I bought my Girlfriend a Nova sniper with one of these in it. So far so good. Shoot very well. It sweet spotted roughly around 250psi. I'll report back if we experience any issues.
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I've three in different markers. My latest running on 12g Co2 through a Gog Enmey reg. 29 shots> 270 fps. Vents at 32 shots. That's out the box, reckon I could tune more. No idea on pressure but think this reg tops out at 300 psi??? Nowhere near maxed though. Quality is def getting better on Nova products.Comment
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I just got mine today. Installation was simple and tuning it took no effort at all. I preset my HPR to about 300 psi, backed out the IVG to nearly flush, and chrono’d the marker with a properly sized Freak insert. First of all, the pump stroke with this valve installed is completely effortless. I can easily pump it with a fingertip. Velocity was right at 279 and holding steady. I got no farting at all either. The hammer I used was just a standard WGP hammer I cannibalized from my Trilogy (the 99 STO had a recessed face). For a pump build, I would have to call this a game changer.Comment
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I ordered the Nova valve to try out in my E2 Fastback. I had been using a MQ valve that is now beyond repair. I was considering having my valve chamber opened up to 11/16ths and getting the Lazarus valve but that doesn't appear to be an option with the Fastback body. I found out about the Nova valve so I am giving it a try. Hopefully it works well. I only have a standard halfblock metal hammer for now. I am hoping the Jenny Craig hammer will work well the Nova valve. That way I can get the cocking pressure and recoil down to as low as possible. That is what I loved about the MQ valve. The LPR could be set very low since all it was doing was reloading a ball. I am thinking with a good spring setup and the Jenny Craig hammer the cocking pressure should be very low. I will be sure to post my results.Last edited by beekermartin; 04-30-2025, 12:24 PM.Comment
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For what it's worth, I can cock my Sniper one handed holding onto nothing but the trigger frame using just the Nova valve, stock Nova springs, and a stock Trilogy hammer. No special hammer was needed for a light pump stroke. This is also using a Slice V3 kit on an STO body with an Inception Evo length bolt.
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I am thinking with an electronic frame shooting at 10.5 bps the least amount of reciprocating mass the better in terms of kick. That is why I am going to try to make the Jenny Craig hammer work with the Nova valve.Comment
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The built-in jam nut is downright ignorant and the finish on these is awful, but... daaang the gun shoots really nice with this valve. Good sound signature as well. I'm going to be buying a bunch more.My Old Feedback (300+) https://web.archive.org/web/20180112...-feedback.htmlComment
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I received the valve but I don't have a 1/2" socket that is thin enough or a 1/2" nut driver. I went to HD today and I bought every 1/2 inch drill attachment they had on hand since they didn't have a 1/2" nut driver on the shelf. All of them are too thick to fit.
Can someone please send me a link to the proper size nut driver on Amazon that will work? I would appreciate it.
I have to admit already this design is suspect requiring such a specific tool to install and remove it. If you wanted to go this route than including the proper tool with the valve would make a lot of sense. Even if you just took some cheap 1/2" sockets and had them machined down to fit would be acceptable. Expecting people to find the proper installation tool that isn't exactly easy to find is a terrible business decision. Buy a slew of cheap 1/2" sockets, machine them on a lathe to fit and include them with the valve purchase. This is not complicated and should have been thought of when Nova decided to go with this design.
Here is an example to a nut driver available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/2-Inch-Cushio...44&sr=8-6&th=1
It appears to be thicker around the nut area than the parts I have already tried. I can't imagine that nut driver will work as well?Comment
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I got a set of nut drivers from Harbor Freight for $7 that worked fine for this. Specifically, this set https://www.harborfreight.com/hollow...ece-69239.html. The price seems to have gone up a bit since the tariffs hit though.
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You aren't wrong Psycho91. I understand new tech can be risky and not always 100% reliable out of the gate. With that said the Nova valve requiring a very specific install tool means said tool should come with it. That is just my opinion of course but that makes sense to me. Especially considering the cost of a cheap 1/2" socket that has been milled down to fit properly is not expensive to include with the valve.Comment
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In all fairness, cocker valves (as well as a number of other valves) always require a special tool. Also, while it's unfortunate you've had a hard time finding a nut driver/socket that works, ones that work are actually pretty common. If you go the socket route rather than the nut driver route, get a 1/4" drive 1/2" socket. A 3/8" drive 1/2" socket will probably always be too big. While I've had to buy more than one cocker valve jam nut tool, due to having misplaced them, I've had 1/2" sockets/nut drivers that work with the Nova valve for decades.
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Thank you JonM. I picked up this set from HF last night that fits: https://www.harborfreight.com/hollow...ece-69239.html
I am aware standard valves require a special tool. I was just saying if I was Nova I would either include a nut driver or a socket that has been turned down to fit. They could raise the price a few dollars to cover the cost. The cost of a 1/4" drive 1/2" socket that was milled down to fit would probably cost less than a dollar when made in bulk.
Anyway, I have the proper tool to install the valve now. I will post an update once I have it installed and tested. What have been peoples experiences with using the Jenny Craig hammer?
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JonM within a week or two of its release someone made a free STL that allows you to use a cocker valve tool to install, thanks to the captured valve oring, you don’t need to torque the valve into position .. a 3D printed tool will survive just fine. And better to include it for a few cents and then let people decide if they want a better tool or not.
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In fairness to Nova, I had a nut driver sitting on my bench that worked without any issues with the Nova valve. I’m more than a little surprise at how difficult it is for people to find one that fits properly. My set is just a regular Husky tools nut driver set, so nothing fancy or expensive.
Nova may not have anticipated this issue. And it’s not like a regular cocker valve comes with a valve tool either, despite being required for installation. A solution may be if Nova sells a nut driver that works as an option to customers.Comment
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I am not trying to insult Nova. I am just saying that including an installation tool would make sense since the cost would be miniscule. It would make installing the valve easier for every customer. From an ease of installation customer satisfaction point of view including a tool makes sense.
The standard valve retaining nut tool is not a tool you can find easily but every paintball store will have one. Not every paintball store or an individual customer will have a 1/2" nut driver on hand. I was lucky enough to have a HF close by. HD didn't have one. I bought three different 1/2" drill attachments and none of them fit. I tried several different 1/2" sockets and none of them fit. I don't have a lathe so I couldn't turn one down myself. I would have had to order one online if I didn't have a HF close by.
Anyway, I made my point. You can disagree of course and that is fine.
What springs did you use with a Jenny Craig hammer?
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There are a number of design choices Nova made that I don't agree with, but the 1/2" hex doesn't even register. Maybe it's just because I was lucky enough to have the right tool all along, and didn't have to try to find one. Including one with each valve would needlessly drive up the cost for those of us who don't need it, and/or have bought multiple valves. However, if Nova sold a 1/2" nut driver that was guaranteed to work, that would solve the problem some have.
As for the Jenni Craig hammer/striker, I wasn't a big fan, at least when used in a pump. Being lighter mass means a stronger spring is needed to impart the same amount of energy. I'd personally rather go the other route and use a hammer/striker of larger mass combined with a lighter spring, that way the pump stroke is lighter. Noting wrong with the Jenni Craig, it's a great product, just didn't really appeal to me, at least in the specific application I tried it.
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Thank you everyone for the responses. I appreciate it.
I installed the valve tonight. I installed it so the valve lined up centered with the valve retention nut meaning the upper portion of the valve is lined up with the air transfer port perfectly. That was about a 1/8th to 1/4th turn from "fully tight" in my body. I know this can vary based on every body so I was not surprised. I put some blue loctite on the valve threads as well as the valve retention thread. I made sure the valve retention screw was not contracting the valve or its internals. I screwed it in until it was just past flush with the body. In fact I could remove the valve without removing the valve retention screw. I know with the Nova valve that screw is strictly there to seal the valve chamber so I don't think that is my issue.
I set my inline reg, an AKA Sidewinder, to output 200 PSI. Yes, I have a gauge setup to properly test regulator output pressures. I cocked the hammer to make sure there was no pressure on the valve. I gassed it up and it was leaking down the barrel. I degassed it and turned the regulator up to 300 PSI. It leaked even worse as I expected. I then removed the hammer and fully tightened the valve into the body disregarding it lining up properly with the air transfer port just to see if the leak was because the valve was too loosely installed in the body, Nope. That didn't help either. It was still pouring air out of the barrel which means the valve is not sealing of course.
Unfortunately I am out of air to do anymore testing for now. I will try to get some air this weekend. What am I doing wrong or what should I do next rather?
Edit: Is it possible I didn't give the blue loctite enough time to cure and that is the reason for my leaks? It absolutely could be because I applied air to the valve withing minutes of installing the valve. I definitely didn't give enough time to cure since I thought the loctite was mainly there for vibration reasons not sealing. To eliminate this as a possibility I am going to remove the valve and the valve retention nut now, reapply fresh blue loctite and reinstall everything. I will then let it sit for a long time before testing again. I doubt that is my issue though because it sound to me like it was leaking down the barrel like a valve that isn't sealing.
Edit 2: I uploaded a photo showing how the valve spring was cockeyed on the valve cup seal when I removed it. Could that be the reason? The spring doesn't seem to sit perfectly on the valve cup seal? I don't know why but that is the case with my valve. According the photos on the Nova website the spring sits at the base of the cup seal and not around it like it looks like it should to me?
Edit 3: I found other photos online that do show the spring sitting around the base of the cup seal as it would in a standard valve. I also saw Docfire's video when he mentioned he turns down the base of the cup seal a bit so the spring isn't such a tight fit.
Last edited by beekermartin; 05-09-2025, 04:31 PM.Comment
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I thought the spring was supposed to fit around the base of the cup seal but I didn't want to force it. I will force the spring on tonight. I will also check the condition of all the seals. -
No. I did not but Locitie on the o-ring. That is Dow 33 grease. It looks blue in the photo but I assure it is not. The macro lens in my Pixel 9 Pro XL doesn't appear to take great pictures. It is a new phone so it might be operator error.
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I like to put an oring at the base of the threads, it keeps my brain happy and allows me to snug up the valveComment
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beekermartin honestly no clue.. i think i used an 011 or 012… I wanted it to be snug -
Ok. I will try a few different sizes tonight and see what fits well.
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this is the oring that was clipped
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