Noveske Quality Issues

[dreadpirate]

Since John Noveske died in a car crash back in 2013, I am starting to wonder if quality has declined. I got a Noveske 16 inch "Lo-Pro Gas Block Barrel medium contour" barrel with a Noveske bolt. During a SOTAR build class yesterday, I discovered that

1. My new Noveske barrel would not pass a 5.56 [EDIT or 223] GO gauge with a Noveske supplied bolt, and had to be reamed.
2. The Noveske bolt ejector pin had sharp edges, and had to be beveled.
3. The ejector roll pin on the Noveske bolt had been sheared at one end where it apparently was protruding.

I am very thankful there was expertise present to fix all these issues.

These items (barrel, bolt, gas block, gas tube) are currently $520 on Novesks's web site. Am I unreasonable for saying I will never buy another Noveske barrel again?

 

[GottaEat]

do You plan on bringing this issue to the attention of Noveske? If so I would wait and see how they handle the situation. I have no experience with their CS.

 

[clandestine]

Been seeing this for some time now. The headspace issue has been consistent for some time now. Some wont close on a .223 GO, and some wont close on a 5.56 GO.

The Ejector Roll Pin and Ejector Face issues seem to be a probelm across many brands.

 

[BradMacc82]

I built my 300BLK's right around the time that John passed (maybe a bit before, IIRC), the 16" Chad actually took lead on and showed me the ropes on building an upper while he was still at Scott's - only thing that barrel needed was the feed ramps to be opened up and polished - as I planned on running subs thru it.

Every Manufacturer can have items get past, that ideally shouldn't have. Contact Noveske, make them aware of the situation and see how they respond.

Their response should be what determines if you'll continue to do business with them.

 

[dreadpirate]

do You plan on bringing this issue to the attention of Noveske? If so I would wait and see how they handle the situation. I have no experience with their CS.

I will bring it up with Noveske, yes.

But here's the thing; I'm in the middle of a build class. I can either (1) not complete the build while I have a lot of expertise present, and put this on hold, or, (2) fix the problem right then and there, and move on. I chose the latter. I did mention sending it back. I am told that it's very possible I would just receive another barrel with the same issue.

In hindsight, it would have been good to gauge the barrel before the class to address this kind of thing. Lesson learned.

 

[dreadpirate]

Contact Noveske, make them aware of the situation and see how they respond.

Their response should be what determines if you'll continue to do business with them.

I feel like this kind of thing should be practically unheard of, but there is evidence to the contrary. Honestly, this to me crosses the line and no matter what, I will not get another barrel from Noveske when there are so many other more reliable alternatives out there.

 

[zoostation]

Been seeing this for some time now. The headspace issue has been consistent for some time now. Some wont close on a .223 GO, and some wont close on a 5.56 GO.

The Ejector Roll Pin and Ejector Face issues seem to be a probelm across many brands.

I've been hearing these kinds of things for a while too. It's always been my opinion the many of these boutique rifles are little more than incredibly overpriced parts guns, albeit with fancy parts, sometimes.

Just buy a Colt and be done with it. Milspec parts made from milspec metal stock in a DoD compliant factory and built by career workers who average >20 years on the job. Nothing better out of the box IMHO. Nothing, at any price. Just my opinion. Yeah, I went there.

 

[clandestine]

I will bring it up with Noveske, yes.

But here's the thing; I'm in the middle of a build class. I can either (1) not complete the build while I have a lot of expertise present, and put this on hold, or, (2) fix the problem right then and there, and move on. I chose the latter. I did mention sending it back. I am told that it's very possible I would just receive another barrel with the same issue.

In hindsight, it would have been good to gauge the barrel before the class to address this kind of thing. Lesson learned.

I take advice like this serious. I think this is a great idea to send out a 5.56 GO to students. I may offer this on any classes I schedule in the future.

 

[clandestine]

I've been hearing these kinds of things for a while too. It's always been my opinion the many of these boutique rifles are little more than parts guns, albeit with fancy parts, sometimes.

Just buy a Colt and be done with it. Milspec parts made from milspec metal stock in a DoD compliant factory and built by workers who average >20 years on the job. Nothing better out of the box IMHO. Nothing, at any price. Just my opinion. Yeah, I went there.

I share the same opinion. The problems I see with Colt AR's (Not the Competition Models) are so infrequent they are near perfection.

From time to time I do see uppers with no grease on the Barrel Nut. The only Colts I dont like are the ban era ones with the half moon carriers, sear blocks, and large pins.

 

[BradMacc82]

That's your choice to make, and I can see why you'd be disappointed. And I can understand why you're going to resolve the issue here and now vs. waiting on Noveske to fix it.

I will say though, shit does happen - from the bargain basement outfits to the top dogs. My $360 Shilen barrel had to have the chamber recut due to a burr in the chamber. Was I annoyed by that? Absolutely. Was ready to write off Shilen, until I made them aware of it and saw how they took care of it - they EARNED my business.

So let Chad go ahead and take care of it, document and photograph the flaws - send the info off to Noveske. If nothing else, Noveske will be aware of the issue and they'll probably ream Pac-Nor's ass over it, since Pac-Nor is the one doing the barrels for Noveske. **FTR, I have no experience with their 5.56 barrels, only the 300BLK.

Have fun at the build class.

 

[dreadpirate]

I take advice like this serious. I think this is a great idea to send out a 5.56 GO to students. I may offer this on any classes I schedule in the future.

I meant for that to be on me, and not you I think it's my responsibility to insure I bring solid quality parts. That being said, if it's possible to to a quick up front gauge test to head off issues, then why not?

 

[dreadpirate]

I would like to make it abundantly clear that I am very happy with the way my SOTAR build class went and am thankful there was expertise present to deal with any issue that came up. It's Noveske I am unhappy with. This is my second SOTAR build class, and I have a very, very high level of confidence in the end results of these classes.

 

[F-Stop]

Noveske lost some other key people after John passed if I remember. Didn't the other founder start another company?

It stinks you found issue with your barrel but, you did find it. After taking a SOTAR class I also will not be blindly building AR's like in the past.

 

[3paul10]

Dreadpirate, you did as I would have done....fixed it with Chad's guidance, and see what Noveske does later (if anything)....This is why I love SOTAR classes. NO matter who you are, or what parts you bring, there are ALWAYS issues....It has taught me that no matter what happens with the M4 platform, nothing makes the world come to an end, and it can be fixed!

 

[Jkratz]

So I looked into my 300 blkout barrel that we had to cut and polish the ramps on. I’ve had that one since 2013, probably just before standards started to fall?

 

[outrider58]

I've never fallen for the "head spaced bolt" offers. You could head space the crap out of a bolt, put in an out-of-spec carrier(yours), and fail inspection. Too many variables involved there. It always seemed kind of a gimmick to me. I could be wrong though...

 

[teratos]

Sad about Noveske. I always believe the premium one pays for the name is based on excellent quality control. If they can’t provide that, they have no business charging what they do.

 

[Racer Doug14]

Only asking. I'm no expert. I believe Noveske uses a hybrid chamber. Like a match type. It's not a pure .223/5.56. Could that be the issue? Would the gauge not work in that chamber?

 

[clandestine]

Only asking. I'm no expert. I believe Noveske uses a hybrid chamber. Like a match type. It's not a pure .223/5.56. Could that be the issue? Would the gauge not work in that chamber?

It still uses .223 & 5.56 HS gauges. The reamer they use is different to make cleaner Chamber finishes. They also have some changes to the throat as many other Chambers do such as CLE and Wylde.

 

[dreadpirate]

Only asking. I'm no expert. I believe Noveske uses a hybrid chamber. Like a match type. It's not a pure .223/5.56. Could that be the issue? Would the gauge not work in that chamber?

Yes - and they also use a polygonal rifling. On paper they sound great. We shall see how they shoot.