Segmented composite barrel for weapon

1. A rifle barrel device for a gas-operated automatic or semi-automatic rifle, the device comprising:

a) a metallic liner with a longitudinal bore and a transverse gas port through the liner to the bore intermediate along a length of the liner;

b) a thermally conductive sleeve circumscribing the liner substantially along the length of the liner;

c) the sleeve being continuous along the length of the liner and including a gas port aligned with the gas port of the liner;

d) a composite wrap circumscribing the sleeve substantially along a length of the sleeve;

e) the wrap being longitudinally discontinuous along the length of the liner and including a gap corresponding to the gas ports of the liner and the sleeve

f) the composite wrap being separated from the gas port;

g) the thermally conductive sleeve and the composite wrap being different materials; and

h) the composite wrap comprising fiber in a resin matrix; and

i) the thermally conductive sleeve comprising carbon foam.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the composite wrap includes two discrete wraps separated longitudinally from one another along the length of the liner with a gap therebetween corresponding to the gas port.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 , further comprising:

a protrusion formed in the liner at the gas port and corresponding to the gap between the two discrete wraps.

4. A device in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:

a protrusion formed in the liner at the gas port.

5. A device in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:

a protrusion formed in the sleeve at the gas port.

6. A rifle barrel device for a gas-operated automatic or semi-automatic rifle, the device comprising:

a) a metallic liner with a longitudinal bore and a transverse gas port through the liner to the bore intermediate along a length of the liner;

b) a thermally conductive sleeve circumscribing the liner substantially along the length of the liner;

c) the sleeve being continuous along the length of the liner and including a gas port aligned with the gas port of the liner;

d) a composite wrap circumscribing the sleeve substantially along a length of the sleeve;

e) the wrap being longitudinally discontinuous along the length of the liner and including a gap corresponding to the gas ports of the liner and the sleeve; and

f) the composite wrap being separated from the gas port.

7. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive sleeve has a thermal conductivity greater than 50 W/mK.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive sleeve has a melting point greater than 2000° C.

9. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the thermally conductive sleeve has essentially a zero coefficient of thermal expansion through operating temperatures of the rifle.

10. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the composite wrap is separated from the metallic liner by the thermally conductive sleeve.

11. A device in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the thermally conductive sleeve and the composite wrap are different materials.

12. A device in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the composite wrap comprises fiber in a resin matrix; and wherein the thermally conductive sleeve comprises carbon foam.

13. A device in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the composite wrap includes two discrete wraps separated longitudinally from one another along the length of the liner with a gap therebetween corresponding to the gas port.

14. A device in accordance with claim 13 , further comprising:

a protrusion formed in the liner at the gas port and corresponding to the gap between the two discrete wraps.

15. A device in accordance with claim 6 , further comprising:

a protrusion formed in the liner at the gas port.

16. A device in accordance with claim 6 , further comprising:

a protrusion formed in the sleeve at the gas port.

17. A device in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the thermally conductive sleeve has a thermal conductivity greater than 50 W/mK.

18. A device in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the thermally conductive sleeve has a melting point greater than 2000° C.

19. A device in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the thermally conductive sleeve has essentially a zero coefficient of thermal expansion through operating temperatures of the rifle.

20. A device in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the composite wrap is separated from the metallic liner by the thermally conductive sleeve.