LOL, that was my thinking exactly. That said, I've heard good performance stories about their barrels. If I like this NEA barrel, I might send it out to get chopped down to 11.5" and cerakoted.
looking for unbiased review of NEA parts
- Thread starter kage123
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LOL, that was my thinking exactly. That said, I've heard good performance stories about their barrels. If I like this NEA barrel, I might send it out to get chopped down to 11.5" and cerakoted.
Some may argue that what improved performance outweighs the finished look? There is nothing showing any actual gain from this unknown "arc+" process. No other companies use it that I know of, and none of them have issues with corrosion. Any way you cut it, a blotchy finish is a flaw in its physical appearance and them letting it out like that is a quality control issue. You are the one who doesn't understand what flaw means, so here is a definition.
Flaw: a mark, fault, or other imperfection that mars a substance or object.
If you brought your car to a paint shop, and when you picked it up the paint was all blotchy would you be ok with it because they said they treated your metal? I sure wouldn't. Every other painter can do the same job and have it turn out looking good. I have a hard time believing that if this process was that great that NEA would be the only one doing it lol. They aren't known for going over the top to make quality products. This barrel example was just one of many, look on here at all the other issues people have had.
Runningfool
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Again, as a comparison, lets look at case hardening. Case hardening is done to harden the surface of soft metal and results in discolouration of the metal. Is the discolouration a flaw or due to sloppy QC? No. Was the intent to discolour the metal? No, the intention was to harden the steel. The discolouration was a byproduct of the process. Same with the NEA barrels.
No kidding it doesn't! But has it crossed your mind that maybe, just maybe ARC+ processing AND gas nitriding does?
Mauser GDog
CGN frequent flyer
I'm seriously considering a new build around one of their 18" barrels, and I hope it's as ugly as sin. 
But I admit, I'm not 100% confident in ordering a complete NEA rifle, wish I could handle one in person before purchasing.
Obviously I have no idea how well they are doing in terms of sales, but if there was ever a company who needs to get out to some shooting events with demo rifles it's NEA.
I think they might have been involved in last years CQB events at Borden, which would be a good place to start for sure.
But I admit, I'm not 100% confident in ordering a complete NEA rifle, wish I could handle one in person before purchasing.
Obviously I have no idea how well they are doing in terms of sales, but if there was ever a company who needs to get out to some shooting events with demo rifles it's NEA.
I think they might have been involved in last years CQB events at Borden, which would be a good place to start for sure.
Runningfool
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- SW Ontario
I have no idea if the ARC+ has any benefit at all, that isn't what we are discussing; for all I know it may cause my barrel to spontaneously combust killing a dozen orphaned kittens in the process. The point is, just because YOU don't like the look of something doesn't make it a FLAW.
Well if corrosion resistance was the ultimate goal, why not just go stainless?
Nobody had ever released barrels for sale that look that terrible. ....nobody is rushing to copy it....I still can't see it as anything else but a mistake.
Phat Eagle
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I quickly flipped the NEA lower I bought awhile back. Had to take a hit on the price too... It arrived and the finish was terrible. Didn't even bother putting my LPK into it, so I can't speak to whether it was spec or not.
I won't be buying another NEA product until their quality improves considerably.
I won't be buying another NEA product until their quality improves considerably.
Runningfool
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I doubt corrosion resistance was the ultimate goal. I suspect they thought the majority (but clearly not all) of their customers place a higher priority on corrosion resistance than appearance. Hopefully, as Ryan suggested, they have come up with a way to do what they need to do to their barrels and improve the appearance.
I believe it is a proprietary process and that may explain the lack of anyone copying their unique aka industrial camo aka holy mother of Mary that is fugly aka I don't give a flying f cause I can't see it finish.
And on that note, I'm done with this thread gents. I've been trying to keep things on track out of respect for the OP's request for unbiased information. My apologies to the OP for taking up so much space in your thread - I just have a hard time sitting on my hands when I see mis-information being spread around.
i purchased a NEA hand guard "set" for a cz858 and it was nicely made but the upper and the lower were 2 different colors of grey? why the fack would a company use so many different colors? it was sold as a "set" so it should match like a "set" PERIOD. That is an EPIC FAIL on quality control.
Mauser GDog
CGN frequent flyer
I'd like to filter out all comments about finish, I don't care about finish. I'm relieved when my rifles get their first scratches, so I can relax!
Ok maybe not on my new REM 700, and maybe not on my pristine Boyds wood stock...ok maybe I do care about finish!
Ok maybe not on my new REM 700, and maybe not on my pristine Boyds wood stock...ok maybe I do care about finish!
I doubt corrosion resistance was the ultimate goal. I suspect they thought the majority (but clearly not all) of their customers place a higher priority on corrosion resistance than appearance. Hopefully, as Ryan suggested, they have come up with a way to do what they need to do to their barrels and improve the appearance.
I believe it is a proprietary process and that may explain the lack of anyone copying their unique aka industrial camo aka holy mother of Mary that is fugly aka I don't give a flying f cause I can't see it finish.
And on that note, I'm done with this thread gents. I've been trying to keep things on track out of respect for the OP's request for unbiased information. My apologies to the OP for taking up so much space in your thread - I just have a hard time sitting on my hands when I see mis-information being spread around.
do you work for NEA? cause you sure have an answer for everything they do. right from day one as well.
Well if NEA intentionally went for that look then they are more fuvk3d up then I thought
I was being kind and giving them the benefit of the doubt. Earlier barrels were not all ####ty finished like this batch so yeah I still do think that it was a #### up they turned out splotchy. ..
Who gives a crap what the barrel looks like? 90% of it is going to be out of sight under the hand guard. Man....it's like a bunch of women standing around fussing over some bad stitches on their purses.
Runningfool
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- SW Ontario
do you work for NEA? cause you sure have an answer for everything they do. right from day one as well.
No. Don't be shilly. I just pay attention.
I helped a gunnut out recently who was in a pickle. He had assembled NEA parts and was planning on building an upper (I believe iirc, his lower went together without a hitch). His first try at the upper left some parts damaged and NEA exchanged them no questions asked.
So my comments after this upper build which took about 2.5 hours (an upper should take all of a half hour if you have a beer and bullsh!t while you do it).
- We used a typical Brownell's clamshell on the NEA billet upper receiver -mods to this took a bit - probably 20-25 minutes alone as I went slow and took just the amount needed for the upper to fit. I've used this on two other billet uppers (LaRue and a vltor) and both of those only needed minor mods to the clamshell to fit- quite a bit less than the NEA. I'd recommend just going with a barrel extension plug (those 'reaction rods') to torque on the barrel and muzzle device.
- The barrel nut was a proprietary NEA one to work with their floating upper hand guard. It fit fine, but caused interference with the gas tube. I had to enlarge one of the 'half- moons' for the gas tube to fit.
- hole for the gas tube in the upper was tight - gas tube would not fit so we ended up enlarging that hole.
- Upper fit with the bolt group was a bit sloppy - more so than any of my uppers in inventory (colt, LMT, Knight's, Armalite, stag).
- friction fit design of the upper floated hand guard was (IMHO) poor, and we had trouble seating it so that it was aligned with the upper receiver rails. Mods were required to the interior bearing surface of this hand guard for it to fit properly.
So my comments after this upper build which took about 2.5 hours (an upper should take all of a half hour if you have a beer and bullsh!t while you do it).
- We used a typical Brownell's clamshell on the NEA billet upper receiver -mods to this took a bit - probably 20-25 minutes alone as I went slow and took just the amount needed for the upper to fit. I've used this on two other billet uppers (LaRue and a vltor) and both of those only needed minor mods to the clamshell to fit- quite a bit less than the NEA. I'd recommend just going with a barrel extension plug (those 'reaction rods') to torque on the barrel and muzzle device.
- The barrel nut was a proprietary NEA one to work with their floating upper hand guard. It fit fine, but caused interference with the gas tube. I had to enlarge one of the 'half- moons' for the gas tube to fit.
- hole for the gas tube in the upper was tight - gas tube would not fit so we ended up enlarging that hole.
- Upper fit with the bolt group was a bit sloppy - more so than any of my uppers in inventory (colt, LMT, Knight's, Armalite, stag).
- friction fit design of the upper floated hand guard was (IMHO) poor, and we had trouble seating it so that it was aligned with the upper receiver rails. Mods were required to the interior bearing surface of this hand guard for it to fit properly.
I just got my "z" marked upper and lower set, I am no expert but I am happy with them. It went together with no issues and fit nice and tight. Finish on it is not perfect and I don't care, I paid $225 to my door. I saved money on the upper/lower and put more into bolt/barrel/trigger. But I also have a Chinese shotgun and an American Sig so what do I know. If it goes bang every time reliably and costs a bit less I am in, that leaves more money for ammo. Happy shooting.
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Par for the course, by the sounds of it.
I am wondering if there is a clear time line between those that have experienced issues and problems with NEA products and those that haven't. Is NEA parts production up to par with the rest of the AR mfg's over the last 18 months or so, or are they still experiencing issues that seemed to have been prevalent when they first started?
They have gotten better but there is still an obvious lack of qc
Pretty damn sure they will never, ever be on par with known good AR manufacturers. There is just too big of a gap. I mean, they're supposed to come from the aerospace industry... by the looks of it they were making aerospace toilets or something similar that doesn't require precise machining and engineering.
If they had been pulling this stuff off in the U.S., the aftermath would have been 10 times worse than it was here.
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