Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10

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11 years 6 months ago #23279 by mlotziii
Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10 was created by mlotziii
Yesterday I was at the local gun shop (lgs) picking up some ammo when they asked if I wanted to see a CA-10. I responded, "If you've got one, sure!"

Out came a brand new CA-10 from Christensen Arms. If you're not familiar with Christensen Arms they pioneered carbon fiber rifle barrels. Dr. Christensen is an expert in the field of Carbon Fiber and applied his expertise to firearms manufacturing. The two paired exceptionally well and their showcase of exquisite firearms tells the story.

The CA-10 felt to be about half the weight of an AR-10 with the handguard and barrel being manufactured from carbon fiber.

It was a pleasure just to hold it. I can't imagine what it is like to shoot.

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11 years 6 months ago #23281 by 13fcolt
Replied by 13fcolt on topic Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10
What was the price tag?

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11 years 6 months ago #23284 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10
Well I went to the website www.christensenarms.com and was quite disappointed...I was foaming at the mouth to read and see this technology, bbls made out of carbon fiber, WOW. Could not find a single word, in fact it was barley discussed other than they have it.

I want to know about how they groove the bbl, how do they deal with the fibers, the friction or is the bbl sleeved, etc etc...

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11 years 6 months ago - 11 years 6 months ago #23285 by faawrenchbndr
Replied by faawrenchbndr on topic Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10
Barrels are not made out of carbon fiber.
There is a LOT of material removed from the barrel, more than a light weight profile.
The the barrel is covered with the carbon fiber, bringing it back to a rather large diameter
and adding a crap load of stiffness.

Think of it an a light weight barrel profile, that ends up looking like a carbon fiber bull barrel.
Last edit: 11 years 6 months ago by faawrenchbndr.

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11 years 6 months ago #23287 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10

faawrenchbndr wrote: Barrels are not made out of carbon fiber.
There is a LOT of material removed from the barrel, more than a light weight profile.
The the barrel is covered with the carbon fiber, bringing it back to a rather large diameter
and adding a crap load of stiffness.

Think of it an a light weight barrel profile, that ends up looking like a carbon fiber bull barrel.

Kinda what I thought, but the site is woefully lacking in tech data for a engineer like myself. Lots of refs to using Titanium and carbide etc but little data about advantages, or the tech side. I love tech, its been my life and guys like me do buy unless they are sold on it, did not see any selling going on...

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11 years 6 months ago #23288 by 13fcolt
Replied by 13fcolt on topic Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10
Christensen arms is very hard to deal with. One minute they act like they value the customer, the next you are an unwashed heathen unworthy of basking in the glory of having received the blessed privileged of giving them money.
Short version, I contacted them back in '98 about building a carbon AR10 barrel. After several promising discussions, only to have them cease all contact. It took months for them to break, answer the phone, only to tell me they don't sell barrels.

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11 years 6 months ago #23289 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10
NOT cheap by any means:

www.eurooptic.com/christensen-arms.aspx

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11 years 6 months ago #23290 by OleCowboy
Replied by OleCowboy on topic Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10
Here is the real deal on them:

"I own two Christensen Arms rifles and wouldn't use any other rifle. My buddies also hunt with Christensen's Carbon barreled guns and none have had issues over the past four years that they've owned them. What's overrated about them? The fact that they're lighter, more durable, and have better accuracy then any gun I've owned over the past 35 years of hunting? Are they overrated because I've packed them on several sheep hunts through all kinds of weather conditions and plugged each of my rams first shot, cold bore with neither being less than 500 yards?
Or maybe they're overrated because after winning a long range shooting competition with my Christensen recently I had more competitors after the contest asking to shoot it because they were flabbergasted at the accuracy after taking shot after shot after shot..."

Another guy on a forum is shooting 1/4 MOA with his.

Bet if I keep searching I will come across a guy who says because its so light he is now able to walk on water.

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11 years 6 months ago #23293 by mlotziii
Replied by mlotziii on topic Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10
The price at this dealer was $4,000

I don't think it is worth that much ... maybe a $600 premium over another manufacturer. Interestingly, there is only a 1 MOA guarantee.

I have to agree OleCowboy -- I too was looking for the technical info. They are very close-lipped about it. Also, they have a few different lines of business such as their magazine and hunting trips.

For me the jury is still out but it was definitely a fraction of the weight of a heavy barrel rifle.

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11 years 6 months ago #23294 by jtallen83
Replied by jtallen83 on topic Yesterday I got to hold a Christensen Arms CA-10
The .22 crowd has been on this composite barrel stuff for some time; www.brownells.com/items/carbon-fiber-rifle-barrels.aspx


VOLQUARTSEN is 30 miles down the road from me. They've grown pretty big over the last decade or so but they had always been a "better engineering" oriented family. I'm betting they found an accuracy advantage or at least a neutral effect in the 10-22.

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