A barrel for directing the path of a dischargeable projectile, comprising: an inner liner defining an axial bore, the inner liner having a coefficient of thermal expansion along the axial bore; and an outer shell surrounding and in direct contact with the inner liner, the outer shell fabricated from continuous fiber in a matrix creating a continuous fiber composite and having an average effective CTE in the axial direction, wherein the outer shell comprises: a. fiber tow helically wound around the inner liner at a substantially constant first winding angle (θ) to form an inner region; b. fiber tow helically wound around said inner region at a substantially constant second winding angle (θ) that differs substantially from the first winding angle (θ) to form a first intermediate region; c. fiber tow helically wound around the previous intermediate region at a substantially constant winding angle (θ) that differs substantially from the winding angle (θ) characterizing the previous intermediate region; d. fiber tow helically wound around the previous intermediate regions as many times as desired to provide further intermediate regions until a final intermediate region is formed; and e. an outer region comprising fiber tow helically wound around the final intermediate region at a substantially constant winding angle (θ) that differs substantially from the winding angle characterizing the final intermediate region; characterized in that the average effective axial CTE of the outer shell approximately matches the axial CTE of the inner liner such that the inner liner's axial CTE is within 1.8 ppm/ °C (1 ppm/ °F) of the outer shell's average effective axial CTE, and wherein the winding angles (θ) in adjacent regions differ by less than 25°. an inner liner defining an axial bore, the inner liner having a coefficient of thermal expansion along the axial bore; and an outer shell surrounding and in direct contact with the inner liner, the outer shell fabricated from continuous fiber in a matrix creating a continuous fiber composite and having an average effective CTE in the axial direction, wherein the outer shell comprises: a. fiber tow helically wound around the inner liner at a substantially constant first winding angle (θ) to form an inner region; b. fiber tow helically wound around said inner region at a substantially constant second winding angle (θ) that differs substantially from the first winding angle (θ) to form a first intermediate region; c. fiber tow helically wound around the previous intermediate region at a substantially constant winding angle (θ) that differs substantially from the winding angle (θ) characterizing the previous intermediate region; d. fiber tow helically wound around the previous intermediate regions as many times as desired to provide further intermediate regions until a final intermediate region is formed; and e. an outer region comprising fiber tow helically wound around the final intermediate region at a substantially constant winding angle (θ) that differs substantially from the winding angle characterizing the final intermediate region; a. fiber tow helically wound around the inner liner at a substantially constant first winding angle (θ) to form an inner region; b. fiber tow helically wound around said inner region at a substantially constant second winding angle (θ) that differs substantially from the first winding angle (θ) to form a first intermediate region; c. fiber tow helically wound around the previous intermediate region at a substantially constant winding angle (θ) that differs substantially from the winding angle (θ) characterizing the previous intermediate region; d. fiber tow helically wound around the previous intermediate regions as many times as desired to provide further intermediate regions until a final intermediate region is formed; and e. an outer region comprising fiber tow helically wound around the final intermediate region at a substantially constant winding angle (θ) that differs substantially from the winding angle characterizing the final intermediate region; characterized in that the average effective axial CTE of the outer shell approximately matches the axial CTE of the inner liner such that the inner liner's axial CTE is within 1.8 ppm/ °C (1 ppm/ °F) of the outer shell's average effective axial CTE, and wherein the winding angles (θ) in adjacent regions differ by less than 25°.