Carbon fiber seems like a lightning rod for many. Scary “what could happen” stories are brought up, prices are way, way higher than most aluminum parts, and lower receivers made of CF were absolute trash.
I’d like to see pictures of AR’s with solid carbon fiber components, ideally with description of experiences using them. Pro’s and con’s are good.
Known companies…
Lancer
Handguards, stocks
Faxon
Handguards
Smoke Composites
Handguards, stocks, pistol grip
JAG Composites
Handguards
CODA Evolution
Handguards
Brigand Arms
Handguards and other parts
PRI
Really, really heavy handguards that people only buy because they clone 20 year old SPR setups
Fortis (?)
Grips…kinda
FarrowTech
Various foregrips
If you are aware of other manufacturers, I’ll tag them on this original post.
I’ll drop in some better images later, but here is a rifle length closed stock with butt pad and cheek rest from Smoke Composites. Length of pull is super long for me, so a custom length is on the way to replace this on my GP carbine. The will be moved to a precision rifle that I mostly shoot prone. Unless I sell it. The weight is great, and the butt pad really isn’t necessary, though it is an improvement.
I’m not against it, unlike the wood and steel fanatics that nearly sunk the AR15.
Materials science has advanced since the 1950’s and if done right certain properties “should” be better than AL or even steel in some cases.
However, done correctly, it is expensive to produce, as reflected in the price of most parts. The CF strength to weight ratio should make it an absolute winner for some parts of the AR.
I’ve been thinking about what will be on the market in this space 50 years after I’m gone and if the stuff I own now will no longer be considered useful.
Yes, I did mean CODA… I’ll update. And Brigand seems like they have some cool things, but the weird designs were off putting. Are they “good”?
Weight savings are the immediately reason for carbon fiber for most people.
But at least as valuable is that it won’t act like a heat sink. “My handguard got so hot I had to wear gloves” or “I need to paint my handguard, that class outside in July with a black gun was rough” are comments I’ve regularly read or heard in person. Or experienced. That’s the reason I picked up a handguard before anything else.
Regarding barrels: You’re right, they are partly carbon fiber. I’m not sure whose are worth buying. The one 12.5” carbon fiber wrapped barrel I got had an enormous gas port, so I didn’t even put it together after discovering that.
I appreciate your candor lol. I’ve used them on multiple builds, and the weight doesn’t seem any more significant than other hand guards I’ve used. Added bonus, they don’t seem to heat up like modern slim designs.
