DELGUES thread got me thinking about them..... How do y'all like them?

I've got one in 270 and I am loving it so far. Its very light but carries some weight out front making it very shootable. I can't think of any negatives with the rifle so far.

Joel

Wood or synthetic stock?

It's the same stock that Melvin uses on the Nula rifles. Carbon fiber with Kevlar reinforcement and weighs between 16 & 20 oz. I like the McMillan hunters edge and the kimber 84 m stocks, but the tighter grip and cheek on the Nula stock fits me the best. I also believe its a bit stiffer along with being lighter. I don't think there is another prodution rifle out there right now that's a better package.

I have one in .30-06 to test, but haven't had a chance to shoot it yet.

How does it compare so far to your NULA 30/06?

Greenback has the one I had. I was really impressed! I'm looking forward to Mule Deer's opinions.

I can't wait for the 20B!!

Looks and feels just the same--except the paint on the Forbes rifle stock is probably tougher. Back when I got my NULA, 15 years ago, Melvin was still using a finish that chipped when whacked hard enough. More recent rifles (including the Forbes) have a more flexible, tougher finish.

John,

if i recall from about 20 years back, the older finish was Dupont Imron paint...has Mel mentioned what the new paint is?

I remember that your 06 had a bit heavier tube on it than the usual NULA, how does the Forbes rifle compare? I guess I'm asking what the muzzle diameter is.

And thank your wife again for me, I've compiled several of her cookbooks and enjoy them all, but especially the venison cookbook she released 3 years ago or so.

What is the barrel length?

Hi Vel,

No, her hasn't mentioned the new paint, but the paint on the Forbes rifle appears to be very similar to the paint on the .257 Weatherby M28 I got about 5 years ago. It's grippier and much tougher than the old paint.

David,

There really isn't any such thing as a "usual" NULA, since the barrel is whatever the customer wants. My .30-06 has a 24" #2 Douglas barrel, which is .600 at the muzzle. The Forbes rifle on hand has a 24" E.R. Shaw barrel that measures .614" at the muzzle.

E.R. Shaw re-tooled aboyt at decade ago, and since then their barrels have been comparable to Douglas's, both in my bore-scope and at the range. In other words, very good.

thanks John,

that's good news!

I went to the biggest gun store in NH, and inquired about them. They had never heard of them , but said they would look into it and give me call. That was months ago and haven't heard a thing. Guess i'll have to use gun broker.

ER Shaw is just a couple minutes from my office and Forbes can not be an hour away down in Granville. I would like to get down there just to meet the guy, he seems like a pretty stand up fella from what write ups I have seen of him.


Mark

I picked mine up yesterday. Scoped it is 6.5 pounds with a 24" barrel in 30/06. I'm glad the wait is over, now I just need to make it to the range.

I got the call a couple weeks ago that my Forbes rifle was in. I went to check it out and the pistol grip didn't fit my hand well and the "feel" wasn't great so I passed. I'm sure it would have shot well so I hated to not take it home but accuracy is only one part of the equation.


ddj

You are the first person I've seen mention this about the Forbes rifle or a NULA. I haven't handled a Forbes, but the NULA I shoot has a very closed grip....it's one thing I would change. I prefer a more open grip...that being said, I can still live with the more closed/vertical grip.

To each his own. I love the feel of my ULA and strongly prefer a more closed grip (Rem classic) over a more open grip (Sako classic).

Yep, glad we've got choices. I think the NULA grip is even more closed than the Classic and Mt Rifle.

I've been using my 30-06 for about a month now. I ordered it back in February, was originally told it would arrive in April, wound up receiving it in August, but with a rear scope ring that didn't mate perfectly with the action. Once Forbes identified the issue, they sent me a new set of rings overnight at no charge. All things considered, it was well worth the wait.

The overall fit and finish are excellent. Aside from needing a thorough cleaning, I can't find much fault with it. The stock is just incredible - light as a feather, solid as granite.

I topped mine with a Swarovski Z3 3-9x36, which puts the balance point a hair in front of the action. Maneuverability is great, but there's enough weight out front to keep it steady (e.g., when shooting offhand).

The single stage trigger has no discernible creep, and a nice crisp break. I haven't gauged it, but I'd guess mine breaks right around 2 lb.

After breaking in the barrel, it's grouping right around 1/2 MOA. More importantly, the light weight doesn't really seem to impede my ability to shoot accurately from field positions.

My only gripes at this point would be that the bolt lift was very stiff and gritty out of the box (greatly improved by cleaning out the bolt body and polishing the cocking cam surfaces), and the cutaway milled into the stock for the safety lever seems like a great place for junk to get into the trigger assembly.

I definitely feel like I got my money's worth.

Nice. Can't wait to grab an '06.

Where is the 30-06 you passed on ddj?

Catching up on the Forbes 24B thread!

Has anyone purchased a 25-06 yet? Inquiring minds need to know!!!

Put in an inquiry with my local shop. Looking into a all stainless 270.

Saw a 270 at the Scheels in Lincoln, looked nice enough I suppose.

I have a Forbes in 30-06. I also own a NULA.

The fit and finish on the Forbes is excellent. So far I have fired less than 60 rounds on the Forbes, all factory loads. Fusion 180, Norma Oryx 180, and Hornady Superformance 165 SST. The Hornady load is producing confidence inspiring groups approaching well under .75 MOA. The Hornady was the last tried after the others had cleared the "new" out of the barrel, so they may shoot just as well now.

I believe the Melvin Forbes stock design is as close to perfection for off-hand and field position shooting as I have found. The more closed/vertical grip facilitates a firm, in-line seat of the gun to the shoulder and promote a trigger pull and follow through that keep the gun "on axis". To shoot a light rifle well you really need to get a hold of it, and this stock is perfect for that.

I just today saw one in Scheel's in Billings, MT. Give them a call and ask for Kurt or Darrel.

Anyone have an idea or seen anything in writing about when they will be released in SA calibers. I did see they were adding a 280 and 35 whelen but they are not yet on the order form

http://www.forbesriflellc.com/FAQs.aspx

The FAQ states:

"When will short action rifles be available?

Short action, Model 20B rifles will be available, however the timeframe and calibers are not yet determined."


Stainless was listed as by the end of the year. It seems like they are really doing things right.

Cant seem to find them in Canada yet. Heard some good things about the Forbes rifle, will likely get one imported in the new year if I can find one.

Was told the all stainless rifles don't be around until 2014.

I just shot the Forbes .30-06 test-rifle I was sent for the first time yesterday afternoon. I didn't bother working up a load, just started with a load my NULA .30-06 shoots really well, the 185-grain Berger Hunting VLD and 58.0 grains of Ramshot Hunter. Three 3-shot groups at 100 yards averaged .72 inch, a little bigger than the load averages in the NULA but not by much. And no, I didn't bother breaking in the barrel....

So far it looks to be just about identical to my NULA, except the barrel contour is very slightly larger. The finish and function is just as good.

Good info. Thanks for the update. Those are really nice rifles...

The grip is my dislike also.

Thanks MD, does your Forbes 06 have a SS or chromoly barrel?

Also, does the Forbes magazine enable seating Bergers out to the lands?

Chrome-moly, and yes, the magazine is long enough to seat Berger VLD's out to the lands.

Many thanks MD, you just helped sell a Forbes 30/06

Muledeer,
I have a Forbes rifle. Well pleased. My questions regards the Shaw barrel. You say its now comparable to the NULA Douglas barrel. In a Field & Stream article Mr. Petzal says "pretty rough and collects copper very quickly" and "clean with vigah, ----quickly cease to shoot well." Do you agree with that? I'd appreciate your comments regarding their roughness and need to be cleaned.
Thanks.

I don't know whether Petzal's review was of the production rifle, or of one of the pre-production rifles that used a different brand than Shaw. Quite a few of the early reviews were of pre-production rifles.

I've been shooting E.R. Shaw barrels since they re-tooled about a decade ago, and in my experience with at least 7-8 barrels in calibers from .224 to .30 they are indeed very comparable to Douglas barrels, both in accuracy and lack of fouling.

I've been happy with my 30-06's barrel. I took the time to break it in, cleaning between each round at first, then between short groups. After about 25 rounds, fouling dropped off noticeably, and now it's a snap to clean.

Thanks for the response and reassurance of quality.
CM

Was in there today ; they have a couple each of the 270 & 30/06 plus one 25/06. Nice . If it wasn't for the politicians with their head up their rectal cavities (on both sides of the 49th) I'd be taking one home. Problem would be deciding which of the 3

Hmm, Billings has a 25/06....grin

How much are they critters going for?

Dober

Dober, the Scheel's here in Rapid City were selling theirs for $1199. Magnum Man

Thx, I've gotta get my paws wrapped around one first. I'm a skosh bit concerned about the grip and the size of the bolt handle. Other than that I think it's got the goods to be a great rifle!

Dober

$1,399 here in Billings , includes rings/mounts (I'm guessing Talley)

Only ONE 25/06 - 2 each of 270 & 30/06

Mark - the grip is not bad ; I'd be AOK with it.....but I'm sort of the guy that people have in mind with "friends in low places"

Mark,

The grip and the bolt handle are exactly the same as in the NULA. In fact everything is exactly the same as on the NULA, except the options in paint pattern, length of pull, chambering, barrel contour/length, action size, etc.

Gotha, thx guys. I still think a 25/06 would be the ne plu ultra....grin

Dober

Lot of gun for the money

Would he charge extra for that?

When these start hitting the shelves in stainless, you'll see a bunch of other desirable rifles hit the classifieds....

The Scheel's here in RC has a .270 for $1399, not $1199, unless they've put it on sale.

Is the grip like the Remington Classic or the Remington BDL? To me there is a world of diffence - the Classic is perfect for me and has been my weapon of choice for the last 20 years and the BDL intolerable - too short and too much curve (not sure what it is really called). With the BDL I find my little finger ends up under the grip cap all the time.

It does seem like a lot of gun for the money. I would be interested in having one in 25-06 or .270.

I have 2 Colt Light Rifles (Forbes rifles made by Colt in Maine) in 30-06. Light weight, but not too accurate. I met Melvin Forbes at the NRA meetings and he offered to look at them and suggest what is needed (As noted before, he IS a real gentleman!). But, given that I'd probably need a new barrel and stock (cheap Colt injected Tupperware installed now), it might be no more expensive to just buy a new Forbes!

See Forbes Rifle web site: http://www.forbesriflellc.com/FAQs.aspx

(Im)Patiently awaiting the mid 2013 short action!

I have an even longer wait for a stainless short action.

Do you think we could guilt them into building an RF?

I've never handled a Forbes, but have ULAs/NULAs and would say the grip is not like either of the above. It is a fairly "closed" grip and took me some getting used to, but I like it now. I handled an A-Square Hannibal years ago and from memory (and it's been awhile), the angle of the A-Square grip felt more like the Forbes than anything else I've handled. It almost reminds me of a thumb hole stock regarding position of the shooter's wrist.

One other comment for those that care: I haven't found any magic recoil reduction because of the stock design like others talk about. For instance, a recoil calculator will show a 6.5-pound .30-06 should recoil about like a 8.5 pound .300 Weath / Win. Everybody who has shot my '06 NULA comments on how it recoils like a .300 magnum, which it feels like to me also.

With that said, if I didn't have a couple ULAs, I would be buying a Forbes.