Nova Phantom Duckslide kits

[Timefreak17]

There are so many different varieties of phantom/Nelson styles it's great to see everyone one make their own style.

That also means that some versions don't work well with the new duck slide.
I had a old duck slide kit on a phantom and I traded it away because it was finicky, loose and wasn't my style at the time.
I'm sad I traded it, but glad Nova came out with a recreation of that original one with a few refinements.

Nova is aware of the barrel and insert issues and I have sent my set back with a few extra barrel adapters and phantom barrels so they can make adjustments as necessary.
From what I gather the testing items they used worked fine, but there are so many different versions and changes over the years that some weren't caught in testing.

Like my asp phantom body not mating with the barrel, so it's now on the way to Nova so they can make adjustments for a different version.

Looking forward to receiving my parts, to me being able to send parts and problems back and have them addressed in a fairly fast manner is what I like about Nova. It sucks a little that I had a problem but I know Nova cares and will make it right.

[RuleOfSines]

Don’t forget, this isn’t Nova’s first life. This is a ‘new’ company that has been around for 30 years. Not their first time making parts.

[Jsc5150]

Sorry but I gotta call BS. Every insert barrel commonly used on phantoms has the insert extending beyond the threads to seal the breech.

There isn’t some wild variation in phantom specs causing the issue, Nova designed the barrel wrong, with the insert flush.

You don’t get to blame specs and tolerances of other products when your threads are so wildly different than all the barrels that actually work.

[Moodog]

There are dangerous amounts of copium in this thread.

[Timefreak17]

So my flush threaded freak set for phantom that works fine, should be protruding into the breech because that's the only way.
I get it, which is why I sent parts to them so they can address any other issues.
30 years experience yep, but now new technology and a player base that demands plant eclipse perfection out the door... Even CCI found issues and fixed them just like nova

[Chuck E Ducky]

For a $200 piece of machined aluminum I'm happy with mine I did not want to use the one piece CCI feed and they addressed the slop / play in the slide to barrel fitment on stock CCI barrels are what I wanted to use anyway.

[flyweightnate]

So my flush threaded freak set for phantom that works fine, should be protruding into the breech because that's the only way.
I get it, which is why I sent parts to them so they can address any other issues.
30 years experience yep, but now new technology and a player base that demands plant eclipse perfection out the door... Even CCI found issues and fixed them just like nova

I think "perfection" isn't what anyone is asking. They just want "typical".

J&J made Phantom barrels with a v-form thread. It was wrong, but it worked.
Tech-T and Deadlywind made Phantom barrels with inserts that were correct.
Lapco makes Phantom barrels that are correct.
Dye made Phantom barrels that were correct.

Nova somehow incorrectly copied a bored Phantom barrel, even though it hasn't changed in a decade, and the breech hasn't changed in 30+ years. That's pretty sloppy.

The ability to accept feedback is crucial for progress. We're not trying to be mean; we're pointing out what needs to change. But conventional wisdom is that you'll spend 10x-100x on marketing to get a new sale vs a repeat sale; not doing a basic function test on a new product as simple as a barrel is a quick way to ruin your market.

I want to see small paintball companies succeed. To succeed, Nova needs to slow down just enough to contain problems instead of releasing them to paying, inevitably disappointed customers. I hope they do.

[Jsc5150]

Well said and spot on from the right guy.

The Phrame is well thought out and took in tons of info/feedback/advice from customers, a process I would highly recommend Nova adopt.

[Timefreak17]

I agree that slower steps and feed back are key to releasing a quality product. Which is why these forums exist as well.
Again that feed back and adjust product due to issues is why I sent what issues I have found to Nova. And sent some of my gear to hopefully help with fitting all types of phantom bodies.

Well said and I like the way you put it.
On a side note when I did have my duck slide.
It was on an 80s body and had some real twisting play and a bugger to get dialed in and set. I equate that to user error a bit and my general lack of knowledge of phantom nuisance. This was when I just got on mcb and back into paintball in early 2000s

[BLachance75]

I'm sad I traded it, but glad Nova came out with a recreation of that original one with a few refinements.

I’d like to hear what you think are the refinements. I have an original Duckslide and from everything I’ve seen in this thread the Nova version looks akin to a Mexican storage unit plastic surgery job.

[Timefreak17]

I can only speak to v2 and my original slide which I have to go 20 years back almost.
As posted above on another comment, I had issues with the original and the Nova slide as chuck e ducky puts it, is the upgrade I felt was added. In my opinion.

[Moodog]

An upgrade how? If you don’t elaborate it’s just a useless anecdote.

[Chuck E Ducky]

Because it’s pre cut so the feed mounts direct, and the slid rides on a delrin sleeve vs aluminum on aluminum. Duck slides that the feed mounts to the slide and not the body fed like crap and chop very easily. The Nova just don’t work with the lone piece feeds because they have a wider base that wraps around the body farther then most all other feeds. Again with a hand file you could easily get it to work just by removing some material that would then be hidden under the feed anyway. It’s definitely an upgrade from the standard Duck slide. Even my Carter had feed issues till I added a fat bolt tip oring so it pushes the 2nd ball in the stack up vs clipping it between the body and feed.

[HanhSolo]

I got mine and tried it out. The portion of the slide binds against the frame and the inside front near the barrel is threaded onto is out of spec, making pumping almost impossible. Going to have to get it milled to correct it these issues identified so far.

[Chuck E Ducky]

That blows you going open class with yours? Is it hitting on that sight rail by chance?

[HanhSolo]

It was open class, but it will be changed back to stock class.