- Messages
- 4,091
- Reactions
- 13,283
A few months back I purchased a complete upper from a member here. He had it listed on Armslist too, and it really wanted me to buy it. It was a great deal so I drove over 4 hours round trip to pick it up.
I looked up all the components to see what they cost...
Vltor MUR1 billet upper MSRP... $200
PRI Gen3 carbon fiber handguard ala Mk12 $322
Precision Reflex - Product Detail - GenIII Round Free Float Forearm Rifle Black - $332.00
PRI muzzle brake $78
Precision Reflex - Product Detail - MSTN QC Brake For 5.56MM (223)S/S - $78.00
Noveske 18" SPR profile barrel MSRP...$450
BCG and Charge handle were standard so say $100
Total if ordered new well over $1000 in parts.
I feel like I stole it @$600.
I always build my ARs around the barrel, and since this barrel is so expensive I thought it prudent to surround it with worthy parts... an F1 slant muzzle brake, NiB bolt, and a Fortis charging handle replaced the parts in the upper that I didn't like, and I built up one of the sweet new Aero M4E1 lowers with a POF trigger, Vltor A5 buffer system(highly recommend BTW), ACS stock, Ergo delux grip, Seekins short throw ambi safety, V7 Titanium Pins, and topped with a Vortex 6-18x44 with a AD Recon mount. Nicest most spensive gun I've ever had by far.
I hadn't got around to shooting it since I got it though... Too busy road trippin', and my secret shootin hole was in the middle of an active logging zone.
I finally took the first shots last weekend out in the Idaho desert with my daughter.
We were just out to set off some Tannerite targets as away to blow of some pent up rage that tends to accumulate in teenage girls...
I had planned to use my 300bo pistol but the bullets weren't fast enough to ignite the tannerite. I brought the 5.56 just in case, but most of the ammo I had was my 55grain M193 recipe that I worked up for my old barrel that loved the stuff. Here's where I found the problem with my "new" very expensive barrel....
The chamber is uber tight.
Most of my reloads were sized with a full length die that isn't ideal for an AR, but they worked great in my other guns, and I had read only to use a small base die every other load at most to keep from over working the brass. Another guy I talked to when researching loading for ARs said he only uses Full Length dies for his .223 loads, and shoots thousands though his ARs with never a problem.
Evidently these folks have never loaded for a Noveske mod0 barrel, because 1/2 of the bullets I tried to run wouldnt chamber. I trimmed every one to near minimum SAAMI speck. Lucky I had a couple boxes of factory ammo in the can that chambered just fine, so we were able to salvage the trip, and blow some S#*t up! I was however disappointed that such an expensive barrel could be so unreliable. I've shot hundreds of the same loads through several other ARs without issue.
I have been curious when my barrel was made, as I'm told those made before John Noveske died in 2013 are much better than the newer barrels. So I called Noveske to find out, and to make sure my barrel wasn't faulty. I told the guy my barrels S/N to get an idea of when it was made, and he said he'd have to call the production department to get an exact date, but it was definitely pre 2010 and that it had the older Mod0 chamber... and before I even told him my issue he went on to explain that this was a particularly tight chamber and could be very picky with ammo. In 2010 they switched to the more forgiving Mod1 chamber. "Well that answers my next question" I said. Then I went on to ask him if there was a certain chamber gauge that they recommend for the mod0 chamber... He said that he's not a reloader, and wasn't sure... but he took down my number and said he call over to get the exact date of manufacture, and then have the main tech call me back with more information since he was actually around in 2010, reloads, and still has mod0 barrels in his collection.
I got a call back about an hour later, and found out my barrel was made 8/2008 and that many hard core precision shooters preferred, and use the Mod0 barrel if they can find them.
He said using a Small Base die was probably best, and any chamber gauge should work as long as it was within SAAMI specs. We talked bullet weights and case prep techniques a little, and that was that. Both guys that I talked to were very helpful, and super friendly. I had heard that Noveske's customer service was crap since John died, but I didn't find that to be the case at all. I wasn't impressed with Noveske before due to the rumor mill and high price that I always believed was highly inflated for the name alone, but I have to admit I've changed my mind... Mostly
Needless to say, I will be using my small base die exclusively from now on for all my AR platform guns. I also bought a chamber gauge to check and sort all my ammo. Those that easily drop flush in the gauge go in one can, and the rest will go in another for use in my other ARs that are much less
picky.
here is one of the worst that I found... you can see how far down the FL die actually went by the end of the "smear" I put a black dot for reference.
This actually chambers and cycles perfectly fine in my Ruger AR556 barrel. But in the Noveske it sticks just slightly out of battery and takes extreem effort to eject. Soo much that I had to make sure I didn't damage the extractor or my $80 charging handle.
The following two pictures might not be obvious, but just this slight difference is enough to make a noticeable difference...
Top is one of my reloads from once fired brass sized with a full length die that will chamber, but it's still pretty sticky, and the bottom is Factory Lake City stamped Federal M855... It cycles perfectly.
I guess every .0001 counts in precision chambers.. And she said size doesn't matter
I'm still not sure that the Noveske barrels are worth their near $500 price tag when I know I can get 1/2 moa accuracy from a $200 balistics advantage barrel of the same profile, without having to take extra care with the ammo I feed it. I'd like to test a Noveske Mod1 along side this and the Ballistics Advantage, all 18" SPR profile, to see the difference in accuracy and cycling... I have yet to really put this one through its paces to see what it can do out at longer distance with different loads though, so I'll reserve judgement.
I'll take the picky chamber as a challenge to better my case prep and inspection process in the future. Maybe it's worth the price, and the cost...
Does anybody have experience with the older Mod0 vs. Mod1 Noveske barrels?
Screen pic of the ad for the upper I bought
I looked up all the components to see what they cost...
Vltor MUR1 billet upper MSRP... $200
PRI Gen3 carbon fiber handguard ala Mk12 $322
Precision Reflex - Product Detail - GenIII Round Free Float Forearm Rifle Black - $332.00
PRI muzzle brake $78
Precision Reflex - Product Detail - MSTN QC Brake For 5.56MM (223)S/S - $78.00
Noveske 18" SPR profile barrel MSRP...$450
BCG and Charge handle were standard so say $100
Total if ordered new well over $1000 in parts.
I feel like I stole it @$600.
I always build my ARs around the barrel, and since this barrel is so expensive I thought it prudent to surround it with worthy parts... an F1 slant muzzle brake, NiB bolt, and a Fortis charging handle replaced the parts in the upper that I didn't like, and I built up one of the sweet new Aero M4E1 lowers with a POF trigger, Vltor A5 buffer system(highly recommend BTW), ACS stock, Ergo delux grip, Seekins short throw ambi safety, V7 Titanium Pins, and topped with a Vortex 6-18x44 with a AD Recon mount. Nicest most spensive gun I've ever had by far.
I hadn't got around to shooting it since I got it though... Too busy road trippin', and my secret shootin hole was in the middle of an active logging zone.
I finally took the first shots last weekend out in the Idaho desert with my daughter.
We were just out to set off some Tannerite targets as away to blow of some pent up rage that tends to accumulate in teenage girls...
I had planned to use my 300bo pistol but the bullets weren't fast enough to ignite the tannerite. I brought the 5.56 just in case, but most of the ammo I had was my 55grain M193 recipe that I worked up for my old barrel that loved the stuff. Here's where I found the problem with my "new" very expensive barrel....
The chamber is uber tight.
Most of my reloads were sized with a full length die that isn't ideal for an AR, but they worked great in my other guns, and I had read only to use a small base die every other load at most to keep from over working the brass. Another guy I talked to when researching loading for ARs said he only uses Full Length dies for his .223 loads, and shoots thousands though his ARs with never a problem.
Evidently these folks have never loaded for a Noveske mod0 barrel, because 1/2 of the bullets I tried to run wouldnt chamber. I trimmed every one to near minimum SAAMI speck. Lucky I had a couple boxes of factory ammo in the can that chambered just fine, so we were able to salvage the trip, and blow some S#*t up! I was however disappointed that such an expensive barrel could be so unreliable. I've shot hundreds of the same loads through several other ARs without issue.
I have been curious when my barrel was made, as I'm told those made before John Noveske died in 2013 are much better than the newer barrels. So I called Noveske to find out, and to make sure my barrel wasn't faulty. I told the guy my barrels S/N to get an idea of when it was made, and he said he'd have to call the production department to get an exact date, but it was definitely pre 2010 and that it had the older Mod0 chamber... and before I even told him my issue he went on to explain that this was a particularly tight chamber and could be very picky with ammo. In 2010 they switched to the more forgiving Mod1 chamber. "Well that answers my next question" I said. Then I went on to ask him if there was a certain chamber gauge that they recommend for the mod0 chamber... He said that he's not a reloader, and wasn't sure... but he took down my number and said he call over to get the exact date of manufacture, and then have the main tech call me back with more information since he was actually around in 2010, reloads, and still has mod0 barrels in his collection.
I got a call back about an hour later, and found out my barrel was made 8/2008 and that many hard core precision shooters preferred, and use the Mod0 barrel if they can find them.
He said using a Small Base die was probably best, and any chamber gauge should work as long as it was within SAAMI specs. We talked bullet weights and case prep techniques a little, and that was that. Both guys that I talked to were very helpful, and super friendly. I had heard that Noveske's customer service was crap since John died, but I didn't find that to be the case at all. I wasn't impressed with Noveske before due to the rumor mill and high price that I always believed was highly inflated for the name alone, but I have to admit I've changed my mind... Mostly
Needless to say, I will be using my small base die exclusively from now on for all my AR platform guns. I also bought a chamber gauge to check and sort all my ammo. Those that easily drop flush in the gauge go in one can, and the rest will go in another for use in my other ARs that are much less
picky.
here is one of the worst that I found... you can see how far down the FL die actually went by the end of the "smear" I put a black dot for reference.
This actually chambers and cycles perfectly fine in my Ruger AR556 barrel. But in the Noveske it sticks just slightly out of battery and takes extreem effort to eject. Soo much that I had to make sure I didn't damage the extractor or my $80 charging handle.
The following two pictures might not be obvious, but just this slight difference is enough to make a noticeable difference...
Top is one of my reloads from once fired brass sized with a full length die that will chamber, but it's still pretty sticky, and the bottom is Factory Lake City stamped Federal M855... It cycles perfectly.
I guess every .0001 counts in precision chambers.. And she said size doesn't matter
I'm still not sure that the Noveske barrels are worth their near $500 price tag when I know I can get 1/2 moa accuracy from a $200 balistics advantage barrel of the same profile, without having to take extra care with the ammo I feed it. I'd like to test a Noveske Mod1 along side this and the Ballistics Advantage, all 18" SPR profile, to see the difference in accuracy and cycling... I have yet to really put this one through its paces to see what it can do out at longer distance with different loads though, so I'll reserve judgement.
I'll take the picky chamber as a challenge to better my case prep and inspection process in the future. Maybe it's worth the price, and the cost...
Does anybody have experience with the older Mod0 vs. Mod1 Noveske barrels?
Screen pic of the ad for the upper I bought
Last Edited:
