Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Colt Light Rifle Question ?

Hi All, a friend has an oportunity to buy a Colt Light Rifle in like new condition for about $350. It is in 30-06 caliber. I know it is a cheaper copy of an Ultra Light Arms rifle but don't know much else. I remember something about a recall of the 30-06 but don't remember what it was about. Any information you guys could give me would be much appreciated!

Pretty good price. They're nice little rifles, made during Forbes' brief, ill-fated joint venture with Colt. They are not nearly as nice as NULAs, but they also don't cost three grand. Neat little action, good trigger on mine, sub-MOA with many loads, but about a pound heavier than advertised. I know there was a recall, and believe it was on the .30-06s, but mine is a 7 mag and I don't recall the details. Somebody else will, I'm sure.

I keep seeing them around at different places for around $400. I think it's one of those guns I'm going to be kicking myself in about 5 years for not buying all of them I can find.

I've heard some minor complaints, mostly in comparison to the much more expensive NULA guns, but I think are probably pretty undervalued at $400.

weagle

I lost one in a robbery. I would buy it if I were you, for that price. May be collectable someday.

I've got two, both 7 RM. Triggers are junk, but Rem 700 are direct replacement. Actions are very nice for the money. Both mine shoot sub MOA with factory. Stocks are a bad use of tupperware, but Mel Forbes of NULA will sell you a great stock for $450 that also trims 1/2 pound off the factory 6 and 3/4 pounds, their ads lied. Finish is rub-off teflon. Factory rings are nice Talley. Barrels cleans up easy for a factory. Some guys had trouble with the plastic follower and spring but mine are no problem. Overall a great value if you can handle the tupperware. I'd like to have a '06.

i have one in 30/06 , it has become my go to rifle. it will shoot about anything an inch or better.

wiktor,



With respect, Melvin sold his company lock, stock and barrel to Colt. He never had a joint venture at all. Colt contracted with Saco Defense Industries to design and manufacture something akin to what Melvin had but at a substantially reduced cost.

This is a pretty good concise assessment of the recall:

Colt Recalls Light Rifle
American Handgunner, Jan, 2001 by Cameron Hopkins

Colt's Mfg. Co. had barely begun production of the Light Rifle that it acquired from Ultra Light Arms when a problem with the bolt assembly surfaced, resulting in the beleaguered gunmaker issuing a recall. A Colt spokesman said the problem was that the firing pin on some rifles may fail to cock, leaving itself at rest on the primer of a chambered round. The result could be an accidental discharge if the bolt was hit or the gun dropped.

Industry insiders said Colt had shipped fewer than 500 units of the Light Rifle. Our mole also reported that there are about 1,500 Light Rifles ready to ship from the manufacturer, Saco Defense Systems. However, the company refuses to release the guns until Colt pays its bills, according to an industry newsletter.

Additional trouble looms from Ultra Light Arms owner Melvin Forbes, who was forced to take back what was left of his company after Colt reportedly failed to pay him.

Here is a thread from a couple of months ago:

24 hour thread

I am not what you would call a collector so I have no interest in spending $400.00 or any amount for that matter on one of these rifles. Others disagree and that's their business but I have better uses for that amount of money.

Regards.

Thank you all for the replies. I'll pass the information on. The recall seems a little scary, I wonder how you can tell if the work has been done on it?

I don't know about the recalled guns, but my 30-06 came with a sllip of paper in the box stating that it had been manufacturred after the recall had been completed. Or something to that effect.

Kaiser Norton

That was me who said that, not Wiktor. You're right in the sense that it was not technically a joint venture....Colt acquired Melvin's company and retained him as a consultant to run it:

In 1999 Forbes sold Ultra Light Arms to Colt. The plan was for Colt to manufacture a less-expensive production rifle to Forbes� specs�one that would closely emulate his famous rifle. Forbes would oversee this and continue to build rifles the way he always had, calling them the �Signature Series.� It was a great plan that would have put a lightweight hunting rifle in the hands of many. Colt took 6,000 orders during the SHOT Show.
It was not to be. Just before Christmas in 1999 Colt fell off the ladder, and Forbes, along with the team of talented craftsmen he assembled, were out of business and a job. The 4,000 Colt Light Rifles that finally hit the market were nothing like what Forbes envisioned. Forbes managed to buy the company back, hence the current name �New Ultra Light Arms.� He and his small crew of craftsmen still build the same rifle they always have.

I just got to shoot a Colt LR.
Here is what I found.
The stock was so rubbery and flexable, it would not keep the barrel channnel from rubbing the barrel. Have fun shooting it with a sling or a bipod.
The ejector wouldn't eject fired cases.
The trigger absolutely sucked. The spongiest trigger I've pulled in many years. Worse than all the auto loaders, lever guns, shotguns and what not I can remember
NOT for me. E

Steve_NO,

I'm perfectly aware of who wrote that statement. I was addressing my comments to the original poster rather than diverting the thread to you.

Threads on subjects like this one on the Colt Light Rifle, because they're based on opinions, usually follow the same pattern. Some of the posters like them and some don't. I have nothing against them, I just don't want to spend my money on one. It's that simple.

Regards.