Melvin Forbes has been building custom rifles since 1985. He’s well known for creating well-balanced, lightweight bolt-action rifles that are also durable. And, of course, they’re reliable. When it comes to custom-built hunting rifles, Melvin has been in a class of his own for three decades and doesn’t look to be stopping anytime soon.

There’s a bit of a story behind New Ultra Light Arms (NULA) but the most important detail can be found in the above paragraph: these are reliable rifles. They’re made with an eye for detail, a demand for quality, and a passion for hunting. At SHOT this year I had the pleasure of catching up with Melvin and take a picture of a few of his custom builds.

From NULA, hat tip to Richard Mann for his skillful writing:

In the early 80s an elk hunter went to his local gunsmith and asked for the lightest 7mm Magnum the man could build. During the completion of that project the gunsmith decided he would create the lightest, most rugged and accurate, and best balanced bolt action hunting rifle ever made. In 1985 Melvin Forbes introduced that rifle to the world. As retired Outdoor Life Rifle Editor Jim Carmichel says, they were the “First, and still the one to beat.”

Visit Melvin Forbes’ website at http://newultralightarms.com/