Noveske NSR

[bowman57_2]

Ive already read through at least half of the NSR thread and just want to know what everyone thinks of it now that its been out for a long time. Im building a kind of "do it all" rifle and only want the best components i can get no matter what it costs me. My main concern is with the rail being so thin and light, how durable is it? I know noveske only makes top notch stuff but this is gonna be a 14.5 gun so if i beat it up too bad and something goes wrong i cant change to something else. So how durable is it? What do you think of the lock up system compared to other rails? I know ill get a million recomendations for KMR instead but before anyone says it i already know thats not what im looking for. Any other feedback about this rail is appreciated.
thanks

[jerrysimons]

Ive already read through at least half of the NSR thread and just want to know what everyone thinks of it now that its been out for a long time. Im building a kind of "do it all" rifle and only want the best components i can get no matter what it costs me. My main concern is with the rail being so thin and light, how durable is it? I know noveske only makes top notch stuff but this is gonna be a 14.5 gun so if i beat it up too bad and something goes wrong i cant change to something else. So how durable is it? What do you think of the lock up system compared to other rails? I know ill get a million recomendations for KMR instead but before anyone says it i already know thats not what im looking for. Any other feedback about this rail is appreciated.
thanks

I like the NSR but I prefer the KMR, lighter, superior mounting method, better heat resistance, better anti-rotation interface, and...available. NSR has a good feel and is a quality design I am happy with mine and have no plans on swapping them, though that is due in part to them being installed on Noveske rifles ;)

[Onyx Z]

I love my NSR, but I love my KMR slightly more due to the weight, slightly larger OD, and overall shape/feel. I do believe the NSR will withstand more abuse than the KMR though. The only downside to the NSR is timing of the barrel nut.

[bowman57_2]

I love my NSR, but I love my KMR slightly more due to the weight, slightly larger OD, and overall shape/feel. I do believe the NSR will withstand more abuse than the KMR though. The only downside to the NSR is timing of the barrel nut.

i agree with you on the NSR diameter being slightly too small but with some covers on it i dont think it will be too bad

[jerrysimons]

It is a great rail but if it is not already installed on a rifle and I am building from scratch I'll go KMR everytime. Also eagerly waiting Hodge Defense's Al-Li/ Mega's 7075 wedge rail.

[bowman57_2]

It is a great rail but if it is not already installed on a rifle and I am building from scratch I'll go KMR everytime. Also eagerly waiting Hodge Defense's Al-Li/ Mega's 7075 wedge rail.

ive seen the rail but what is Al-Li?

[Sasahara]

Aluminum-Lithium

[Korgs130]

I love my NSR, but I love my KMR slightly more due to the weight, slightly larger OD, and overall shape/feel. I do believe the NSR will withstand more abuse than the KMR though. The only downside to the NSR is timing of the barrel nut.

I have both and I completely agree with this.

[nml]

1 You could just get a 16" barrel.
2 You change out hand guards without removing the muzzle device. You leave the barrel nut attached and install the new hand guard. You can swap lengths and replace as necessary if you mount your KeyMod shit the wrong way like I read about recently on here.

They are both great rails and you can't go wrong with either. I use both depending on application. There are differences, but it terms of shooting, you don't notice. The NSR has rounded 45s because there are no attachment points there and I like that profile slightly better. The KMR is lighter in terms of rail and also overall with a smaller barrel nut. The NSR has less hardware to install but the KMR does not need to be timed. I don't have trouble centering a hole though.

[Hmac]

I have both, generally prefer the KMR.

[ScottsBad]

I like both. If you are building it yourself the anti-rotation setup of the NSR doesn't work unless you have a Noveske upper drilled for it or drill it yourself. I drilled my own. I also have two KMR rails and I agree that the NSR is tougher. If the finish gets scratched below the protective clear finish on the KMR the material becomes flaky. So if you are going to bang the KMR on rocks or sharp edges you could cause a problem. The best way to mitigate this is with keymod rail covers or by being somewhat careful. I put the KMRs on my new GoTo rifles so I'm obviously not that worried about durability.

The NSR is a little tricky to install sometimes and if you are really picky you might have to use barrel nut shims, I didn't. If you want a really tough rail take a look at the Geissele rails, they are heavier, but very tough IMHO.

BTW- I suggest a 16" barrel too. Things change too fast and if you want to be able to change out the forearm or put an adjustable gas block on or any number of other things you might want to go 16" unless you don't mind changing out the barrel or upper.

[HD1911]

Having used both, I feel the NSR is superior. It's the only KeyMod I would go back to.

[bowman57_2]

I already have a medium contour 14.5 rainier barrel for this build. For the anti rotation thing i always bridge a magpul rsa between the upper and rail so the pin doesnt matter to me. From what everyone is saying this rail is pretty damn strong and ill probably end up with one. If i dont like it im sure my girlfriend will want it anyway

[Benito]

I don't think you can go wrong with the NSR. 3 of my ARs have them and I dig them. Pretty light, slim and sturdy.
I don't have a KMR to compare to, but I am sure that is a great rail too.

[colt933]

I have a couple of NSRs and like them a lot. I recently traded into an SLR lightweight key mod tube and like it about as well. The SLR installation is easier than the NSR.

[556BlackRifle]

I like both. BCM wins on weight and ease of installation. Also because it comes with the barrel nut wrench and one Keymod rail section. (Noveske sell the wrench and rail sections separately.) I think the Noveske may be a bit more robust although I haven't banged them around to find out. ;)

Note: I've built three NSR uppers and all but one, went together perfectly on the first try following Noveske's installation recommendations. #3 also went together fine, it just required a little finesse. As for the upper receiver alignment pin, Vltor, Rainier Arms and possibly others come pre drilled. IMO it could be overkill anyway. If the barrel nut and mounting screws are properly torqued, I doubt most users will have any alignment shift.

[Wolfpack45]

I prefer the NSR personally. The KMR is easier to install than the NSR, and is lighter, however I still prefer the NSR. The NSR feels a little beefier in the hand and give me a more solid feeling with the rifle. I also prefer the rounded edges. Having had both, the NSR is my go-to for Keymod rails.

[Warg]

I've installed/reinstalled and used five NSRs and three KMRs with various barrels and upper receivers. I like the finish of the NSR better than the KMR, however, I dislike the NSR barrel nut configuration. Of the five I've installed three were a breeze, one required tweaking, and the last was a PITA. I was relegated to using a shim or lapping the upper receiver to get it to work as I couldn't get it to align at less than 80 ft lbs of torque. So, I used that upper with a KMR instead.

I can torque the KMR barrel nut perfectly every time and prefer the fastening and anti-rotation features from BCM. These far outweigh the finish advantage of the KMR IMO.

[Benito]

I like both. BCM wins on weight and ease of installation. Also because it comes with the barrel nut wrench and one Keymod rail section. (Noveske sell the wrench and rail sections separately.) I think the Noveske may be a bit more robust although I haven't banged them around to find out. ;)

Note: I've built three NSR uppers and all but one, went together perfectly on the first try following Noveske's installation recommendations. #3 also went together fine, it just required a little finesse. As for the upper receiver alignment pin, Vltor, Rainier Arms and possibly others come pre drilled. IMO it could be overkill anyway. If the barrel nut and mounting screws are properly torqued, I doubt most users will have any alignment shift.

Speaking of Keymod rail sections, I had Noveske's 1913 rail sections (as they were first to the market), but switched to BCM's picatinny sections, as they were significantly lighter.

[bowman57_2]

i ended up ordering the new troy mlok rail last night because i love my vtac alpha so much and after e-mailing troy they said the 13 inch only weighs about 11.5 oz with the barrel nut and has the same OD as the alpha. thanks for everyones feedback, the NSR is for sure the next rail im gonna be trying since my girlfriend wants one for her rifle now.

[Onyx Z]

i ended up ordering the new troy mlok rail last night because i love my vtac alpha so much and after e-mailing troy they said the 13 inch only weighs about 11.5 oz with the barrel nut and has the same OD as the alpha. thanks for everyones feedback, the NSR is for sure the next rail im gonna be trying since my girlfriend wants one for her rifle now.

They are also more streamlined with no sharp ends, which is what I like about them.