Durability of carbon fiber barrels?

[Lohman446]

Anyone have any experience with this. I am considering it, but as I normally play in dirt and tend not to be at all gentle on my equipment (or clean it nearly enough) I am concerned with scratching the inside of the barrel, or cracking a tip. My understanding is that carbon fiber may only be strong in one direction?

Might be a stupid question, but I have never used a carbon fiber barrel and would like input before I buy one.

[dave p]

my friend al bought one of the original 32 degrees carbon fiber barrels back in 98 or 99 and he still has it, and its still in good shape. he just tosses it into the gear bucket after using it. its not 100% CF, it has a stainless back and a ceramic coating in the bore. i dont know anything about the contruction of the new ones.is it all CF inside and out, threads and all? or similar to the one i describe?

[craltal]

i own both stiffi freak tips and a ccm kit. I believe all of them have aluminum backs for the threads and most have an aluminum tip to protect the end. I did own one of the original stiff tips that didn't have an aluminum front end and have large ovals as muzzle porting, but that cracked on me, but was replaced free of charge with their newer style.

The only thing to be aware of is that with some (Stiffi's for sure) you need to be careful what you clean them out with.

Warranty is void if cleaned with anything other than a rubber or silicone squeegee. (Never use a battle swab or other fibrous material

[SpecialBlend2786]

I always thought that they were more durable than Aluminum barrels?

[lasrsktr]

I always thought that they were more durable than Aluminum barrels?

it all depends on the situation....

I have a Wisper barrel and i love it... for what it is... Takes freak inserts and is lighter than anything else...

If you play with your equipment hard then i don't recommend anything Carbon Fiber.. It is breakable in extreme situations just like everything else.

With that being said...

Its a great compliment to my MINI.

12" Deadlywind Wisper unported.

[Lenny]

Hmm... Let's think. What else do they use carbon fiber in? Hmm...

4500psi airtanks!
AGD's single trigger frame (which can lift a Miata)!

Yeah, I'd say it's good enough.

[Lohman446]

Hmm... Let's think. What else do they use carbon fiber in? Hmm...

4500psi airtanks!
AGD's single trigger frame (which can lift a Miata)!

Yeah, I'd say it's good enough.

But they are not carbon fiber laid in a single direction, and the tanks have a heavy coating over them to protect from dings and scrapes. Not really valid comparisons to what I'm asking. Thanks for the try though.

Here is what I see happening, dirt scratching the inside, or me hitting the barrel end in a dive and watching it crack. I want someone to tell me this is not an issue

[lasrsktr]

But they are not carbon fiber laid in a single direction, and the tanks have a heavy coating over them to protect from dings and scrapes. Not really valid comparisons to what I'm asking. Thanks for the try though.

Here is what I see happening, dirt scratching the inside, or me hitting the barrel end in a dive and watching it crack. I want someone to tell me this is not an issue

that can happen on any barrel... alum won't crack under normal conditions but it will bend...

Scratching will happen just as easily to a carbon barrel as an aluminum...

its just hit or miss....

If your rough and tough and like to dive... stick with the cheaper alum barrels.... carbon barrels do require a little bit of effort to minimize destruction.

[Lohman446]

Ive yet to see a barrel that dirt doesnt scratch the inside. Carbon Fiber is no different.



I dont think youll find someone who will tell you that. Carbon fiber isnt a magic material.

Good points. My question becomes more to this. Are they more prone then aluminum barrels to suffer scratching or catastrophic failure when abused?

I have this bad feeling Im going to ding it off a bunker and see carbon fiber unraveling or something

[MANN]

I have recently aquired both a ccm and stiffi switch kits. I am very rough on barrels/paintball gear in general. I ruined a freak barrel by sliding (more like falling) off of the side of a small rock cliff, and catching myself with my barrel (hey its cheaper than another knee injury). Either way Ill let you know my oppinion after playing this sunday.

They do kinda feel flemsey tho, and the no barrel swab kinda sucks.

[punkncat]

But they are not carbon fiber laid in a single direction, and the tanks have a heavy coating over them to protect from dings and scrapes. Not really valid comparisons to what I'm asking. Thanks for the try though.

Here is what I see happening, dirt scratching the inside, or me hitting the barrel end in a dive and watching it crack. I want someone to tell me this is not an issue

I had one of the newer Stiffi barrels. I could slam it, bang it, plug it with dirt, ANYTHING, except use a cloth swab. They feel fragile, but in my experiance it was not.

I have never damaged an Aluminum barrel beyond scratches doing the same things though.....

[Toll]

I've been using a switch kit for a year or so now and I haven't noticed anything terrible with it.

Use the recommended squeegee and don't do anything terribly dumb and you're good to go. I've run into trees, bashed it off bunker pegs, and nothing serious as developed.

[Madmarx]

I have a Stiffi what is the appropriate squeegee?
I know you've said no cloth but I'm asking specifically what is a good one to use?
Thanks in advance!

[smilestyler]

regular rubber squeegee

[Toll]

I just use the cheap little thing that I've had since the days of the Black Maxx and it seems to work fine.