Skullboy said:
I have since recieved my Near base.
A) The craftsmanship is excellent and the finish is flawless.There are a total of six mounted holes if you require a sturdier mounting set up.
B) I like the fact that the rail slots run right across the base and aren't milled out down the center.The base is contoured/relieved underneath for chamber access and there is an intregal recoil lug that seats against the front reciever ring.
I have owned & used Badger Ordnance, TPS, and Leupold MK4 bases and they do not compare to this base (sorry to those who use the others......
).
As to the pricing "gripes", Badger bases retail for $157.00 U.S. + tax/shipping and the hassle of U.S. export permits AND Cdn Taxes/duty.
Near Base retail for $175.00 U.S. +tax and includes shipping/handling.
SKBY.
Ed, nice to see the pictures.
A)
I have also had near product and I fail to see how the machining quality is better or worse then say TPS. Based on visual inspections. Naturally the truth will come out if a person dimensionally checks several bases from the same mfg.
1) The 6 hole feature adds cost to the unit. It also requires you to drill and tap the receiver to utilize the benefit.
If you are going to punch holes in your receiver, you might consider this:
2) Simply buy a base that uses 4 holes. Drill and tap them to 8-40! This is the trend for custom actions and offers significant strength improvements. The base may or may not require clearance holes drilled.
3) If you are going to go the route of extra holes in the receivers, a fitted pair of pins would be a better choice from a shear load and accuracy prospective. Couple this with 8-40 screws and wow!
B)
1) The full length cross slots certainly offer increased shear strength and lower bearing stresses, but for the intended application it is not required unless a person really wants the feature. CON - it will add weight with no apparent gain. PRO - lower cost to manufacture since you don't have cut the slot down the rail center. Not really a PRO unless the savings is passed on to the consumer.
2) The cut out on the underside as shown makes it a action specific unit - right handed in this instance. If there is a increased thickness in material in cross section in this area you have an increase in bending strength.
3) The integral recoil lug feature is a novel idea. If it not adjustable it is likely not be a benefit to all actions due to the wide range of manufacturing tolerances in the receivers. Farrell offers an adjustable stop in their G-force line and this is a PRO. Perhaps Richard can incorporate a useful feature like this in his base.
From the information presented and my own visual examinations, TPS quality and price (@ significantly less then $100).......puts them way above Badger, Near and Leupold. The inflated prices on some of these products is really amazing.
I feel the only plus on the Near design / product is that it is made right here in Canada. The other nice thing about Richards base line is that he does offer a wide selection of fits to many rifle brands. Farrell however, is likely the leader in this area.
Hopefully this information will help people pick the best item for their needs. If you haven't already, I encourage you to take a close look at the TPS product line.
Regards,
Joe
*** For those of you interested in trying the TPS product line - send me a PM and we'll do even better!!
