2011 Pioneer Award: An Award Worth Giving

by
posted on June 15, 2011
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
keefe2015_fs.jpg

At this year’s Golden Bullseye Awards, NRA Publications named Melvin Forbes of New Ultra Light Arms the 2011 Pioneer Award Winner. A select group of senior staffers at NRA Publications had spirited input on just who the Pioneer Award should go to, and Melvin Forbes was at the forefront of my list from the beginning.

One of the first photo shoots I did for the magazine was for an article written by one of myliterary heroes—Field Editor Finn Aagaard—late in my first year here in 1991. Then Technical Editor Pete Dickey, the best pure gunwriter I’ve ever known or read, was enamored with Forbes’ innovation and wrote “The Ultra Light Arms” and Mel Forbes up himself in the November 1986 issue, which was quite a feat as Pete avoided most new guns by that time and left such mundane chores to others. In 1992, Pete tasked his newest editorial minion, moi, to be the newest non-celebrity spokesmodel for Finn’s January 1992 article. It was during the photo shoot, depicting an awfully young Mark Keefe pretending to be hunting in the wild spaces of suburban Herndon, Va. (actually out the back parking lot of our offices) that I first handled the magic that is a Melvin Forbes rifle. Five pounds of unadulterated accuracy and grace.

Melvin Forbes revolutionized the concept of the lightweight hunting rifle. He didn’t just chop off a barrel or give the gun a blind magazine; he looked at every piece of the bolt-action rifle and determined where weight could be removed without inhibiting performance. He also looked hard at the rifle stock, taking it from what he calls “boat hull technology” to something that incorporates strength, light weight and pointability.

Sometimes being a nice man—a gentleman every sense of the word—should count for something. Being a genius willing to work hard and create an entire class of firearms through solid engineering, a lot of hard work and thinking outside the box, counts for quite a lot.

I saw Mel several times during the NRA Annual Meetings and exhibits, and each time he vocalized his uneasiness with being named a “Pioneer,” joining Ronnie Barrett, Bob Nosler, Dick and Jim Cabela. “I’m not in their league, I don’t understand this,” he told me. No, Melvin, you might not, but we sure did. Sometimes being a “Pioneer” has nothing to do with the number of rifles sold or the dollars earned. His influence extends far beyond the number of rifles manufactured under his watchful eye since 1980. It has everything to do with a man with big heart and bold ideas willing to shake up an entire industry.

Mel Forbes remains a classic country gentleman that has never strayed from his West Virginia home and values. And he stands as a poignant example of the fact that, no, nice guys don’t always finish last. Congratulations, Mel, whether you admit or not, you deserve this award.

I own, shoot and hunt with a New Ultra Light Arms Model 28, and I’ve taken it to high places where my pants feel too heavy and there isn’t enough oxygen in the world. And I’ve shot it at long range, as well as taken snap shots in thick cover where I thought I could never see a deer or swing a rifle. It is lightweight perfection: Get your own, this one’s mine.

Latest

Making Keltec Pr57 1
Making Keltec Pr57 1

Making The KelTec PR57 In Wyoming

To make its PR57 handgun, KelTec invested in an entirely new manufacturing facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo. "American Rifleman Television" headed out for an inside look at the company's efficient production process.

Taurus 66 Combat: A New "Fighting Revolver"

First introduced in the 1970s, the Taurus 66 Combat is a medium-frame revolver that has seen several evolutions in its lifetime, and the latest update creates what the company considers "the final word in fighting revolvers."

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.