Whereas NULA uses Douglas barrels—customer-selected for material, length, contour and twist rate, all of which significantly contribute to the rifles’ $3,100 starting price—no such options are available from Forbes Rifle LLC. The Model 24Bs will feature standardized 24-inch, sporter-contour Bulldog barrels, though the test gun, serial No. 11-00001, had a 23-inch version.
Forward of the receiver the barrel measured 1.058 inches in diameter, but tapered to 0.605 inches at the muzzle, where it ended in a radius crown with an ever-so-slight recess. For both chamberings the right-hand-pattern rifling is applied at a 1:10-inch twist rate, which is sufficient for the majority of .27- and .30-cal. bullets. Melvin Forbes’ greatest contribution to the Model 24B is what also distinguishes NULA from lookalikes, as well as earned him NRA Publication’s 2011 Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award, his carbon-fiber-reinforced Kevlar stocks. It’s also the primary reason the rifle has a 5¼-pound overall weight. Why? Designed with, and constructed using, aerospace technology, the stock weighs a mere 8 ounces when removed from the mold. Interestingly, the relatively firm, 7/8-inch-thick rubber recoil pad weighs 6 ounces, and the paint alone is 2 ounces, for a 1-pound total weight. Forbes’ stocks, which take five days to manufacture, feature a classic-style straight comb that directs recoil in such a manner that, even from NULA’s largest chamberings, is quite manageable. For the Model 24B, NULA will manufacture the stocks, but Forbes Rifle LLC will fit—the stocks are individually glass-bedded to actions—and finish them. Melvin Forbes believes full contact between the barreled action and stock dampens vibrations, enabling bullets of differing weights to impact closely, as well as enhancing accuracy. As such, the Model 24B is glass-bedded from the tang area to the tip of the fore-end. Transposing targets during testing confirmed his belief. The stock has a single aluminum column through which the forward action screw passes. But, according to Forbes, it’s there to prevent over-tightening, nothing more. The stock is held to the barreled action via two action screws, the rear of which, when combined with a smaller screw, secures the trigger guard. Two swivel studs allow for attachment of a sling. Evaluation To evaluate accuracy, I topped the .30-’06 Sprg.-chambered Forbes Rifle Model 24B with a Nikon Monarch UCC 4-12X 40 mm scope in the provided Talley bases/rings, and shot five consecutive, five-shot groups at 100 yards from a Coyote Jakes Shoot’n Buddy Rest. Three ammunition types—including a non-lead option—and two bullet weights were selected, with the latter specifically to check for shifts in point of impact. True to Forbes’ word, both 150- and 180-grain bullets grouped in close proximity. Although the barrel was given time to cool between groups, such was not the case during shot strings. Despite this, the Forbes Rifle proved that for three-shot groups it’s easily a 3/4-m.o.a., if not 1/2-m.o.a., rifle, but subsequent shots enlarged overall group sizes. Vertical “stringing,” however, wasn’t as apparent as with some other light-contour-barreled rifles I’ve tested, which generally can be attributed, at least partly, to barrel heat. Rather, overall size simply increased, so there was a measure of shooter involvement. That being said, the most accurate load, Norma’s 180-grain Vulkan, still recorded an average of 1.12 inches for the 25 shots. A pleasant surprise was Remington’s Core-Lokt Express 150-grain Core-Lokt, which averaged 1.29 inches. Who doesn’t appreciate a rifle that tightly groups economical, readily available loads? I certainly do. In the past, shooting lightweight rifles off-hand has proven problematic for me, so with accuracy testing completed, I did just that with the Model 24B. When the fore-end is grasped near its end, the Forbes Rifle is remarkably steady; in fact, I even surprised myself with some excellent groups. Melvin Forbes attributes this to rifle balance, a foremost criterion in designing his first ULA rifle, the Model 20. Even though the Model 24B tested was chambered in .30-’06 Sprg., and more than 125 rounds were sent downrange on a single day, I felt as though I had shot only a few—no discomfort whatsoever. The little perceived recoil that the lightweight rifle produced attests to the design of Forbes’ stocks, since the not-so-soft recoil pad would do little to reduce discomfort. Shooters who desire a NULA rifle but cannot afford the three-grand-plus price—count me among them—will appreciate the Model 24B, which Forbes quoted as retailing for $1,400. Though less expensive, the Model 24B is every bit as capable as its custom predecessors and retains its most innovative features—especially the NULA stock. In the “Big Picture” called life, one cannot predict the future implications of one’s decisions. For lightweight rifle aficionados, fortunately Melvin Forbes decided to partner with Colt’s, which, although unfavorable at the time, resulted in a partnership enabling the production of the Model 24B, an excellent rifle in its own right, but also ensuring continuance of services to ULA and NULA customers. “Everything happens for a reason.” Indeed. Manufacturer: Forbes Rifle LLC; (207) 899-3254; www.forbesriflellc.com
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