{"id":14385,"date":"2017-07-14T14:24:22","date_gmt":"2017-07-14T14:24:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/?p=14385"},"modified":"2017-07-14T14:25:03","modified_gmt":"2017-07-14T14:25:03","slug":"rifle-school-and-the-professor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/rifle-school-and-the-professor\/","title":{"rendered":"Rifle School and the Professor"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RC-9\"<\/p>\n

Rifle school. I\u2019m not talking about a rifle school where you learn to shoot; I\u2019m talking about a school where you learn how a rifle works. I\u2019m not sure a school like this actually exists but because I have a friend who could be the lead\u00a0professor\u00a0of that school, I\u2019m unofficially enrolled.<\/p>\n

You see, about once a month I come across something about a rifle I do not understand. This usually results in a call to telephone number (304) 292-0600. That\u2019s the direct line to New Ultra Light Arms<\/a> in Granville, WV and when you call that number Melvin Forbes answers. We talk about the kids, the weather, if the beans in the garden are ready to pull\u2026and then we get to the rifle question.<\/p>\n

\"RC-15\"
When you call Melvin Forbes, be prepared to take notes.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This happened today, like it usually happens about every 30 or so, and about halfway through an explanation of pure logic \u2013 logic so simple no one seems to ever think of it \u2013 I stopped Melvin and said, \u201cDo you know the difference between you and everyone else making rifles?\u201d I then answered the question for him, \u201cYou operate on the principle of how the rifle is made, everyone else operates on the theoretical concept of what they believe works.\u201d<\/p>\n

To quote Sherlock Holmes \u2013 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, \u201c<\/em><\/strong>The world is full<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>obvious<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0things which nobody by any chance ever observes.\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Melvin builds rifles on a centerline he can control with the machinery he uses. Everyone else builds rifles and tries to incorporate procedures and features that have \u2013 been deemed through examples of one \u2013 to enhance performance. Melvin does not mess with foolishness like 11\u00b0 target crowns or fluted barrels, because regardless of how much you might think these things help rifles shooter better and weight less, they cannot be accomplished with the perfection needed to meet the centerline requirements Melvin demands.<\/p>\n

\"RC-11\"
Melvin Forbes at his workbench.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This is of course one of the reasons his rifles have never been successfully copied, even with stolen technology. It is the reason serious rifle folk like me own multiple rifles built by Melvin. And, it\u2019s the reason there is not a better example of a lightweight sporting rifle available for purchase. Building rifles is not just about building what is cool and en vogue, it is about the meshing of the tools used, to the steel being crafted, into a finished product.<\/p>\n

\"RC-13\"
Impala ram, 330 yards from seated position, NULA model 20 in 243 Winchester.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I don\u2019t know if Melvin will let you enroll in his \u201crifle school\u201d that really even does not exist. But I do know that if you call him and ask about ordering a rifle, and ask about why he does this and that, the way that he does, he will tell you. The education you can receive about rifles, just by ordering a rifle from Melvin Forbes, is worth the price you will pay to get the pinnacle of bolt-action rifle exceptionalism.<\/p>\n

\"RC-10\"
The professor with someone’s graduation certificate.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The conversations you\u2019ll have with Melvin during the ordering and building process is the education, the invoice you receive is the tuition, and the rifle he builds you is the graduation certificate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rifle school. I\u2019m not talking about a rifle school where you learn to shoot; I\u2019m talking about a school where you learn how a rifle works. I\u2019m not sure a school like this actually exists but because I have a friend who could be the lead\u00a0professor\u00a0of that school, I\u2019m unofficially enrolled. You see, about once a month I come across something about …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2579,2522,2500,1],"tags":[2755,134,2756,135,136],"class_list":["post-14385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-editorial","category-hunt","category-shooting","category-uncategorized","tag-building-rifles","tag-hunting-rifles","tag-lightweight-rifles","tag-melvin-forbes","tag-new-ultra-light-arms"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5hujZ-3K1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10735,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/ultra-light-hunting-rifle-stories\/","url_meta":{"origin":14385,"position":0},"title":"Ultra Light Hunting Rifle Stories","author":"gunwriter","date":"December 9, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Most of the stories you hear about good hunting rifles\u00a0involve itty-bitty groups or ridiculously\u00a0long and difficult shots. This is because that's really all there is to tell about most hunting rifles. There is an exception and that's the rifles from New Ultra Light Arms.\u00a0In\u00a01985, New Ultra Light Arms started the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "HUNTING"","block_context":{"text":"HUNTING","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/hunt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"NULA-1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/NULA-11.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/NULA-11.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/NULA-11.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/NULA-11.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11097,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/melvin-forbes-and-his-famous-rifle-stock\/","url_meta":{"origin":14385,"position":1},"title":"Melvin Forbes and his Famous Rifle Stock","author":"gunwriter","date":"January 9, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the last of a four-part video series on Melvin Forbes and the wondrous rifle he created 30 years ago. If you are a hunter and you like light rifles I urge you to watch all four videos. Even if you are not a fan of light weight hunting\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "HUNTING"","block_context":{"text":"HUNTING","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/hunt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Melvin Forbes and his wife Patty receiving the Pioneer Award from the National Rifle Association. ","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Melvin-4.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14660,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/the-magic-rifle\/","url_meta":{"origin":14385,"position":2},"title":"The Magic Rifle","author":"gunwriter","date":"November 10, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"A few years back Melvin Forbes - the man behind New Ultra Light Arms - spent an evening at my deer camp talking about his rifle. I was smart enough - sometimes I have moments of greatness - to get it all on video. If you're truly interested in learning\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "HUNTING"","block_context":{"text":"HUNTING","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/hunt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Melvin.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Melvin.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Melvin.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/Melvin.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10952,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/melvin-forbes-rifle-magician\/","url_meta":{"origin":14385,"position":3},"title":"Melvin Forbes – Rifle Magician","author":"gunwriter","date":"December 31, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The history of the rifle revolves around just a few men. Jacob and Samuel Hawken gave the muzzleloader respect that has remained untarnished for almost 200 years. John Browning applied a level of engineering rapidity, volume and genius of which has never been matched. And, Paul Mauser concocted a rugged,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Bolt Action Rifles\"","block_context":{"text":"Bolt Action Rifles","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/tag\/bolt-action-rifles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Melvin-1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Melvin-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Melvin-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Melvin-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Melvin-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16371,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/daily-blog-12-6-20\/","url_meta":{"origin":14385,"position":4},"title":"Daily Blog: 12\/6\/20 (Melvin Forbes)","author":"gunwriter","date":"December 6, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I'm working on an article for Gun Digest about my friend Melvin Forbes from New Ultra Light Arms. I've written a similar story multiple times and I can never seem to capture the magnificence of it all. Of course, in every case I'm only allowed 2000 words or less\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Daily Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Daily Blog","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/daily-blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/rifle.jpg?fit=1000%2C225&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/rifle.jpg?fit=1000%2C225&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/rifle.jpg?fit=1000%2C225&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/rifle.jpg?fit=1000%2C225&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11741,"url":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/a-rifle-like-a-reese-cup\/","url_meta":{"origin":14385,"position":5},"title":"A Rifle Like a Reese Cup","author":"gunwriter","date":"June 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Throwback Thursday: This is an updated \/ condensed version of the first article I wrote about Melvin Forbes and New Ultra Light Arms. It was first published in Gunworld magazine in 2003. The Reese Cup may just be the ultimate candy bar: Peanut butter surrounded by just the right amount\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "HUNTING"","block_context":{"text":"HUNTING","link":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/category\/hunt\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"NULA-1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/NULA-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/NULA-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/NULA-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/NULA-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14385"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14385\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14395,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14385\/revisions\/14395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empty-cases.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}