The concept of an ultra-light hunting rifle is nothing new. Different companies have tried cutting weight in various ways since before most of us were born. Back in the day, gummakers switched from wood to composite stocks. They would also flute or use thinner-walled barrels.
Better, stronger and lighter materials emerged in the industry as time progressed. In the mid 1980s, gunsmith Melvin Forbes founded Ultra Light Arms (today it is New Ultra Light Arms – NULA). Forbes recruited assistance and knowledge from people in aerospace engineering and designed a 1-pound stock.
Forbes hand built each rifle, and many of them weighed under 6 pounds. Keep in mind, this was during a time when the typical Remington 700 (without a scope) typically weighed roughly double that.
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Over nearly 40 years, Melvin built around 2,000 rifles–roughly 50 guns per year. If you had never heard the name Melvin Forbes, it’s likely because NULA rifles were never mass produced.
In 2022, Bill Wilson bought NULA from Forbes and incorporated it into Wilson Combat.
Wilson’s attention to detail and unwillingness to compromise proved to be a good fit for taking over NULA. While production of the rifles increased and was understandably modernized, the commitment to the attributes that made Forbe’s rifles specials remained unchanged.
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Each Wilson Combat NULA rifle comes with a sub-MOA guarantee, and the current iterations also weigh less than 5 pounds. Originally, they were available in traditional chamberings like .243 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Remington, .308 Winchester and .358 Winchester. In 2024, Wilson Combat released the NULA Model 20S “Mini Action.” This latest crop of NULA rifles can be had in .223 Wylde, 300 HAM’R, 300 Blackout and 350 Legend. The rifle featured in this review is a NULA 20S in 300 HAM’R with a Kodiak Rogue colored stock.
Wilson Combat NULA 20s First Impressions
The first thing I noticed about the Wilson Combat NULA 20S was how ridiculously light it felt in my hands–pellet-gun light, almost like a toy. The 16-inch barrel also seems miniature when you are used to 22-inch hunting rifle barrels. However, everything about the gun feels solid. Most importantly, the action is amazingly smooth. As an AR guy, I am anything but polished when it comes to running a bolt. I seem to have a knack for making bolt-actions bind. Yet, I never had any hiccups with the Wilson Combat NULA 20S.
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The two-position safety sits up high, is easy to manipulate and has a strong detent for both on and off-safe. Its on-safe position also locks the bolt closed. The hinged floorplate magazine is supposed to hold 5 rounds, but I found I could get 6 plus 1 in the gun pretty easily. Wilson Combat builds NULA 20S rifles with Timney Elite Hunter triggers; this unit is adjustable from 2.75 lb-3.25 lb and breaks like the proverbial glass rod, just like you expect from Timney. The muzzle of its 16-inch barrel is threaded with 5/8”x24 threads– only the .223 Wylde version comes with ½ x28 threads. It’s my personal preference to shoot bolt-action rifles like this one with a silencer, as they reduce the muzzle flip and jump germane to ultra-light rifles. And not to mention, they naturally reduce the muzzle-blast.
Shooting the Wilson Combat NULA 20S
Initially, I didn’t shoot the NULA 20S all that well. My review gun was topped with a Trijicon AccuPoint 3-9×40 riflescope that used fiber optic/tritium to illuminate the reticle.F or hunting, it’s fantastic. But for square-range, it can be tricky to use since the illumination array actually works a little too well in gathering light. In my case, the reticle shone so bright under the Arizona sun that it washed out my targets. Eventually, I improvised by covering the light gathering portion with some electrical tape to dull the glow.
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Next, I switched my gun cradle from a metal sled to an old, stuffed Caldwell bag. People don’t realize that weight reduction comes at a cost. Lighter guns are harder to shoot accurately because they are more susceptible to the slightest movement. Wind, breathing, even a heartbeat can affect the shot. It’s why target rifles are built so heavy. I tested a Barrett Mk22 once and was shocked at how sloppy I could handle the rifle and still get it to cloverleaf rounds at 100 yards. That gun and scope weighed around 20 pounds when I was testing it. Nothing affected it. But taking it hunting in the mountains would be like commuting to work in an 18 wheele. Sure you could do it, but who would want to?
WC guarantees sub-MOA on every one of its NULA rifles. I believe it. After “adjusting” the reticle brightness and getting into a solid shooting position I took my time in shooting the NULA 20S deliberately. After relaxing to slow my heart and breathing, I did my absolute best to shrink my groups down to where they needed to be. With a super light rifle, there is no forgiveness for mistakes.
Bringing It Home
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I’ll admit that AR-pattern rifles are my default. I’ve carried them on duty in the United States and in Afghanistan. I also compete with them regularly. I still prefer an AR. However, when hiking up-and-down over technical mountainous terrain all day wearing four layers of clothes and a 25-pound backpack, weight starts to matter. This is where ultra-lightweight bolt-action rifles come in. After shooting a few different UL bolt-action rifles over the past few years, I’ve come to appreciate what they can offer.
The Wilson Combat NULA 20S fits a very specific niche in hunting rifles. If you spend 8-12 hours on your feet, off the beaten path in sometimes harsh conditions and you need the best in reliability and accuracy, the NULA rifles deserve a long, hard look. Every possible feature is top notch and Wilson Combat leaves nothing to chance. Just know that this isn’t a rifle for amateurs or new shooters. But if you have the skillset, this rifle will do everything you ask of it and never let you down.
Wilson Combat NULA 20S Bolt-Action Rifle Specifications
- Caliber: 300 HAM’R
- Barrel Length: 16 inches
- Barrel Type: Button rifled Wilson Combat 416R stainless barrel, honed and double stress relieved
- Twist Rate: 1-15
- Muzzle Device: Threaded barrel with nitride coated thread protector
- Stock: AG Composites carbon fiber stock with Pachmayr 1″ Decelerator recoil pad and nitride-coated sling studs
- Stock colors: Charcoal Grey, Canyon Rogue, Kodiak Rogue
- Receiver: 4140 bar stock with Armor-Tuff coating
- Bolt: 4340 bar stock, PVD coated
- Trigger: Timney Elite Hunter Trigger
- Trigger Weight: 2.75 lb to 3.25 lb
- Capacity: 5+1
- Weight: 4 lb. 12 oz to 5 lb. 4 oz (depending on caliber and barrel length)
- Length: 35” with 16” barrel model, 13.5” LOP
- MSRP: $2,995
Wilson Combat NULA 20S Performance
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| Lehigh Defense 125-grain Controlled Chaos | |
| Average Velocity | 2,461 FPS |
| Best Group | 1.23 inches |
| Average Group | 1.30 inches |
| 300 HAM’R 130-grain Speer HAM’R Hot-Core | |
| Average Velocity | 2,503 FPS |
| Best Group | 0.93 inches |
| Average Group | 1.09 inches |
| Lehigh Defense 115-grain Tipped Xtreme Chaos | |
| Average Velocity | 2,475 FPS |
| Best Group | 1.02 inches |
| Average Group | 1.12 inches |
| Lehigh Defense 115-grain Tipped Maximum Expansion | |
| Average Velocity | 2,517 FPS |
| Best Group | 0.92 inches |
| Average Group | 1.00 inches |
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in feet per second 15 feet from the muzzle by a Doppler radar and accuracy in inches for 3, five shot groups at 100 yards.
