I'm thinking that N.O.E. is closing its doors. Very little is in stock and they just sent an email stating a 30% discount on ALL in-stock molds (which are very few).
Can anyone explain to me what the "Yes" "No" columns are in this listing? That is one of my pet peeves with NOE. Their descriptions are very obfuscated and confusing. I'm supposed to be psychic?
With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.
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I believe it's if you want the mold drilled for temp' probe. Also if you want a hex wrench and sprue lube.
Option one would be NO drilling and NO hex wrench and sprue lube
Option two would be NO drilling and YES hex wrench and sprue lube
Option three would be Yes drill and NO hex wrench and sprue lube
Option four would be Yes drill and YES hex wrench and sprue lube
However, I reserve the right to be incorrect.
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Posted on the home page for N.O.E. is that Al is retiring as of 7-28. They plan to be fully out of business in 3-4 months.
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I just tried to place an order, kept getting error messages. I gave up and cleared my cart. I called NOE and left a message. He's going to have a problem clearing inventory if his website won't let people order!
Wayne
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Seems like they are fully out of business now.
With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.
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I've not encountered a page like that.???
They already have pretty much zero inventory on anything I could use. Hard to convince myself to buy some just in case I ever buy a gun that could shoot them.
John Carlson. CBA Director of Military Competition.
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I was finally able to successfully place my order. It was a frustrating exercise involving multiple error messages requiring a ridiculous number of times clicking the refresh button, but I did it! The hardest part was getting NOEs system to accept payment.
To anyone interested in purchasing the limited stock left, don't give up. If frustration gets the best of you, come back later as I did. If you are a member of the $1000 club, total discount can be up to 40%.
Wayne
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I tried ordering something yesterday and kept getting the error message. Now I'm a little leery of ordering anything even if I could get through so will pass on it. Shame we've lost another mold maker.
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pat i, I had NOE (get the pun?) issues with their website today.
Wayne
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pat i, I had NOE (get the pun?) issues with their website today.
Clever pun. On your recommendation I tried the website today and had no problem. I ordered a plain base 299 copy in .314 to try out in my Moisin Nagant. I got a confirmation email so don't expect any issues......hopefully.
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Yep, there was a traffic jam on Al’s site yesterday. Like computers, I often get into a mental overload condition.
Al's inventory has been shrinking the past year or more. It may be that he knew he was starting to "time out" and that this was the time to retire. Shrinking the inventory was a business decision and he was playing with his own money, not house money, so its hard to second guess why he didn't keep inventory like he once had.
Its my understanding that he was working with an individual(s) with the expectation that the shop could continue to function without his full time involvement. Couple that with his effort too add iron molds to his lineup convinces me that he was at the point where a decision had to be made as to whether he should fish or cut bait. All of us that have retired as the owner of a small business can appreciate the soul searching that's involved with that decision. With NOE closing and Tom at Accurate turning his business over to the Croft's it brings about an inflection point in cast bullet 's future.
Lee has their portion of the casting mold business and if you keep in mind their targeted customer base you can't fault them for their product or their price. Mold availability is always there, the product is US made and it fits the needs of many shooters. Lyman, RCBS, SAECO all produce and sell over the counter molds which also fill the needs of most cast shooters and they do it in iron. Then there's MP's line of molds. Who in the heck can provide hollow point molds and have it delivered from Europe to the US in less than 10 days. I'm sure I missed many others so please chip in so we can keep them in business.
But Accurate and NOE are/were unique.
At full throttle, Al kept his inventory up and he offered a quality product for a fair price. He took on custom orders (or used to) for bulk buys. No one is perfect but he did good. He was a thinker. He pushed ideas into sell-able product's because he was pushing the envelope. In my opinion his heart was in the right place and he'll be missed. So hold off on any ragging bout him stealing your bullet design, I'm not in the mood. That said I hope he enjoys the hell out of being retired. Nothing better than shooting and fishing with your grand kids.
Tom has turned over Accurate to the Croft's and they need our support as they come up to speed. Just keep your powder dry and give them a chance. If there's a longer lead time I'll be the first to give them a mulligan because Accurate manufacturing capability is needed. Dollar for dollar no one that I know of could produce a custom mold in two to three weeks like Tom did. If you needed a thousands more on a bore rider, no problem. You send him a drawing and if it was in the specifications that he allowed, no problem.
This gives me pause thinking about what was and isn't any more. All of the small shops that keep niche markets like cast bullet accuracy going will eventually shut down or transfer to another owner. I guess change is the only constant in life.
I've been casting for decades but cast accuracy came late in life for me. The past three years have been like leaving grade school behind and getting into high school. Heaven permitting I'll make it to the college lever some day. Coming in late as I did, I missed NEI and the Walt Melander period and everything that came before it. It was my loss. We should never take anything or anyone for granted. I'm sorry to see NOE close. But I hope the heck both Al and Tom saved some of the money I spent with them so they could buy shooting or fishing gear for themselves and their family. Bill C.
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Stealing a mold design?? Never heard of anyone claiming that but it's comparable to stealing the design for a pair of pants. Two legs and something to cover your arse, that's it. Drawing up the idea for a bullet ain't designing the space shuttle so anyone claiming that needs a serious ego adjustment.
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I called him last week and placed an order. He is selling out, if anyone would like to buy it and continue the NOE line, there is your opportunity. He is filling orders by himself and still, I placed an order last week and received it Tuesday. He told me that he was in remission, from his bout with cancer, but was still coughing pretty bad. He is pretty low on inventory, but I did manage to get some .338 gas checks that I was in need of.
If I was younger, I would consider purchasing the company, but one thing I'm not, is young. I hate to see him go out of business and the reloading world will miss him, in my opinion at least, he was a good man, and I wish him all the luck and happiness in the world.
Mashburn
David Cogburn
David a. Cogburn
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Mashburn
Sadly I think we have seen the last of NOE. Ordering top punches, sizers, expanders and 3 or four mold that I can justify needing, maybe. Also a coffee cup that will hang on the wall along with the special cups.
Like you I am too old to think of starting over again and am full time caretaker of my wife of 54 years.
HOWEVER if a group of supporters banded together to form a LLC or something like that I could be persuaded to maybe kick in 5 or 10k. But I seriously doubt that will happen. So I keep looking at the site to see if there is anything else I can justify buying also it will help Al beside just remembering him in my prayers.
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