Hello

Anyone know the name of the company that took over Melvin Forbes NULA shop? Not Wilson but the folks who are doing gunsmithing out of the WV shop. I thought the NULA phone number would work but doesn’t seem to. Thanks for any info.

outkast arms

Thanks so much!!

Has anyone had any dealings with them of late?

Their phone was down a week or so ago for a few hours.

I've talked to them over the phone a couple times over the past 2-3 weeks (same number) about a CLR I want to send in. They said, they're still doing all the work NULA did, ship the rifle to the same address. The gentleman I spoke with on the phone said that Melvin had given his employees the opportunity to buy/take over the company and they took it. He seemed pretty excited about it.

Thanks guys!

Bill Wilson bought NULA, Melvins guys are doin the repair work on ULA, COLT LIGHT RIFLES, FORBES RIFLES and NULAs, I kinda wish they’d took over the whole operation, that young man loved the guns!

I sent them 3 colt light rifles a few months ago. They are building me a 264 win mag, 240 weatherby and 7-08. Building stocks for them, new barrels, and putting timney triggers in them. A few weeks ago they said they were finishing the stocks.

Same address and phone number ?

https://m.facebook.com/100083054665835/

Contact info in there. Don’t have to be a FB member to view it.
Look under the “about” tab.

They have a good deal on a rifle in the classifieds
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...s/18070499/re-fs-kimber-84m#Post18070499

Thanks for posting this.

Yes same address and phone number. Same as it was before Melvin sold to Wilson Combat.

Hmmm? I'm typing outkastarms.com and get site not available?

They most likely only have a Facebook page as of now. I imagine a website is in the works.

Ask him.
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/users/76919/corder3825
He’s likely building guns though.

why 7-08 over .280AI? Just curious.

Hope you post up your experience, no reason to think it won’t be any different than before. Hope they do well, would have been a big loss to lose the service they offer for that price.

I'll never understand intentional misspelling in business names.

Outkast
Gunwerks
Dumbfugk

TM you stooooopid fugg.


-ElkSlayer91

FYI, I had a firing pin break on my 20 yr old ULA 708. A call to Zach at OutKast (a Couple of calls to reach him) and it was mailed to him on Jan 7 or so (just the bolt). We spoke yesterday and it’s ready to ship back to me, $65 including the return shipping.
Easy enough transaction and he was very familiar with the firing pin, etc since he’s been there a while.

That’s good to know. Hopefully they are young guys…..lol

Jackmountain
I have one they barreled, built a stock for and chambered in 284 right as Melvin was selling. It is a great shooter. The 7-08 is for my grandson.

Zach was the best chance NULA had moving forward in my opinion, me and Tim McWhorter build rifles together now but I was ready to invest in Zach moving forward, I’d love to have a steady supply of Melvin’s stocks. I wish Zach would go forward with builds, he has his own action! Let’s see if this post can generate a fire under him to push forward!

I'm glad the shop is still open. I wish those guys the best. I have a Forbes that I had rebarreled several years ago.

I’m happy to hear that as well. Just about ready to send them a CLR in 30-06 that I have in the back of the safe. Anyone have a guesstimate on conversion prices? I know it’s gone up some.
Thanks, Tom

Whatever the cost, do it complete! Go all the way. You will never regret doing it right the first time.

I have a 220 swift Douglas being screwed on right now, barrel, new bedding and repaint is $975. Not sure on stock prices. Mine already had Mel’s stock.

Long shot
If you don't mind please post a picture of your swift when it's done and also let us know how it shoots. What twist did you go with ?

Hal

I went 1 contour with 1-8". 23" barrel

Showed up a couple days ago however I’m in Canada fishing. I’ll post pics soon.

I posted this in the Custom Rifles section recently, so pardon the double post if you've already read it, but I figured it may be good to post here as well:

Just a quick note of good dealings with Glenn at OutKast.

I recently picked up a ULA in 257 Bee and it had something rolling around in the forend that could be heard when the rifle was tilted.

I emailed OutKast and Glenn replied that it was probably a piece of stock material that came off when the hole for the stud was formed.

He told me how to remove the stud and then put it a bit of epoxy in the hole. This “caught” the piece of debris and problem solved.

My first rifle in this caliber and it shoots just fine like my other Melvins, just much faster!

375pigguy

Can you tell us little more about you .257 Weatherby ULA and how it shoots. What load works the best in it.
I'm working on a .257 Weatherby for myself. Any help would be great full.

Hal

Hello Hal.

I believe you and I had a bit of correspondence after my original post in the other section, here is my reply below. That load mentioned is just a touch over 3500fps:



Hello Hal.
I’ve had a couple of range sessions with it. The first didn’t go so well due to the idiot loading for it (me) accidentally using LP magnum primers vs LR magnum….
Needless to say the first shots were not right which led to me not shooting the couple of factory ammo groups very well.
The next trip was better - 75 grn of H1000 under a 100 TTSX did .68 and .82 (if memory serves) along with a .65 or so with Wby factory 100 grain Hornady load. This is about as good as I’ve ever been able to shoot and about what my other Melvins tend to average (.6-.75 if I do my part).
I know I have pulled the trigger right when the last thing I see if a big, orange ball of flame!

I used them awhile back to help with a trigger on my Nula they were very good people to deal with. I will use them again in a heart beat very nice guy sent me a spring free of charge.

Outkast CLR, 7PRC. Arrived a couple days ago. Nice work, I'm tickled. Fiddling/obsessing about scope mounts at the moment. Be doing the Dyna-tek bore coat process soon then get to some shooting.

1eyedmulee,

Nice rifle and I really like your color scheme!!!

That will surely be an accurate, versatile, killing' SOB.

Enjoy and let us know how she performs!

Nice rifle!

Thanks for posting pics of it!

Yep, I like that too!

2 down still?

1eyedmule - great rifle. And major style points for originality in the color combo of the paint.

Wonder why they used two different font sizes and wildly different spacing on the barrel stamp.

Picked mine up today. I’m from WV so I stuck it out the truck window and shot a stop sign on the way home. Range report is good lol.

More

Thanks guys!

Still 2 down. You can squeeze in three but the spring is bottomed out and the bolt won't ride over the third round.

The color scheme is bold! I actually sent Glenn pictures of beech trees in November up here so he could match the grey bark and rusty orange leaves. If they made it a standard color choice, I'm not sure if they'd call it "Beech Ridge" or "Andy's Folly"! But, it's just what I wanted.

I'd guess the barrel was stamped "7mm" from Douglas and then after Outkast chambered it they used letter stamps to add the "PRC".

I'll post some groups when I get that far.

I was only ever able to fit 2 down with my nosler chamberings. Hope it shoots well for you!

If that were the case, would happen if the rifle had been chambered in 284 Win?

Not picking on Outkast per se, as the cheap looking barrel stamp situation is a shortcoming with a whole bunch of custom rifle builders.

Neat rifle overall!

What did you end up thinking of the small pic mounts they made? I’m trying to decide if I should stick with Talley or get some low weaver or pic bases made while mines in for work.

LW's all the way to the crash. Hint.





Fhuqking LAUGHING!.................

I can also do it this way with my cnc, But I figured the NULA crowd would stone me for not doing it Melvin's way, with Melvin's tools.
If anybody in the future would like this type of engraving, feel free to ask.

Doubtful. Manufacturers usually stamp the end of the blank.

They are quality pieces and if I mount a big scope they will be sweet. They are high though and I'm kind of focused on a light weight, low mounted 2-7 right now. They are kind of an interrupted rail and what I really like about that is that being high and two-piece you can fit your thumb under the scope behind the front mount around the balance point of the rifle if you need to one hand it in the steep stuff and use the other hand for climbing which is way better than cupping the rifle with low mounts or a rail negating the millions of years of evolution that gave us thumbs!

Remington92,

Another thing I've discovered is that the weaver bases that were available at one time are simply Weaver #46 fronts and Weaver # 72 rears. The weaver chart says the 46s fit Win 70s, large ring Mausers and small ring Mausers. The small ring Mauser is noted at 1.3 inches diameter (I actually have a small ring with a #46 on the front). The NULA 28 is 1.285 so that makes sense but they are machined for a slightly bigger diameter. I'm going to bed one with JB Weld and release agent on the action. Since the #46 fits Win 70s there are plenty around. But, the rear #72 only fits older Sakos apparently and is harder to find. I've got a few to play with.

Actually, I'm going to try the extended front base because one of the scopes I want to try is pretty short.

Just fun stuff to play with!

Peace,

Andy

I like the hand-made feel of the number stamps myself.

A pleasure doing buisness with you, sir!

Sweet Swift, longshot3631!

Oh darn those are high, I just sent an nxs 2.5-10x42 in with mine to make sure everything fits. I’m looking for as low and light as well. Did they cut down a Talley rail to make yours or machined another way? I’ll have to ask if they can make some weavers if I go that route. Only other option is steel Talley but they’re heavy and don’t allow adjustment fore and aft to accommodate the short tube on the NXS.

Maybe you're right, Mr. Stick. The scopes in the running right now are light, though. The Leupold (yes, I know...) is 9.8oz and I've got a 12oz Burris FF2 2-7 and the Sig 2-7 illuminated is 15.2 oz. Guessing you broke those with big scopes. I do expect this thing to be a handful recoil-wise, however. If I break any Talleys, I'll post pics with an "I should have listened to Stick!"

The pleasure was mine Sir. I hope you enjoy your rifle.

If OutKastActual would be willing to do it, a very low 2 piece pic like the Burris would be excellent. I'd be down for a couple of pairs and would be willing to mail in a Rem set for reference on how low they are.

Sure, send them in I'll have a look at them.

Do you guys work on other stuff at this time? There’s a fine smith just up the road, but I’m too old to wait on him most of the time; don’t want to die waiting……

Glenn,

Could you check on something? I found a 9.3x62 ULA for my friend. Last name is Mabe. He sent it to you about 7 months ago to be rebarreled to .270 Win.

He hasn’t heard anything on it, so I thought I’d ask.

Thanks.

Have mentioned this before on the Campfire, but somehow both my wife Eileen and I have been using the original Ultra Light mounts--which were made by the Holden company in Michigan, and never had any break. (Yes, Holden made their notorious see-through mounts.)

Melvin designed the mount, and when Holden went out of business, Talley offered Melvin a deal: They'd make the same mounts for him for free--if they could also make the same basic mount for other rifles, and sell 'em.

Have been using the Holden and Talley mounts since 1989, when Melvin loaned me a .300 Winchester Magnum (the first ULA I ever tested) for a year. The ULA/NULA rifles we've used them on have included at least a dozen rifles, in chamberings up to that .300 Winchester and a .338-06, and have used them on other rifles chambered for cartridges up to the .300 Weatherby Magnum. Oh, and with scopes weighing up to around 30 ounces--where the rings didn't fail, but the scope did.

The hunting has included several states from Alaska to South Carolina (including our hunting here in Montana), several Canadian provinces from British Columbia to northern Quebec, and more than one African safari. The rifles have been bounced around on open boats in the Arctic Ocean, and been on horseback hunts in various places. Oh, and then there's the typical bouncing around in gun cases on various airlines. None of the mounts have broken, so maybe there's just something incredibly tough about where Stick lives and hunts.

Mr. Gresham
I have tried to call him several times. I cannot get him on the phone. It has been done for months.
Perhaps the # I have is the wrong one.
If you can send me his # or have him call the shop I would appreciate it.
Thank you Sir.

Pappy,
We do work on other firearms. Feel free to call the shop if you need help with something.

Okay. Thanks.

Glenn, I was with Mabe when he called today. So glad to get that cleared up. Just a wrong phone number.

He's really looking forward to hunting with that rifle this fall. Deer and elk.

Thanks for your help.

Tom

Tom Gresham from Guntalk???
If so, love your show!!!
Regards, Mike

Did you ever locate a lefty NULA?

That's me. Couldn't make an honest living so I got into the whole gun media thing.

I did. A 7mm-08. Doesn't mean I'm not still looking for another one, though.

Haha, awesome seeing you here around the campfire!!!

In fairness,that’s only the 9th set of LW’s I’ve personally had fail. All 1” Reupold for me. Hint.

I do not know of another soul who drives same,who hasn’t puked same. Hint…………….

So, I've got the Weaver bases where I want them. Figured some of the CLR/NULA 28 guys might be interested. I got a couple Weaver 72 rear bases and 402 front bases which are the extension models of the 46 front base. The front base radius is a little big and only contacts the barrel in the center near the screws with about .004" space under the edges. the rear base is a touch small radius-wise but pretty close, contacting on the edges. The rear base is about .02" taller than it should be.

So, after thinking about shims, JB Weld, ring lapping, etc. I decided to file the bottoms of both bases and then JB Weld bed them. I filed a shallow channel in the front base along the screw holes until it contacted nice and even a bit in from the edge. Then I filed the rear which required removing a lot more material and I ruined a couple of bases and learned a good deal about filing things precisely. Finally, I got it perfect. Then I bedded both with JB Weld using a release agent on the action.

They are perfectly in line with the bore and each other. Nice and light and they'll work for a short scope and I can change scopes relatively easily. However, if I paid myself for all the hours I have into them, they'd be very expensive bases!

Remington92,
The Leupold has almost exactly the same mounting space as a Nightforce SHV.

Today was the second day at the range. Recoil's stout but not painful. Total of about 60 rounds altogether. I've only been able to put an hour or two together for these trips and spent time fiddling with scopes, targets, how she like to be held, etc. But, the up shot is that she puts the 175gr Hornady load into .75" - 1" most at 7/8". I shot mostly this load. I could not get the Hornady CX load under an inch. 1 1/4" average but, I didn't spend much time with it. Today I tried a few groups with the 180gr ELD M Hornady load. 4 3-shot groups at 100yd: 2 groups at 3/8", one at 1/2", and one at 5/8. The picture shows the 2 3/8" and the 5/8" groups. Keep in mind that this is switching scopes and target faces, the barrel too hot to touch, and I'm not the greatest shot from the bench and avoid it if I can - any of you guys who are good shots from the bench could have tightened it up a little. I'm very happy with the accuracy.

Scope-wise I really like the Burris 2x7. It's bright and the crosshair is nice and dark where the Leopold VX 2 is that reflective greyish that will slightly wash out and is less visible in low light. And, with the right target face, I could not beat the accuracy with a big 18x dialer I stole off one of my air rifles. Have yet to try the Sig 2-7 illuminated. Wound up trying the ole Weaver big screw rings which are the lowest option. Probably go with these on the Burris or the Sig in Warn Vapors.

If Glen could figure out how to get 3 down this would be my next conversion.

Good to see the factory eldm treating you well.

Thanks for the update. 👍

You should give him a call. If he can do it, he will. He bent the bolt handle for me which allows the low mounting of my Sig scope which has a huge ocular. That's a real pita for a gunsmith from what I've heard. It wouldn't require much more room for another round. Might require a whole new mold, though. And, you're right 3 down would be cool.

So, third range day this morning with the 7PRC Outkast CLR Conversion. Up over 100 rounds now. Early on I noticed a gap between the barrel and the fore end tip maybe a 1/10 - 1/16 of an inch and figured it might be just how these things are and concentrated on scoping the thing. Well, I investigated and when I grabbed the fore end tip and barrel and squeezed them together when I let go the barrel would pop back out of the barrel channel with a faint click. I noticed that there was no gap until tightening the front action screw the last half a turn. There was a tiny ridge of bedding compound right in front of the recoil lug pocket from the seam where the barrel meets the recoil lug. Also, the very bottom corners of the recoil lug pocket looked a little rough. I cleaned these things up and whether they were the issue or whether I had dropped cookie crumbs in the recoil lug pocket when I had it all apart on my coffee table when I first got it (not kidding) was the problem - I have no idea. But, cleaning these things up let the barrel sit flush in the stock.

Picked up a box of the Federal Premium load with the 175 ELD X. Scoped her with a 2-7 Sig.

At the range I started with the Federal load, put one in a 30 yard target, adjusted then put one in a 100 yd target, clicked up and over and put three into 1/2 inch, clicked up and over and put three into what looks for all the world like .25 inch.



I then very carefully put the fired brass back in the box and gently stowed that box back in the truck. And, when I got home ordered a few more boxes from the same vendor.

Then I shot a bunch of The Hornady 175 ELD X load. Still under an inch but 1.5 inches to the left of the Federal load. But, the second thing I'm totally pumped about is that the Hornady CX monolithic load shoots 3/4 - 7/8 inch groups now and to the same point of impact as the Federal ELD X load.



I know it was one .25-inch, 3-shot group and it will probably never happen again but...

I was very happy with the gun before today but, if I could have ordered performance parameters this is what I would have ordered. Little groups with the Hornady ELD M load are very nice. But, this is a hunter and to have the Hornady CX load and the Federal ELD X load shoot to the same point of impact with sub moa groups is exactly what I was hoping for.

She's ready to hunt.

Man,‘that’s a great shooting rifle. Congrats.

Thanks, beretzs! I'm very happy with it.

I bet. That’s a cool killing rifle.

If I can do my part! Our bear season just started. I usually don't get out much for bear but, may have to get out there tomorrow. They're hitting blackberries and choke cherries right now.

I have several of Melvin’s and now Glenn’s rifles. 3 of them shoot just like yours does, basically whatever load and bullet weight I try goes into the same group. Glenn is doing an awesome job and carrying the torch very well.

I picked up a 7mm Mag CLR I am trying to decide what to do with. Your PRC has me thinking now. Thanks for sharing your information and good luck on the bears.

I agree, bearded_hillbilly. Glenn is easy to deal with, responsive, and accommodating. His CLR conversion speaks for itself. There really isn't anything quite like it right now - magnum bolt face, non-prone ergonomics, 6lbs with a 24 inch #2 barrel, and his willingness to do custom stuff like 8-40 scope base screws, bending the bolt handle, custom scope mounts, whatever barrel you want, stock paint/design, and they're shooters.