Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats CLR Hybrid thoughts

Hello all,

I have a Colt Light Rifle and have been toying with the idea of sending it to Mr. Forbes to have it restocked, trigger, extra. What is everyone's experiences with the stock barrels? Mine is a 30-06 and I'm debating of having it re barreled to a different cartridge. I would appreciate the thoughts.

ddj

I think that the CLR/NULA hybrid is a good idea if the Forbes 24B isn't made for the cartridge that you want to rebarrel it to and you're not into the CLR for more than $500. Before you make your decision, a telephone conversation with Mr. Forbes is worth the time and effort, as no one knows more about these rifles.

I have a couple of CLRs and have thought about having one of them rebarreled, restocked, and retriggered, but have never gotten around to it. My CLR is 270 shoots MOA groups with Hornady American Whitetail and Winchester/Olin Power Max Bonded 130 grain factory ammo, something that I am quite pleased with, as it has saved me the time, effort, and expense of load development.

I did have a phone conversation with Mr Forbes today and to his honest and humble character, he almost tried to talk me out of a CLR hybrid. I already have a Model 20 in 7mm-08 and his response was "what more do you need?"

ddj

My 7mag with the original CLR barrel shoots great, actually one of my more accurate rifles. It probably shoots even better than I think it does, taking it's light weight and my limitations into consideration!!!

I still like the CLR hybrid option if you can get into the donor for the right price as mentioned earlier. I like the CLR metal finish better than the Forbes, I don't care for the cheap looking fluting on the new Forbes products, and I like the fact that Melvin has direct involvement in whatever is done in and leaves his shop!!! The man takes pride in his work... you can't put a price on that in this day and age. His prices are very reasonable, too!

Leave it a 30-06, load it with 180's or 200's and use it for the bigger stuff! Go lighter with the 7mm-08 for the small-medium critters.

If you rebarrel, a 338-06 would be pretty practical and cool! One person here on the 'fire has actually done a 9.3X62 I believe.

Good Luck!

Thanks all,

I'm into the CLR for $350 so that isn't an issue and the way it stands now, I don't care for the trigger or stock. I guess my only debate is the re barrel and if I should change caliber to something I use more? I'm not a recoil fan and hunt mainly in Eastern Montana and Wyoming. However, I have enough points for a moose tag at any time so an accurate and dependable 30-06 would be practical.

ddj

I actually picked up an "extra" 7mag awhile back that Melvin had already hybridized. I have not sent it back to him yet, but I keep flirting with the idea of a 6.5 Rem.mag. throated and twisted for VLD bullets. I've been stockpiling brass for awhile... one of these days I will succumb to the temptation!!!

Recommendations on cartridges?

ddj

Just received my CLR hybrid back. It was chambered in 270 and I had put a Timmney trigger in it myself. The rifle shot very well as it was but I already had a 270 and thought a nula stock would be a nice upgrade. While Mr. Forbes had it he re barreled and chambered it in 6.5x55.

Had one rechambered to 06 Ackley, smith installed a Rem 700 trigger,MPI light weight stock and BDL bottom metal.

Shot great! wish I still had it!!!!

I was going to rebarrel my CLR in 270 in 9.3x62, but then I shot the donor and it shoots so well with factory ammo that I have decided that anything that I'm going to shoot with that rifle will just have to succumb to a dose of 130 grain 0.277" bullet.

That said, a 6.5x55, 7x57, 8x57, or even a 256 Newton in a CLR/NULA hybrid would never be a bad choice.