PROOF Research Adds Semi-Auto Barrels

The folks at PROOF Research have a good thing going. Their barrels are some of the most accurate you can get for everything from a Ruger 10/22 to a Remington 700. The way they make their carbon fiber-wrapped barrels improves accuracy, reduces point of impact shift, and dissipates heat quicker than anything else out there. Not content with staying in the bolt action and direct blowback world, PROOF has just released an interesting new system designed to allow semi-auto AR-10 shooters to enjoy the same benefits as their slower-firing brethren.

According to the presser below, it sunds like not only are they producing semi-auto barrels but they’ve re-located the gas port to make cycling the action more reliable and easier on some of the newer .308 Winchester-based loadings such as .260 and 6.5 Creedmoor. The barrels come with the appropriate gas system from the factory for easy installation.

With the release of its new patent-pending Caliber Matched Gas System (CAMGAS) barrels, PROOF Research has eliminated the issues traditionally associated with building 6.5mm and .260 rifles on 308AR/AR-10 platforms. Until now, AR-variant shooters looking for ballistic advantages from either of these calibers were faced with excessive bore pressures that necessitated makeshift solutions such as clipping buffer springs, adjusting buffer weights, and/or relying on adjustable gas blocks, to keep their rifles functioning properly.proof-camgas-logo

PROOF’s R&D team has solved the overpressure issue with gas systems tuned specifically to the cartridge/barrel-length combination. “By moving the gas port, the pressure in the bore is given time to reduce to that comparable of a .308 Winchester with a rifle-length gas system, which is what the 308AR/AR-10 system was designed around,” said Greg Hamilton, PROOF’s research-and-development weapons specialist who’s also a 3-Gun and PRS competitive shooter. “The recoil impulse is noticeably smoother, which helps keep you on target while taking advantage of a more efficient projectile. Case extraction is also easier, with less case-head smearing, so the brass is in much better condition for reloading.”

In recent years, 6.5mm Creedmoor and .260 Remington have become increasingly popular in long-range shooting competitions. The .260 in particular represents an outstanding caliber for a military counter-sniper role—out to roughly 1,000 meters—in smaller- to mid-sized weapon systems. It offers exceptional accuracy and superior ballistics over the ubiquitous .308 while dishing out substantially less recoil and enough energy to make it a legitimate contender for military and law enforcement applications.

Proof Carbon Fiber Barrel“I’ve been using prototype CAMGAS barrels, in both .260 and 6.5 Creedmoor, in competition for almost a year with excellent results,” Hamilton explained. “Both rifles ran flawlessly through high-round, fast-cadence stages, firing hundreds of rounds with 100 percent reliability and zero maintenance or cleaning. From recoil to reliability, every aspect of performance was improved compared to the typical un-tuned barrel.”

PROOF Research currently offers Caliber Matched Gas System barrels chambered for 6.5mm Creedmoor and .260 Remington in three separate lengths: 20, 22, and 24 inches (See more here http://tinyurl.com/jlshxd5). Every CAMGAS barrel comes standard with an easy to install custom-length gas tube.