Novekse N4 Light Carbine Review

[Stickman]

Moving up from the muzzle, we see the barrel clearly stamped as "MP 5.56 NATO 1/7". That sounds good, but we need to delve past the markings, and look at what the barrel actually consists of. John Noveske wasn't looking for a barrel that would be as good as someone else's current offering, he was looking to take a leap past the current market, and into the future of barrel development. This isn't a shock to those readers who are already familiar with the Noveske name. John Noveske is considered one of the premier barrel makers, and the man to go to if you are looking for a serious use barrel for duty or combat use. The company gives the following as its barrel specs:

14.5" Cold Hammer Forged Barrel, 1 in 7" twist, 5.56mm
--Made of Mil Spec M249 Machine Gun barrel steel, with heavy M249 Chrome Lining,
(appx. 2 times as thick as an M4 or M16)
--Extended Feed Ramps
--Mil Spec Phosphate finish
--Same weight as M4 barrel, 1 lb, 9 oz, but improved contour for maximum
rigidity, no M203 notch
--MP HP tested with certification
--Carbine length gas system
--Flash suppressor available permanently installed for non-NFA use (standard option), or removable on SBR and select fire models (call in all NFA weapon orders).

The 5.56 chambering allows for both .223 and 5.56 ammo to be fired, and with Noveske there is no chance of getting a .223 chamber on an improperly stamped barrel, which is something I’ve personally seen happen more than once with other companies.

In talking with John I discovered that there is more to the “cold hammer forged” label than the idea that the barrel was literally hammered into shape over a mandrel under massive pressure from hydraulic hammers. These barrels are the only ones currently made for an AR15/ M16 in the United States. Additionally, they are made to the M249 TDP specs in both process and materials. A friend who was the NCOIC for the Desert Warfare training center told me that M249 barrels used for training would go up to 40,000 rounds of full auto fire. Granted, these barrels were utterly trashed at that point, but 40,000 rounds of belt fed short and long bursts heat up a barrel a lot more than I’m able to do, even running off a full auto lower.

Proof Firing and Magnetic Particle inspection are a comfort to those people who are aware of the military requirements for all M16s and M4s to have this done. Having done this shows there are no corners being cut in this weapon system. Proof firing is a process is which the weapon is loaded with a single overpressure round, and then fired. This verifies that the weapon will not explode, or is not of substandard quality. The components are then examined through a Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) to check for microscopic cracks, flaws or damage.