I used the #1 drilling. See my review, just the truth according to my experience. The NM is a great ball if you can maintain the reaction, although it definitely needs oil up front to work well, obviously.
The ball is very high maintenance, and the cover tracks up very quickly, which is apparently fine for many.
Overall, I'm not satisfied with dropping that kind of loot on a ball that wears out so quickly. Carry and overall hook are nowhere near when I got the ball. My money will better spent in the future on balls that will last longer, and therefore be used more in practice, giving me more confidence when it matters. Three such balls that I have owned are the Hammer Big Deal, Legends NS2, and Legends World Class particle. I have bowled hundreds of games more on my World Class than my No Mercy, and it's reaction is much closer to new than my No Mercy, with much less maintenance.
For a new ball, I was looking at a TNV, how can you not after watching Couch and Allen throwing them on TV? But after what I hear about Ebonite's recent product's short lives, I am instantly turned off. For my next med-heavy oil ball, I'll be looking at the Legends Black Pearl or LM Terminator. From my experience, using a class resins and going coverstock solid to the core DOES make a difference, and with all their technological breakthroughs, Ebonite/Hammer would do well to try to build a more durable product.
