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No. 107221
ID: 22ba7a
Here's a good article on good carbon wrap barrel.
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek092.html
From what I understand at this point, carbon fiber is much more complicated than at first blush. The epoxy and the weave pattern matter a whole lot, and both can dramatically change the properties of the final product to such an extent that they appear polar opposites.
For example, a carbon fiber handguard can be so insulating that it stays cool in direct sunlight and high round counts. However, with the right wrap and epoxy compound, a carbon fiber wrap barrel can conduct heat away faster than steel. In essence, the carbon fiber wrap acts like a massive heat sink that dissipates heat into the outside air very efficiently, cooling the steel barrel within quickly.
We all seem to think firearms have plateaued, and while that may be true for the basic form and function of standard cased munition firearms, I think we will see many changes stemming from material sciences. What now may be fancy expensive accessories or components will get cheaper, and with that might come changes to firearm designs that will reduce weight, improve durability, and other such factors. I think in the next decade or two, carbon fiber and other such boutique materials could become as prevalent as polymer is now.
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