Christensen Arms Carbon Fiber? Any results?

Anonymous · Apr 17, 2015

Just wondering if anyone has tried the Christensen Arms carbon fiber barrels or rifles?

Checked out a Carbon Classic yesterday and it is certainly an interesting rifle.

DrMike · Apr 17, 2015

I've witnessed mixed results on Christensen Arms. I've heard some good reports from owners, and I've heard some disturbing reports from gun smiths that have attempted to work with them. Mixed results are disturbing and tend to put me off.

Anonymous · Apr 17, 2015

Good to know Dr. Mike- thank you. These things are in the $2500 range at the local ordnance supply... not exactly the kind of cash I'd like to throw around with sketchy odds. It was a really interesting concept and the rifle appeared well executed- at least as far as I can tell without smashing a primer.

When I looked at the specs- the carbon fiber doesn't appear to drop much weigh. Finished weight isn't really any lighter than my current rifle or that of a lot of available models.

cloverleaf · Apr 17, 2015

Read something about a Carbon fiber rifle (dont remember what brand) in Rifle shooter (or some other rag) a while back. Author seemed to think that the greatest advantage might be heat dissipation. Weight savings was not much. The author suggested that it might be best suited to an AR or other arms prone to a high rate of fire.

russ808 · Apr 19, 2015

I know of only one person who has one in 7mag. He's shooting a lot of deer with it. He loves it.
russ

STW · Apr 19, 2015

This is my 5th year with my Custom Sporter in 300 ultra mag. My rifle weighed 7.2 lbs with a Z3 Swarovski and now weighs 8.4 pounds with a NF NXS 5.5-22x on top. This thing flat out shoots 150 Nosler ballistic tips , 150 Nosler Accubonds ,130 Barnes TTSX, 150 Barnes TTSX, 168 TTSX, 180 TTSX and the 180 Accubonds all with Retumbo except for the 130 Barnes which I used Reloder 22.
No trouble putting any of these loads into 1/2 inch groups. People cant beleive how little recoil this gun has without a break. I've settled on the 150 grain Nosler Accubonds running at a validated 3522 fps. For bigger game than mule deer I will shoot the 180 Accubonds. I lost count how many rounds I have put through but it must be over 800 . I have used 2 pounds of Retumbo this year alone practicing for an upcoming Dall sheep hunt. This works out to over 120 rounds. I dont heat the gun up and clean it with wipeout around every 60 rounds.
Two good friends have also purchased Christensen arms rifles and barrels one is identical to mine with the exception of the thumb hole stock my other buddies gun is a left hand Browning which he sent to them to have one of their barrels put on. Both of my friends have muzzle breaks on their rifles. One guy is stuck on the 150 grain Barnes and the other loves the 180 grain Swift Scirroco bullets with Reloder 25.I only own 2 other rifles one is a 223 which hardly gets used and the other is my 21 year old STW which my son has claimed as his and is in need of a new barrel. I will be putting a Christensen barrel on it without hesitation.
So that is my 2 cents some will like them others will not its nice to have the endless choices out their. If you do a search on this forum you be able to find some pics of these rifles I have posted in the past.

Dr. Vette · Apr 19, 2015

My hunting partner purchased one of their display rifles from the SHOT Show a few years back. It is chambered in 300 RCM and sits in a tan w black spider web stock, and does have a brake.

The good? His is very accurate with 165 grain Hornady GMX ammo. And, as expected, it is VERY light weight. He loves it for a carry rifle for elk and deer hunting.

The bad? Because it is lightweight it is a challenge to shoot long range. It does well to the 500 yards we have tried so far, but anything will make it twitch. This rifle shows me first hand why long range rifles are heavy.

Anonymous · Apr 19, 2015

Dr. Vette- I noticed something similar when I shot a buddy's Kimber Ascent... It shot pretty well, but wow- I really had to work at it. Any puff of breeze, twitch, fidget, heartbeat would send the muzzle all over the place. I would be hard pressed to shoot that rifle more than a couple hundred yards even under good circumstances.

I can't imagine topping out on a rise sucking wind and trying to make a shot with it, that rifle just would not settle down for anything.

nvbroncrider · Apr 19, 2015

Yep some times being light is too much of a good thing.

hardpan · Apr 22, 2015

I have had 4 of them. one was amazing! one was good, and the others were pretty so-so.
I had a really great 7mm wby with their barrel. but, the next gun was also a 7mm wby mag, and has never short that well. I have a 257 wby that shoots well and another 7mm that is so-so.

Bottom line, I don't think that they are near as good now as 15 years ago.
Hardpan