeve. I removed the end cone from the shroud and machined it on the lathe to fit over the carbon fiber sleeve and I machined a new o-ring groove and installed a larger o-ring in it....I think it looks better with the shroud...

 

[Moses888]

Nice

 

[DBlue]

WoW.......I just got done shooting at 100 yards on my woods range and what a difference in the groups after bonding the barrel to the carbon fiber sleeve....It really made a big difference at 100 yards.... The other day when I tried it, I was only shooting at 50 yards but this rifle has always shot hole for hole at 50 yards but at 100 yards is where I see a big difference....I'm not changing anything else on this rifle as I don't think I could make it shoot any better than it is now...
I'm thinking about getting a Panthera now and setting it up to shoot slugs only....

 

[qball]

WoW.......I just got done shooting at 100 yards on my woods range and what a difference in the groups after bonding the barrel to the carbon fiber sleeve....It really made a big difference at 100 yards.... The other day when I tried it, I was only shooting at 50 yards but this rifle has always shot hole for hole at 50 yards but at 100 yards is where I see a big difference....I'm not changing anything else on this rifle as I don't think I could make it shoot any better than it is now...
I'm thinking about getting a Panthera now and setting it up to shoot slugs only....

That’s what I see as well! A lot of people here on AGN did not see the difference between epoxying the sleeve but to your point they may not shoot high power out to 100 yards and beyond. When I shoot slugs my guns are at the top edge of power range and above what the rifles originally were designed to do, then at long distances any little variables are amplified.

From my experience bonding the sleeve helps and have no downside, if anything just eliminating another variable that could change by changing liner. Seems logical to me but to each their own. I even expoxy the sleeve on my 300mm 177 barrels that shoot at 10.5 FPE.

Panther/Dynamic are BEAST slug slingers out of box, I’ll order one when they have the version I want. They will have a ton of models very soon!

 

[Bigragu]

That’s what I see as well! A lot of people here on AGN did not see the difference between epoxying the sleeve but to your point they may not shoot high power out to 100 yards and beyond. When I shoot slugs my guns are at the top edge of power range and above what the rifles originally were designed to do, then at long distances any little variables are amplified.

From my experience bonding the sleeve helps and have no downside, if anything just eliminating another variable that could change by changing liner. Seems logical to me but to each their own. I even expoxy the sleeve on my 300mm 177 barrels that shoot at 10.5 FPE.

Panther/Dynamic are BEAST slug slingers out of box, I’ll order one when they have the version I want. They will have a ton of models very soon!

I knew it! I knew it! You don’t fool me Qball! I saw the sillouette of the Panthera in your eyes as you were feasting on my adobo!

 

[Bigragu]

DBlue- very nice work, especially on that moderator build. Do me a favor, and tell me it’s a figment of my imagination, or eyes of a 60 year old playing tricks, but is there a slight cant/skew now on the moderator to shroud connection after opening up that rear taper to slip over the CF?

Just looking out for you, in case you start clipping shots on that sweet moderator

 

[DBlue]

Thanks.....It does look like it's on a cant in that pic but it's the angle and the lighting in my shop that made it look like that in that pic. It's definitely not canted against the shroud, here's a pic with a machinist square on top of the shroud and against the moderator and another pic of the barrel at a different angle.....

 

[carlos_hathcock]

Impact tension barrel set up questions

I’ve had the tension barrel on my Impact M3 for some weeks now. Previously, I learned that any torque on the liner lock nut (part #10) would put compression on the barrel liner equals no good for accuracy. Before I had installed the tension system and after indexing the barrel, it became a game of screwing the liner lock on lightly with thumb and index finger just until it stopped, while making sure that the barrel remained indexed properly. Then gently with the shroud and moderator so as not to turn them both.

Now, with the tension system, it’s a case of torquing the tension system nut while making sure that 1) the barrel remains indexed correctly, and 2) the barrel liner and liner lock nut doesn’t turn so as to compress the barrel liner. Both the barrel liner and liner lock nut can turn while you torque the tensioner nut, so this becomes a fine dance. So far it seems 30-35 inch pounds to be where the tension nut likes to be, but my testing is limited.

After installing the tensioner, I realized that the system doesn’t actually tension the barrel liner. It tensions only half of the barrel housing (part #7) which surrounds the barrel liner and the optional carbon fiber sleeve, but no doubt still helps.

I'd love to hear some setup ideas from those of you who have got the tension system to work regarding indexing etc. It seems some like it and some don’t.

I’ve been dreaming of my own system that would use a rear barrel liner clamp that would screw on to the barrel attachment (part #5)in place of the barrel housing, another barrel liner clamp at the muzzle threaded for a tension nut, and a carbon sleeve for a spacer that would run between both clamps. That way you would have a truly tensioned barrel liner from block to muzzle. No doubt the barrel attachment would have to be more securely attached to the block to accept such tension. Unfortunately I don't have the tools or machining skills required for this.