Noveske Light Recce Basic?

[Aetius]

What have you been seeing from them in the past few years that indicates a lowering in quality compared to when John Noveske was around? When Noveske first came on my radar, it was during the John era. I haven't kept up with any changes that may have happened since his passing.

I have been wondering this same thing. Many people refer to NRW after Mr. Noveske’s passing as if they lowered their standards. Is that true?

[TMS951]

Let's say Noveske works up a contract order from FN that has certain requirements. For example the barrel has to be made on a mandrel with a only a certain number of hammer passes, it has to have a double thickness of chrome-lining using a precise application process, it has to be made on the same steel used in their 249 SAW barrels, FN must send the steel mill certificates on to Noveske, it has to meet a certain chamber to muzzle alignment and concentricity, it has to pass a bore scope inspection of the rifling for smoothness, it has to me contoured to a chamber heavy non-government profile, it has to be high pressure tested, and finally it has to be magnet particle inspected. FN fulfills the contract order. Noveske does some end run work like installing the extension and drilling the gas port. Noveske advertises certain portions of what has gone in to the barrel.

Later PSA sees the amount of praise heaped on the Noveske barrels. They send in a contract order for the 249 steel barrels, with a double thickness of chrome-lining, high pressure tested, magnetic particle inspected, and finished in the government profile. As PSA is not in the business of manufacturing barrels on any level the have FN do both the extension and gas port drilling.

Are these barrels the same?

Just to be clear I am not stating this is how Noveske or PSA orders their barrels but I am pointing out things that can make a drastic difference from one contract order to another.

However Noveske may hypothetically spec thier barrels one part of thier spec is certain and it’s gas ports that are too big.

Spikes has the ‘same’ barrel with a better size gas port.

Which is better? Well less passes on the mandrel certainly sounds like a nice thing, but mil certificates on the steel?, diminishing returns.

I do know a shooter will certainly notice an overpassed gun vs a properly gassed one.


I do have to say I was considering a 270$ spikes barrel vs 425$ hodge barrel. Both FN 14.5” mid .0755 hodge .076 spikes gas port barrels. I was leaning spikes but your theoretical spec differences have me thinking hodge. Things like mandrel passes and muzzle bore concentricity have me.

[vicious_cb]

What have you been seeing from them in the past few years that indicates a lowering in quality compared to when John Noveske was around? When Noveske first came on my radar, it was during the John era. I haven't kept up with any changes that may have happened since his passing.

Poor machining all around which includes both cosmetic and dimensional issues on their receivers, loose and or crooked rails, opening up gas ports, lowering quality control in general, the loss of alot of their skilled employees. Basically simple things that would never have gone out the door under John. Im saying this full well that there are people on the board that personally knew John.

[CajunCourier]

Poor machining all around which includes both cosmetic and dimensional issues on their receivers, loose and or crooked rails, opening up gas ports, lowering quality control in general, the loss of alot of their skilled employees. Basically simple things that would never have gone out the door under John. Im saying this full well that there are people on the board that personally knew John.

So the gas ports are definitely larger now than they were under John? Are they still reliable rifles?

[sig1473]

So the gas ports are definitely larger now than they were under John? Are they still reliable rifles?

Yes, they are still reliable. I have 2 Noveske barrels made prior to John's passing and 4 after his passing. All are reliable and accurate.

[CajunCourier]

Yes, they are still reliable. I have 2 Noveske barrels made prior to John's passing and 4 after his passing. All are reliable and accurate.

If they are still very reliable guns, I may take the deal that's been offered to me. I've wanted a Noveske for a very long time, and some of the reasons are intangible. A friend of mine let me shoot his Noveske in 2010 and I've drooled for one ever since. Though I'm curious what vicious_cb has to say on the reliability of their rifles.

[vicious_cb]

So the gas ports are definitely larger now than they were under John? Are they still reliable rifles?

Yes they are still reliable guns, granted you dont get a bad one of the box which is the main issue people have been having. I know their current midlengths bbls are running gas ports over .080" which for me is overgassed. I have an older Recon barrel that isnt overgassed, but Im not about to spend 30 mins hammering on the dowel pin to measure it. The main issue isnt that they arent reliable but that you arent gaining anymore value from a current Noveske over a BCM or DD.

[CajunCourier]

Yes they are still reliable guns, granted you dont get a bad one of the box which is the main issue people have been having. I know their current midlengths bbls are running gas ports over .080" which for me is overgassed. I have an older Recon barrel that isnt overgassed, but Im not about to spend 30 mins hammering on the dowel pin to measure it. The main issue isnt that they arent reliable but that you arent gaining anymore value from a current Noveske over a BCM or DD.

Are Daniel Defense complete rifles good to go? I've heard of some QC issues with them lately. One such instance was the same friend with the Noveske that bought a DDM4V5 that the safety lever got stuck. He sent it back to Daniel Defense. Weirdest thing, at first I thought the hammer was just lowered but that wasn't the case. Probably just a detent spring issue, but still. Either way, the Noveske available to me is in the same price range as a Daniel Defense. BCM would certainly be less expensive, though I already have one.

[vicious_cb]

Are Daniel Defense complete rifles good to go? I've heard of some QC issues with them lately. One such instance was the same friend with the Noveske that bought a DDM4V5 that the safety lever got stuck. He sent it back to Daniel Defense. Weirdest thing, at first I thought the hammer was just lowered but that wasn't the case. Probably just a detent spring issue, but still. Either way, the Noveske available to me is in the same price range as a Daniel Defense. BCM would certainly be less expensive, though I already have one.

I dont know what pricing you are getting but if you really want one then get one, honestly they probably fixed the issue they had with whatever new company is cutting their receivers. Im just trying to put out a warning that current Noveske is a very different company than the John era Noveske so dont base your expectations on the older models out there.

[phixion]

On their website they're charging $950 for the complete upper/$1730 for the rifle? Can ANYONE justify that?

Yes, they're free to charge whatever they want, but...