Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles I traded into a Forbes 24B today.

A local shop has had this Forbes 24B in the gay 270 nearly 2 years. Today I traded for it. I still owe a little money to be payed in the next month or 2 but I signed papers on it and traded today.

I traded a Sako 75 Hunter,wood and blued 7-08. I kind of hated to see the Sako go but my Montana has me wanting to hunt with lighter guns these days.The Montana shot better too and was also 7-08 so I let the Sako go.

I basically paid $1200 OTD for the Forbes and got $900 for the Sako. I might could have sold the Sako for $100 more but it wasn't worth it to me to ship it.

The Forbes is one of the first 23 guns built since Melvin Forbes told me the serial numbers started in the teens. Depending on where they started it may have been built earlier. The safety is mushy but it works and the gun locks up very tight. There is less bolt play than in any of my other bolt actions. I figure even if I end up having it rebarreled I will basically have a NULA for about $2000. Hopefully it will shoot fine as is.

You lucky dog, you.

Good call, especially based on all the information you provided. I think we all miss out on deals seeking to squeak out the little extra minute bit of savings. I know I've done so.

Nice snag, good luck with it!

I have had a Forbes in 270 for two years and that gun is flat out awesome. I only shoot hand loads and it will shoot anything I put down the tube. Hot cold doesn't matter. My barrel coppered up quick and bad when new so after every range session I cleaned with Montana extreme copper remover. It no longer coppers up bad. Never affected accuracy but it bugged me. They are not perfect but mine is always MOA or under it is ALWAYS MOA or under and I have dozens of targets to prove it. My pet load is 57 gr of R-22 behind any 130 gr bullet.

I like my Forbes 260. I had a 308 Forbes that had a serial number "00022" but it booted too much for me in an ultra light. I'm looking at picking up another in 243

Nice score. I have one of the earlier ones in .280 rem. Has the safety that feels like it is sitting in old tar, trigger is great. I fire-lapped the barrel during break in so not seeing the copper fouling enough to be of note. I have two loads that it seems to shoot almost the same point of aim. A pet 140 grain ballistic tip, and a 160 partition load. first gun that I have had that can do that.

I didn't get it out hunting this year, I didn't have it tuned in in time for one hunt. The other was muzzle loader. Next season it will sit in the first gun spot.

That's exactly what this safety feels like. I sure hope this one will shoot well.


Thanks guys for the boost. Do all of you prefer the Forbes to a Sako 75? I liked the Sako but I have just been hunting more with my lighter guns. That Sako was a Stoegar import and fairly heavy for a short action. It had dense Walnut and I didn't really want to put money into it for a McMillan since it was an MOA shooter but nothing really phenomenal.

I've never owned a Sako.

But after packing Forbes/Kimbers for the last couple years, I don't know
If I can carry anything else again. I did a pretty good hike last Saturday. Forbes 24B was in my hands all day. Like a good upland gun. Never put it on my shoulder. I like that.

Recently purchased a Forbes 24B...... haven’t played with it a lot, but like what I seen so far.

I have never owned a Forbes or a Sako in a deer caliber, but it never ceases to amaze me what a pound or two of rifle can do for a guy.

I have owned Kimber, Nula, Remington TI and CLR/Nula vs a lot of regular weight rifles and I would always choose a lightweight, as opposed to another, unless hunting from a tree stand.

Good move on your part.

donsm70

This Forbes is my new favorite. I doubt my other rifles will see much hunting for a while. It turned out to be accurate with just about every factory load I tried and it liked the Nosler 140 BT's the best. I scoped it with a Swaro Z5 3.5-18 with a BT and 4w reticle. I loaded up some handloads with the once fired Nosler brass and 140 BT's, and with 56 grns of H4831sc I shot 3 groups in a row of 5 shots at 100 yards all under 1/2 inch.

56 grains was as far as I got that day and I think I really need to buy a chronograph before I worry too much more about it. I started that day with a different COAL and worked up in half grain increments from 54 grains each time. I ended up with the longest COAL that would reliably feed and eject which was the most accurate,but every load was under MOA for 5 shots. I think the guy who traded it in must have been an idiot since it might wind up to be the best shooting hunting weight gun I've ever owned.

My LOP is to long on this rifle... anyone shorten a Forbes stock?

Yes, I sent my Forbes to Melvin earlier this year to shorten the LOP. He will have to re-paint the stock, and he will paint it anyway you like.

Now I have a light rifle that balances really well, shoots itty bitty groups, fits me perfectly, and has a custom paint job.

I am lucky in that it fits me better at 6'4".

What was the turn around time and cost? Thanks

The turnaround time was fairly quick, three weeks or so. I can't give you a good price. When he shortened my stock I had him to also replace my trigger to the ones identical to the triggers he installs on the NULAs. My Forbes came with the two position saftey that didn't lock the bolt.

Give him a call. He was a pleasure to work with.

While I like the short action Mod 75's, you're going to like the Forbes. They are usually shooters, especially the early Mod 24's that got personal attention from Melvin.

The stock design really soaks up recoil for me on my 30-06, and the light weight makes it easy to carry in the hills. I also notice that mine still shoots accurately even after the barrel heats up a bit.

Mine has a Leupold 6x42 which works for me and keeps it light.

Enjoy!

That is great to hear that combo is working well.. I have a NULA on order chambered in 30-06 with that exact scope at home ready to mount when it comes in. I have the Leupold 6x36 on my Forbes 270, and love it!

Nice trade. Sako's are nice, but those lightweight Forbes are nicer. Does the safety feel sluggish out of the stock also?

Now you can try RL26 and see what all the hoopla is about.