Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Early Forbes Rifles

I recently acquired 24B13-00324 in 25-06 and it has a fluted bolt. Does not have the safety that locks the bolt.
I was under the impression they all had Melvin's bolt release type Timney.
Not sure if this one would be considered "early".

Do the jeweled bolt versions have the locking bolt safety?

As far a I know, only the very earliest rifles were equipped with the 3-pos safety that locks the bolt (pretty much limited to the very early 270 and 30-06s). Very soon after, Forbes went with the 2-pos safety which does not lock the bolt, and carried that through to the end of production. My Forbes (which is also in 25-06, SN 12-003xx) has a jeweled bolt and a 2-pos safety like yours. My rifle was produced in 2012, and yours is from 2013. Hope this helps.

My Forbes in 30 06 Win is a shooter, has the fluted bolt, nice carry, and recoil is not all that bad. Is it just me or are these rifles too light? I also have a Fieldcraft with a 24" barrel, Talley light weights ans Leupold 6X it weighs 6.4 pounds. Easy for an old guy to pack around, but I find I shoot a 7.5 to 8 pound rifle much better from field positions.

Just add a Nightforce Atacr and will be perfect

Can't see buying a light weight rifle, and then adding a telescope type scope. Dumb, as I'm not a dialer or a sniper. Still don't think this is a 700 yard rifle in my hands, 250 yards is a long shot for me as it should be for most of us! I know the drop, not the wind!

I guess my Sarcasm was somehow lost on you.

Sorry I missed your sarcasm, just one of my pet pives. I get fired up early before I have my coffee! Now I get it!

BTW I thoroughly agree with you on the 2 lb scope on a 5lb rifle.

Great minds.......................

Pics and caliber?

The GB description said “jeweled”.

You got a nice one. Which safety does it have?

My safety locks the bolt in the rear position, it also in the middle position prevents the trigger from firing and allows operation of the bolt. It’s 270 Winchester and I hope to hit the range next weekend with it. Hog hunt scheduled for first week in September.

Only pics I have on my phone, pretty crappy. I mounted a Vortex Razor HD LH 1.5-8x32

https://imgur.com/gallery/qPuXkLl

Thanks for the pic, she looks slick.
Good score on 270. About as good as it gets

there is no middle position with that trigger it is either forward and fire or all the way back to lock the bolt and trigger.....

the easiest way to understand this is to raise the bolt and work the safety...you will feel a rear and forward position

Well I can put it in the middle and the trigger will not fire and the bolt will open. 🤷🏼‍♂️ I’ll admit it doesn’t feel like three distinct positions if that makes any sense, nonetheless it functions as such.

i know exactly what you are saying and feeling....do a search on here and read about it before you take that as a safe situation

Matt, the way that safety should function is TWO horizontal positions (all forward, fire; all rearward, safe) with the third position being a “vertical”. With the safety in the rear position by pressing straight down on the safety it allows the bolt to be opened for removal of cartridges while on safe - if that makes sense. Gene and I both know exactly what you are saying, and that “third” horizontal position (that isn’t) can result in firing if you depress the trigger while in that position, return to rearward, and then slide forward. It’s not a common issue, and not one I was even aware of until someone posted about it here, but I have one nula that will do it almost every time if I try.
Hope that helps.

Thanks for the heads up guys.

Bought 24B13-00191 the other day. It has a jeweled bolt and looks pristine. Guy that sold it to me was in Westbook, ME as well. Haven't gotten to shoot it yet as I'm waiting for the scope to come in, but this thread has given me hope that it might be a shooter.