NEA 7.5" AR barrel - an initial review (shooting review added to post 1)

smak_daddy said:
I'm not sure what your opinion on optics is, but that rifle is begging you for an Aimpoint Micro. :D

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I don't have a micro on-hand, but it's going to the range tomorrow for the first time and I'll post a report. For now it's actually wearing a CompM2 in an ADM mount.

I'm going to bring several buffer weights and see what it likes, but I think it will prefer an H2. NEA tells me they run their factory shorties with standard buffers, but I'll bet the gun mellows out with a little more buffer mass.

If I end up liking the gun as much as I think I will, I may get rid of my 14.5" and buy an SP1 or Stag 20" A3.
 
Claven2 said:
I don't have a micro on-hand, but it's going to the range tomorrow for the first time and I'll post a report. For now it's actually wearing a CompM2 in an ADM mount.

I'm going to bring several buffer weights and see what it likes, but I think it will prefer an H2. NEA tells me they run their factory shorties with standard buffers, but I'll bet the gun mellows out with a little more buffer mass.

If I end up liking the gun as much as I think I will, I may get rid of my 14.5" and buy an SP1 or Stag 20" A3.
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I can't wait to hear (read) how it runs. If I could figure out how to post pics from my iPhone I'd post a pic of the demo gun I built with the 10.5" barrel, 12" rail and a Noveske piggy. Next will be a 7.5", 9" rail and a piggy.
 
I almost went with a spectre rail, but I wanted to try the hybrid brake and you can't sleeve over a slotted FH with rail section or you'll gas cut into the anodizing.
 
Couple of questions.

What irons where you using? I couldn't see from the specs. Is the front sight not adjustable using the tip of a FMJ? If not, would you consider this a negative for this sight?

You mentioned an H, H1, and H2 buffer. Did you mean C, H, and H2, and was it the H buffer you didn't like?

Can you post some pics of the forward end of the slots in the brake? I would be interested to see if there was any damage. I have been following a thread on another forum regarding gas/particle cutting of brakes/flash hiders, but with longer barrels.

Regards.

Mark
 
I was going to also mention using the tip of a round to adjust the front sight.

As far as the Aimpoint, turn the power down until the dot is just visible enough to see. This will make the dot much smaller for more precise work.

You must have had it turned up to max... There's no way a 4MOA dot should have covered your whole target, and the paper it's printed on. That would make it more of a 15 to 20MOA dot.
 
1) DO NOT do what I did and use an NEA hybrid brake on a 7.5" AR15. It WILL cause lots of microscopic still-burning powder to shower the shooter's face and generally cover the gun in specs of ash. YES, I did figure this out the hard way and thank god for good shooting glasses. The powder bounces off the front of the slats in the brake and comes right back at you. 7.5" down the barrel, it is still very much burning and not totally spent. I will have to switch to a SPEX, Noveske PIG, Dlask clone, or similar.
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Coulda told you that. :p

During development of the SPEX, I tried a bunch of different conventional brakes and flash suppressors and they were all, without exception, awful on the shooter. I could feel the heat and blast overpressure on each shot. I will never run a really short barreled PDW without a SPEX on it now.


I got several stoppages in the first 20 rounds, presumably because no part of this gun had been fired before - all parts are virgin to this rifle except for the optic. The last 280 rounds were fired with no malfunctions and no stoppages of any kind.
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I am wondering if the standard buffer may have had something to do with this? I also discovered that heavier buffers make shooting short barreled rifles nicer. I am making my own custom super heavy buffers these days. Benefits of having your own machine shop to play with. :)
 
wicked_police said:
I was going to also mention using the tip of a round to adjust the front sight.

As far as the Aimpoint, turn the power down until the dot is just visible enough to see. This will make the dot much smaller for more precise work.

You must have had it turned up to max... There's no way a 4MOA dot should have covered your whole target, and the paper it's printed on. That would make it more of a 15 to 20MOA dot.
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I was using a small target on a bright sunny day. Either I could see the paper but not the dot, or vice versa! lol.... time for a new optic anyhow. I wish I'd have thought of the front sight and a round - lol. I actually DID do that when I got home as I can't find my tool anywhere...?
 
MWL said:
What irons where you using? I couldn't see from the specs. Is the front sight not adjustable using the tip of a FMJ? If not, would you consider this a negative for this sight?

You mentioned an H, H1, and H2 buffer. Did you mean C, H, and H2, and was it the H buffer you didn't like?

Can you post some pics of the forward end of the slots in the brake? I would be interested to see if there was any damage. I have been following a thread on another forum regarding gas/particle cutting of brakes/flash hiders, but with longer barrels.

Regards.

Mark
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Sorry, I meant standard (C) buffer weight, not an H. The irons are the steel YHM BUIS. I didn't like anything but the H2 buffer, truth be told. These things shoot VIOLENTLY and sound like a .50 cal when you shoot them. You'll see... common to all PDW's without a can.

I'll try to post a pic of the FH later - not gas cutting damage though, I checked.
 
Suputin said:
I am wondering if the standard buffer may have had something to do with this? I also discovered that heavier buffers make shooting short barreled rifles nicer. I am making my own custom super heavy buffers these days. Benefits of having your own machine shop to play with. :)
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No, I started off with the H2 and only swapped buffers around later in the shooting session. It wash't the buffer, but it was a new bolt assembly, new everything. Something may have needed wearing in a little - maybe the gas rings?

I could make a heavier buffer, but the H2 worked reliably.

The standard buffer worked reliably as well, but the gun really jumped around a good bit more with it installed. The brass seemed to go a bit farther as well.
 
Interstingly, I talked to NEA since posting this review, and they are goig to start shipping their 7.5" barrels with warnings not to run their Hybrid brakes on pistol-length gas systems.

This is a good idea from a liability perspective. Not everyone wears shooting glasses, though they should.
 
Claven2 said:
Interstingly, I talked to NEA since posting this review, and they are goig to start shipping their 7.5" barrels with warnings not to run their Hybrid brakes on pistol-length gas systems.

This is a good idea from a liability perspective. Not everyone wears shooting glasses, though they should.
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So, it begs to reason that if they don't recommend their Hybrid brakes on the shorter barrels, then what will they ship as standard on their PDW's?
 
Not sure what they are going to ship as std, but I do know NEA has mfgr rights for most of the SPEX lineup, I assume the SPEX itself as well. Maybe they'll use that?

Not sure ref an A2. I have one, but didn't try it as I didn't have the ability to torque FH's off and on at the range. It might be an improvement, but probably not the ideal solution.
 
Ok, so for next outing I ordered a new Eotech XPS2-2 from Wolverine. I wanted an EXPS2-0 sight, but someone bought it online as I was placing my phone order - bugger!!!!

Oh well, the XPS2-2 will suffice.

XPS2-2_460.jpg


It, plus the SPEX brake, should drastically improve the shooting experience.

I also ordered a new bolt cam pin as the Stag pin in my complete stag bolt assembly was gettign a little battered (actual metal deflection on the pin, but not the carrier) so I think it must have been on the soft side. The replacement is an Armilite part, if that matters to anyone?
 
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