So.... it's been awhile since many of us bought up Barrett Rifles secret stash of LH Forbes rifles. Mine is in .308.

I finally just today got back to my 100 yard gun range and squeezed off a box of ammo though this rifle..the first shots through this gun!
This included some barrel break-in cleaning and sighting in the VX-3 2.5-8x36mm luepy.
Temps were about 70* degrees today, sunny, light breeze.

Some observations...
This gun shoots 100% as good as my .308 NULA it replaced.
A sub 1/2 moa grouping was the last 3-shot series I did with Nosler trophy grade factory ammo in 165grn.
I shot repeatedly over an hour and never once made a conscious effort to let the barrel cool. This gun experiences no grouping spread with a warm/hot barrel. None.
I don't know if POI will change with an 180 grn. ammo tweak, but I'm betting it will not.
'Deluxe' target shows the very last three shot group of the day...
Helluva shooter, couldn't be happier. With handloads and a great rest (I struggled with my rest today) I think this gun might be a 'one ragged hole' shooter.

I hope other Forbes owners here are experiencing the same success.

That looks like a keeper! Curious to see if others are getting similar results.

My LH 7-08 shoots great 120 gr to 140 gr same POI. Shot 11 straight clay pigeons 220 yards with 2 different loads. Very consistent.

I have a LH Forbes in .280 AI. It shoots everything I have tried so far around an inch or less at 100 yards. It's not wearing a 6 to 40 power scope with a 60 mm objective either, just a fixed 6 power Leupold.

That's good in my book.

Yep, sounds like a great setup!

Great to read these positive range reports...


K, are you using a ranging reticle or are you sighted in at 220?

It is unfortunate that the Forbes experiment did not go anywhere. My low serial number, right handed .270 was as close to being perfect out of the box as any rifle I have ever owned. The only thing I did to this rifle was to polish a couple of minor burrs off the rails.

On right is the first 100 yard group fired after putting the rifle on paper.

K, are you using a ranging reticle or are you sighted in at 220?[/quote]

Scope is a 6 X 36 Leupold with the Long Range recticle just used the 200 yard dot a wee high. 9 of the Clay birds were whole then I ran out and shot the pieces with a witness. Wanted to burn up the ammo from load work up that did not shoot quite as well as the best loads.

I like it so well thinking of selling my LH Matte blue wood Ruger Hawkeye 7 MM - 08 nice rifle but who needs 3 LH 7-08,s.

Yep, agreed.

I'm flush with nice stainless lefties now and will be moving some out.
Never thought I'd be considering that!

"Deluxe" target. That made my day.

Been leaving the rest of my LH rifles at home and been taking the LH 7mm 08 Forbes, took it out looking for moose earlier and Bear Saturday. Saw a nice Br Bear but it gave us the slip.

Well, I'm headed down in the truck camper to Central Idaho to find a good muley with wife and son. They are jazzed.
Grabbed the Forbes for a quick sight-in...took three quick shots, about 30 seconds at the rest.
All literally under a quarter.
I think this gun will go with me...
Love this rifle!

Climbed into the tree-stand on the back of the place tonight, Wasn't looking for the usual whitetail deer with the upcoming muley hunt, but rather a fat cow elk.
I have a late season tag.
Elk presence requires a bit more luck, as we don't have huge acreage. We've killed a few here.

As luck would have it a decent herd came onto our meadow....and the new Forbes did its job, 168 yard shot, a bit back into the lungs; she ran about 160 yards and piled up...
.308 Nosler 165grn. accubond.

Congratulations, that rifle is fully broken in now. Still working on fine tuning my 6.5 Forbes but looking good so far and hope to put it to use soon. Mine needed the usual minor tweaks but no big issues except a banged up magazine box. The barrel looks as good as my big name custom barrels and after break in no fouling.

Well done! Lots of good winter meals there.

Cool beans !

Nice gun, elk and Happy Birthday Broomd!

Nice birthday present, congrats.

Thanks guys...too kind.

Ah the lil 7mm-08. Speed kills. Pard was just telling our other two companions about the moose I killed a few years back with my Lh Nula

Hit it right in the boiler room and bloodshot almost all the way back into hinds.

Moose dropped like he'd been hit by the hammer of thor

Lightweight, shoots lights out. Dang fine lil rifles