...is about to get put to the test.

Nice! Look forward to your report.

Hard to tell from the pic, but is that a #1 contour barrel or #2?

Caliber?

SAS, given Forbes decided to put a chro bolt on a SS action, your choice is the way I'd go (Chro action, SS barrel).

As was already asked, what chambering?

It measures .555" at the muzzle. It appears to be a 'tweener contour wise. It has a little beef through the body, but tapers to #1 land. In the manual that came with the rifle, Forbes says it's a #2. I'll compare it with a Lilja #1 on a 223AI tonight.

7-08 Brad.

The #2 contour is .6" at 24, so you're working with a #1.

I'll get more pics tonight. I'm going to weight it and a Montana 7-08 for comparison.

Looking forward to the range reports. I would like to see the actual weight too since published specs are often wrong. Is the stock a gritty feeling as it looks?

It's really not that gritty, but it's not slick either. I like the stock.

Several have commented on the closed grip in the past, but it feels good in my hands. I like the ergo's of the stock.

How long was the wait from the time you ordered it until you got it?

That's subjective!

I contacted Rick as soon as they were announced last year. I ordered a 243 and an all stainless 7-08. Sometime during the year after I heard the all stainless 20B's wouldn't be out until 2015, I cancelled both orders. We emailed back and forth several times through the year.

Then in November 2013 I contacted Rick again. He told me about the initial run of 10, 308 20B's. He also said they were doing another run of 50 immediately after SHOT. I ordered a 7-08 from the post-SHOT production run.

Is it too soon to say I'll take it?

Ha! I think several others beat you to it in previous threads about the rifle!

Those don't count because the rifle wasn't yet in your possession.

I like that color combo! I just wish for 2 things; that they kept the 2pos/3function safety and that they came in 260! Looking forward to hearing your report.

It's going to become a 250 Savage.

Already counting chickens?

it'd make a great .250 savage!

How is the trigger and is the action smooth? What does the barrel look like inside? Shaw?

The trigger is Timney. Out of the box it was 5lbs, but had zero creep. I adjusted it to my liking. The action is smooth and the lugs make perfect contact.

I'll run a patch through the barrel tonight. To my naked eye things look good, but I don't have a bore scope.

Are they running Shaw tubes also for the Stainless barrels?

The catalog shows 21" #1

Thanks for the update, surprised they feel compelled to leave the trigger at the same weight of the rifle....heavy.

Look fwd to a range report and update.

you need to get rid of that pos............its not all stainless and is probably twisted wrong and that bolt with the fluting what are they thinking?

good luck if it doesnt work you were warned............. send it my way i will do something with it

Great looking rifle SAS.

I'll be watching for updates!

That does look nice!

Tale of the scale......two 7-08's...





Interesting results.....

Grip geometry...

Is it just the pic, or does the Forbes have a larger barrel contour than your Montana? How do the two rifles compare when you hold/point them?

Forearm length...

The Forbes contour is larger. Forbes measures .685" just forward of the stock. The Kimber is .665" and is a couple inches back.

The hold/point question -- I like them both. That being said, nothing beats a Kimber 84M in that department (in my opinion).

Being both Kimber fans and weight-contours aside does it feel as good as a Kimber?

It's growing on me, but the Kimber is still tops in the "feel" department.

Feel and performance are two different things. I can't wait until Saturday to test the latter....

Darrik,

Subjective question; which one seems to be more locked in and stable offhand?

Have both and the Nula, combined with the closed grip and cheekpiece seems more stable off-hand.

Also, which one seems to balance better? Again for myself, Nula wins.

Harry,

I can't give either the edge for stability off-hand yet, but I've always liked a closed grip for such.

I need to spend some time shooting with both to better compare.

Bring your NULA 7-08 down and we'll do the REAL comparison!

Darrik,

Your killin' me. Need to wait until 11:00 am tomorrow morning. For someone who asked, I confirmed my order in early December and it hit my local fun shop 2 days ago. Damn work had me held up until tomorrow morning to pick it up.

Looking good so far, feel like a kid at Christmas

I didn't realize you'd not picked your up yet until a bit ago.

I think you'll like it!

Sell me a rebarreled Montana in 243!

I don't even have the 308 back yet! I thought about doing a 6.5 Creedmoor Montana next, but I decided the 243 will take 2nds.

Just waiting on the barrel....

No doubt, it would be a bunch of good time.

SAS, on that first shot, watch the closed grip. The back of your middle finger will bruise nicely.

The only one of my four NULA guns that does that is my 300WSM.

I am nearly certain SAS had at least one 24B prior to this. Good advice, though.

And I'm just waiting for you to sell it!!! That would be my dream gun.

One member had a quick twisted 6XC Kimber....

Pass one in a 6.5 Lapua....

Got to hold one of these today, set up exactly as SAS's. Rifle does feel nice, points well. I didn't try the trigger, as I don't own it. Bolt movement felt a bit gritty (fore/aft), and tight (lift). Priced at $1499. They had a 25-06 sitting next to it priced at $1399.

Look forward to hearing how you like it.

NICE rifle in a great caliber.

The shooting started today. I got it on paper at 25....about 1 1/2" low at 25. Things looked to be centered nicely, as well as could be expected from shooting over the bed of the truck out of dad's garage.

I took it around to the front porch, went prone and busted the 200 yard gong a couple of times. Took it down a couple clicks and headed to the bench behind my house.

The ammo I was using were 120 NBT loads tailored to dad's Cooper Excalibur 7-08. They're jumping about .040"....more jump than I'd start with normally.

My range is in a valley between the hills. Gusts were coming from 10 o'clock. I really didn't expect much, so I just shot one group. I'm thinking the wind will die down a bit closer to nightfall. I'll load some stuff tailored to this rifle in the meantime, but.......things look promising!

Not a bad start......

Indeed, a great start, hopefully a good trend.

Like to hear how the barrel does re: fouling.

Nice start, I bet it will only get better.

Didn't get any more shooting in today. Wife and oldest daughter decided they need to go to town. I was left tending to a napping two year old...

Tomorrow is another day.

Looks to be 1/2". I'd be tickled pink

I had a .300 WM and .30-06 that did this to me. My .270 does not nor does my .308 as long as I hold it tight.

3 clicks to the left and call it done.

Never mind, that would be no fun at all

A couple guys sent a PM and wanted to see more pictures of the rifle. Here's one and if the sun comes out I'll post a couple more....

That looks great!

What's that white sheit.....


They are calling for a few inches here Monday/Tuesday

We had a little ice to go with it too. Kids were out of school all week...

That's about as much fun as a man can have....

Deer Camp Lane doesn't suck, that's for sure!

They closed school because of that?

But it does get a little rowdy up there sometimes.

Yep, the Bocephus boys get a little vociferous... grin

They must have been on their good behavior when this Yankee visited.
I didn't even see one "Watch this".

Have you adjusted the trigger.

Yep. It's a Timney. Pretty simple to adjust.

It came in around 5lbs, from the factory. It's at 2.5 pounds now.

I can answer this question now, as I cleaned it again yesterday after my snow follies!

It has close to 100 rounds down the tube.....lots of carbon, but very little copper. The "blue" on the patches disappeared quickly. The barrel is SMOOTH and I don't expect copper fouling to be an issue. I expect nice things to come. Just for conversation's sake -- this barrel fouled much less than my last several Douglas's.

I'll get some more groups on paper with different loads this weekend.

.....and another thought.

I carried it a lot this past weekend in the snow sans sling. I wanted it in my hands, not on my shoulder. The bottom of the stock feels round in my hand and is a joy to tote.

Battue asked a question earlier in the thread about offhand pointing and stability. I've compared the Forbes to the Montana....and the Forbes wins. I honestly think that the balance on the Forbes is better too.

I wanted to wait a bit before I passed judgement. I'm so use to the Montana, my opinion could have been biased. My feel meter is tilting to the Forbes...

Thanks re bbl, - what are your latest groups and what bullets?

I've not been shooting on paper, I've been busting steel. My range is in the back of the house and I'm limited to 100 yards. I've been shooting steel from dad's front porch.....and the range is almost limitless. It's been a snowy, icy, muddy, windy mess here for a couple of weeks.

For reference: my house is in the left on the photo. Dad's is to the right. The picture is taken from the road, about 3/4's of a mile from my house. Our driveway is private and about a 1/2 mile long. We both can shoot a long way out the front door, but not very far out the back!

Hopefully I'll get more groups on paper this weekend. It's just more fun shooting and listening for a clang than walking back and forth to targets in this weather.

How easy? <grin>

It's very similar to this.

http://quarterbore.com/library/articles/rem700trigger.html

If these instructions don't get you there, call Forbes. I read somewhere on here where a guy sent his rifle back because he couldn't get it below 3lbs safely. Forbes fixed it and it now breaks below three. IIRC, the turn around time was uber fast.

Thanks!

Awesome rifle and good shooting. Might still pull the trigger on one of the 20B's in 243 even with the 10 twist.