Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Forbes 20B 7mm-08 delivered...

Well, a worse thing that happens with a Rem 700 and its clones like the NULA/Forbes, and something I've seen, is water running down into the safety cutout, into the trigger, and freezing... something you don't see happen on an old-school M70 or Mauser.

M700's were designed for cheap, efficient manufacture, nothing else.

Noticed that myself. Another little thing that may mean little or nothing. How many little things does it take until it is a big problem?

all my rifles have the exposed foam I am sure if it was an issue it would have showed its self in the last 30 years of Melvin building them...........

these are production rifles guys and the price reflects it compared to the nula models I am sure they don't take the time to make them perfect in appearance and everything has its problems but the way it is handled makes the difference to me

Now doubt. My Nula came back from a wet Ak trip in Sept and hung around the house and was shot until Deer season here in December. Came home one night after hunting and closed the bolt on an empty chamber and the hammer fell. Worked the bolt and let it off safe and the hammer dropped. Put it up and took it to Melvin. Then entire trigger mechanism was a bunch of rust. Really like Nula and probably the Forbes, but hate the entire trigger set up.

Hole is front trigger guard screw hole. No imbed, just punched through the stock.

There was one right there in the rack..

I can't remember -- is there a nut or something? I don't remember taking the front TG screw out upon disassembly.

I agree there might be some issues with the trigger group but wouldn't flushing it out with lighter fluid after the wet trip have prevented the problem

there should be a nut bedded for the front tg screw

In addition, trigger was hard against one side of the mortise in the trigger guard inlet. That's what I relieved with a file yesterday..

These are some pretty basic fit and finish details that shouldn't be short cut.

No imbed.

I was thinking I wanted a Forbes.

I'm thinking the same thing..

Could buy a tikka and a sig C3 for this rig..

Perhaps it would have and something I pay attention to now. Problem is I was used to Model 70's and their for the most part rock solid durability. They have gotten wet and the safety started to be hard to move, but they always remained safe. A little oil and working them back and forth and they were good to go. Have had a couple that hadn't been out of the stock in years of use in what the weather thru at them and the triggers never rusted up.

The Timney on the Nula's has a couple little springs that had rust grow on them like a chia pet. Not sure if lighter fluid would have eliminated the issue completely.

Really like the Nula, but hate the trigger/safety system, and if there was a different option I would jump on it.

The other thing that was bothersome on two Forbes was that there were different hex sizes to the front and rear action screws. It wouldn't have taken much to find two of the same size. As it is or was back last year, you needed to didn't hex wrenches to take the action out.

Speaking of brass, I bet I can grab a Winchester, Tikka, Weatherby/Howa, Ruger and ALL will feed all major ammo fine.

There are some issues going on........

I had a local gunsmith long ago when I was in college tell me my 10/22 was misfiring b/c of ammo, and to use Remington, well perhaps they use softer brass, but that was NOT the issue, it was a bushing and recoil spring assembly that needed replacing. All he did was clean it.....and it continued it's problem till Ruger sent me the new part which I installed.

ANY decent firearm should function/feed/fire/extract/eject most all decent made SAAMI spec ammo, IME.

And I caught major flack for concern over Shaw barrel quality...

I hope the owners get a properly working rifle and their money's worth. The platform looks to hold promise, but will only do so if it delivers, and quality control will determine.

Perhaps one of the Smiths will chime in on if I am right or wrong.

However, I'm thinking that little extractor doesn't have many teeth to bite down on any case. It will work, but it needs to be done right if it is going to work with all.

It's proper fitting of parts as well, never mind which particular design. I've come across a Ruger Hawkeye, big claw extractor and all, which failed to extract cases that certainly were not stuck.

Sorry to hear all of this. Hopefully this is an isolated incident, particularly the extraction problem and they can resolve it for you (which they should w/o question)!

WRT the stocks and bedding issues, I was under the impression that Melvin was supplying all of the stocks for the rifles, at least originally. Does anyone know if this is still the case? Perhaps that changed w/ the introduction of the M20. I am assuming the bedding, finish work, etc. is being done at the plant in Maine. My friend bought one of the early (2012) M24's in 30-06 and it came with no sling studs. Trying to help him out, I called Melvin who seemed a little disgusted that it was sent out that way, but did send him a new set with instructions on how to install them properly.

I have a 1986 ULA 7mm-08 and several CLR's (a couple "improved" by Melvin). I have never had any issues with the stocks or extraction problems, including magnum handloads. My 7mm-08 does seem to get pretty high velocities w/ factory 139gr Hornady Light Magnum loads (3050fps with 22"" barrel) which I thought maybe had something to do with the way it was chambered??? Never have had any extraction problems however.

Anyone else with ULA's, CLR's, or the Forbes 24's have extraction issues??? Once again, hopefully an isolated incident that can be quickly remedied.

Wish they'd scrap the cosmetic bolt fluting though... kind of like too much make-up on a beautiful girl. Melvin's "ladies" have proven that it is not really need to get the job done effectively.

Exactly.

Feed/function first...accuracy second.