So I'm thinking I'm going to jump into the 6mm ARC pool and build a dedicated upper. I'm a Novekse fan boy from way back in the day and have used a lot of their barrels. However I keep hearing that Proof is pretty damn nice too. Whic way would you go and why? I've been reading and watching youtube for a couple of days now and can't decide. Not a lot out there for the Noveske barrel.
Noveske or Proof Barrel?
- Thread starter phantasm
- Start date
I don't have any experience with Noveske barrels...but alot of experience with Proof Stainless Steel...no carbon wrap for me for target work. I have 2 6mm ARC 18" Proof Research barrels they shoot 1/2" 5 shot groups with good handloads. 3 shots make one hole .1" to .3" much of the time. These are S Steel cut rifled 7.5 twist 18" barrels.
I also use Proof 18" barrel in 308, which shot 2, 5 shot groups back to back .3" and a .4" with pulled dirty LC primed LC brass, 130 gr Speer Varmint and W748 powder. Proof Research and Bartlein have been my favorite barrel makers for several years.
I also use Proof 18" barrel in 308, which shot 2, 5 shot groups back to back .3" and a .4" with pulled dirty LC primed LC brass, 130 gr Speer Varmint and W748 powder. Proof Research and Bartlein have been my favorite barrel makers for several years.
John Noveske's stainless steel barrels were designed first and foremost for reliability and accuracy second. The original Noveske Match Mod 0 chamber was designed to fire MK262 on full-auto in hot environments without malfunctions. The barrels were still capable of sub-MOA accuracy.
The newer Match Mod 1 chambers increased the chamber dimensions. I haven't tested any of the barrels with the Mod 1 chamber.
Noveske 18” SPR Barrel Accuracy Evaluation
Noveske’s 18” SPR barrel is a stainless-steel barrel that has a medium contour and a 0.750” diameter gas block journal. The gas block journal for this barrel is designed for Noveske’s low profile gas block and the journal is only one inch in length; standard length gas blocks will not work with this barrel. Fortunately, Noveske’s pinned and set-screwed low profile gas block is included with the barrel (as well as an intermediate length gas tube.)
The Noveske SPR barrel employs an intermediate length gas system which eliminates the short-stroke issues that are sometimes encountered in cold weather with some 18” barrels that utilize a rifle length gas system. The barrel extension has “M4” feed-ramps. The barrel has a 1:7” twist rate and polygonal rifling (not a polygonal bore.)
The chamber found in this barrel is Noveske’s proprietary Noveske Match mod 0 chamber that “was developed to fire MK262 Mod 1 on AUTO in hot environments." I installed the SPR barrel in a Colt M4 upper receiver and free-floated the barrel with a LaRue Tactical 12” handguard.
I conducted an accuracy (technically, precision) evaluation of the Noveske 18” SPR barrel from my bench-rest set-up following my usual protocol. This accuracy evaluation used statistically significant shot-group sizes and every single shot in a fired group was included in the measurements. There was absolutely no use of any group reduction techniques (e.g. fliers, target movement, Butterfly Shots).
The shooting set-up will be described in detail below. As many of the significant variables as was practicable were controlled for. Pictures of shot-groups are posted for documentation.
All shooting was conducted from a concrete bench-rest from a distance of 100 yards (confirmed with a laser rangefinder.) The free-float hand-guard of the rifle rested in a Sinclair Windage Benchrest, while the stock of the rifle rested in a Protektor bunny-ear rear bag. Sighting was accomplished via a Leupold VARI-X III set at 25X magnification and adjusted to be parallax-free at 100 yards. A mirage shade was attached to the objective-bell of the scope. Wind conditions on the shooting range were continuously monitored using a Wind Probe. The set-up was very similar to that pictured below.
For this evaluation, I used one of my standard match-grade hand-loads topped with Sierra 55 grain BlitzKings. When fired from my Krieger barreled AR-15s, this load has produced ½ MOA 10-shot groups at 100 yards.
Three, 10-shot groups were fired in a row from the Noveske SPR barrel from a distance of 100 yards with the resulting extreme spreads:
0.812”
0.732”
0.873”
for an average 10-shot group extreme spread of 0.81”. The three, 10-shot groups were over-layed on each other using RSI Shooting Lab to form a 30-shot composite group. The mean radius of the 30-shot composite group was 0.28”
The 30-shot composite group . . .
N.B. - - This barrel was purchased prior to the untimely death of John Noveske.
….
The newer Match Mod 1 chambers increased the chamber dimensions. I haven't tested any of the barrels with the Mod 1 chamber.
Noveske 18” SPR Barrel Accuracy Evaluation
Noveske’s 18” SPR barrel is a stainless-steel barrel that has a medium contour and a 0.750” diameter gas block journal. The gas block journal for this barrel is designed for Noveske’s low profile gas block and the journal is only one inch in length; standard length gas blocks will not work with this barrel. Fortunately, Noveske’s pinned and set-screwed low profile gas block is included with the barrel (as well as an intermediate length gas tube.)
The Noveske SPR barrel employs an intermediate length gas system which eliminates the short-stroke issues that are sometimes encountered in cold weather with some 18” barrels that utilize a rifle length gas system. The barrel extension has “M4” feed-ramps. The barrel has a 1:7” twist rate and polygonal rifling (not a polygonal bore.)
The chamber found in this barrel is Noveske’s proprietary Noveske Match mod 0 chamber that “was developed to fire MK262 Mod 1 on AUTO in hot environments." I installed the SPR barrel in a Colt M4 upper receiver and free-floated the barrel with a LaRue Tactical 12” handguard.
I conducted an accuracy (technically, precision) evaluation of the Noveske 18” SPR barrel from my bench-rest set-up following my usual protocol. This accuracy evaluation used statistically significant shot-group sizes and every single shot in a fired group was included in the measurements. There was absolutely no use of any group reduction techniques (e.g. fliers, target movement, Butterfly Shots).
The shooting set-up will be described in detail below. As many of the significant variables as was practicable were controlled for. Pictures of shot-groups are posted for documentation.
All shooting was conducted from a concrete bench-rest from a distance of 100 yards (confirmed with a laser rangefinder.) The free-float hand-guard of the rifle rested in a Sinclair Windage Benchrest, while the stock of the rifle rested in a Protektor bunny-ear rear bag. Sighting was accomplished via a Leupold VARI-X III set at 25X magnification and adjusted to be parallax-free at 100 yards. A mirage shade was attached to the objective-bell of the scope. Wind conditions on the shooting range were continuously monitored using a Wind Probe. The set-up was very similar to that pictured below.
For this evaluation, I used one of my standard match-grade hand-loads topped with Sierra 55 grain BlitzKings. When fired from my Krieger barreled AR-15s, this load has produced ½ MOA 10-shot groups at 100 yards.
Three, 10-shot groups were fired in a row from the Noveske SPR barrel from a distance of 100 yards with the resulting extreme spreads:
0.812”
0.732”
0.873”
for an average 10-shot group extreme spread of 0.81”. The three, 10-shot groups were over-layed on each other using RSI Shooting Lab to form a 30-shot composite group. The mean radius of the 30-shot composite group was 0.28”
The 30-shot composite group . . .
N.B. - - This barrel was purchased prior to the untimely death of John Noveske.
….
@Molon Nice write up. Thank you! I've been a Noveske fan since the early 2000's and have used their barrels exclusively. I have a CHF in my 12.5" SBR and use their stainless steel barrels in my 8" .300 BLK SBR and my 16" rifle. All have shot really well (best group with the 16" rifle was .931 MOA w/ factory Nosler 77 gr).
I may go the proof route this time just to try something new. But Noveske is always the top of my list.
I may go the proof route this time just to try something new. But Noveske is always the top of my list.
Exactly...my experience with Proof barrels, but they tend to go under .5" into the .3" and .4" for 5 shots with the bullet it likes...3 shots .1" to .3" alot in both 6mm ARC barrels I own. Berger 108 and 108 eldm with Leverevolution handloads max book charge for gas guns.
I do the accuracy stuff, for each build, like true reciever, glue in, tork to 60 ft/lbs, mill a groove for gas tube if needed, center bolt carrier, drill out gas port of most barrels, install adjustable gas block to tune. I do not break in barrels these days, but lapp them with Iosso paste and Kroil to smooth lapping ...and go shoot. My first 5 shots was a .5" group with 6mm ARC Proof barrel. Clean when I get done shooting at home, maybe a hundred rounds on the new barrel, with no cleaning. ...no shoot and clean, shoot and clean and repeat all day, at the range for me these days... been there and done that for years. But you can do barrel break-in if ya feel it's for you.
