I don’t recall the grip angle standing out to me either good or bad. I believe that they felt trim through the wrist but otherwise unremarkable and I have big paws. I really wish I would’ve kept a couple but I had no interest in 30-06 at the time and since I like women that meant the .270 wasn’t for me. 😁
Thanks. Good info. Trim through the wrist area somewhat mitigates a tight pistol grip since it lets me position my hand up higher. I don’t want to overthink things but also don’t want to spend that kind of money on a rifle and not have it be exactly what I want or have something for a fraction of the price being my go to gun because I like how it handles better. I’m leaning towards a 30-06 with 24” barrel or .308 Win with a 21” barrel for a compact gun to hunt or at least do load work ups with suppressed. 30-06 was boring to me in my younger days and more than needed for deer but I’ve grown to like it as a do just about everything pretty well cartridge.
Man, I'd send it back to Melvin. Not because it wouldn't work great in its current configuration. Not because I think it's necessary and not because I think doing so is a wise investment.
I'd send it back to Melvin for the upgrades, because if I didn't, I'd always have doubt and lingering questions in my head; Should I have sent it back? How much better would it shoot? What am I missing out on?
I hear you.
I will be contacting him and seeing what the cost would be.
Get it out and shoot it, Most of them shot very well as is I had a 30-06 and it was scary accurate right from the box. Forget about that extra pound and go kill your Mule deer.
This. I have a CLR in 7RM and it was a shooter right out of the box. If you want to save a few oz and get Melvin's stock but don't want to send him the rifle, he will (or used to be) willing to sell you the stock and send it to you for a drop in.
Then again, if you have the money a ULA is never a bad choice.
I like the idea of just getting the stock and swaping them. Thanks for the thoughts
I recently got a CLR back from NULA. I spent around $900 for the stock, trigger, follower,and firing pin spring upgrades. I like it, but I liked it when it was in its factory configuration too. I haven't had the upgraded rifle long enough to know how I feel about it or whether it was money well spent. The one thing that I do like about the upgraded stock is that it seems to reduce the felt recoil.
Keep the COLT. My 30-06 is a tack-driver with most anything I run through it! Do wish I had Melvin's stock though. I swapped out the firing pin spring myself.
I think the CLR used the same stock dimensions as the ULA. I’ve thought about ordering a NULA but the biggest thing holding me back is spending the money on a rifle that I can’t handle first. Most of what I’ve read has been positive with how they handle but mention the tight pistol grip. I have big 2x gloves hands and usually like a more open grip that gives me room to position my hand more naturally.
They are pretty close. The CLR obviously being an injection molded copy. The wrist on the CLR is actually a shade trimmer.
I actually just laid away a Colt light rifle in 30-06 this morning at my LGS. $700 with a Swift scope. I knew nothing about these rifles but of course a search on the Campfire fixed that. 👍
I remember CDNN was closing these out for $400 if I remember right
How long ago?
IIRC, the CDNN close out sale of CLRs was at least 15 years ago. They even threw in a Simmons Whitetails Classic 3.5-10x40 scope, bases, rings, and a nylon carrying strap for $400.
My CLR in 30-06 is still factory specs, while the 270 went to WV for a $900 upgrade. I don't know that the upgrade to CLR/NULA hybrid made in any better, except that the felt recoil seems to be a bite less.
What AK said. The Melvinized stock reduces recoil. The Timney trigger is a upgrade. It's worth it in my opinion. The CLR barrels that I had shot just fine. I believe Melvin said that the CLR stocks were just recycled milk jugs.....LOL Good luck!
What AK said. The Melvinized stock reduces recoil. The Timney trigger is a upgrade. It's worth it in my opinion. The CLR barrels that I had shot just fine. I believe Melvin said that the CLR stocks were just recycled milk jugs.....LOL Good luck!
I'm picking the rifle up today. I didn't have time yesterday that's why I laid it away. I stopped in on a trip to Lowes during my work shift. If I could count on the NICS taking ten minutes I could have bought it outright but sometimes it takes over an hour to clear for me
I have owned a CLR in 7mag that shot 1/2" and a NULA in 7mm/08 it would do the same, big difference in cost, I just picked up a Barrett in 6.5x55 so far the Barrett will shoot the same.
Well,,,,, for what it's worth, this is what I've been packing since the Mid-80's,,,,,,, but all most bought one of those Melvin Rifles back-in the day, I'm 73 this year, and still packing that Modified-Rem 700 .30-06, and I've still got about 12-Boxes of those Winchester Blk-Talon Loads, this Rifle and those Loads have taken a Fair-Share of game here in Alaska, from Caribou, Moose, and Mr. Bruin, the Brown Kind, and a few Black as well, any way, that's my Story, and I'm sticking to it... Lj in Alaska.....
Check my info but I believe that the CLR rifles were all produced with the magnum sized actions, and therefore would not be quite as light as a non-magnum even with the conversion. I own a Forbes in 270 that was put together by Melvin because it was one of the first made when he was teaching them how to do it. It shoots way more 1/2" groups than 1" groups.
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