Wilson Combat NULA Model 20
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 508 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.33 kg
- Introduced
- 2023
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 is an ultralight bolt-action hunting rifle that revives and refines the legendary New Ultra Light Arms design of gunmaker Melvin Forbes. Wilson Combat acquired the NULA legacy and re-engineered it using modern manufacturing - a receiver fully machined and EDM-cut from 4140 bar stock, a honed and double-stress-relieved 416R stainless button-rifled barrel, an AG Composites carbon-fiber stock, and a Timney Elite Hunter trigger set to a crisp 2.75-3.25 pounds. The result is a sub-1-MOA-guaranteed rifle weighing as little as four pounds, available in .243 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Remington, .308 Winchester, and .358 Winchester. Named Best New Rifle honors for 2023, the Model 20 sets a benchmark for accuracy-to-weight in a mountain hunting rifle.
Melvin Forbes' New Ultra Light Arms rifles were cult-favorite mountain guns prized by serious backcountry hunters for decades. When Wilson Combat took over the design, they preserved Forbes' obsessive weight-saving philosophy while applying modern CNC and EDM machining - turning a hand-built legend into a repeatably produced sub-MOA ultralight.
Standard short-action (Model 20). Empty weight roughly 4-5 lb without scope depending on caliber; .308/20-inch example 5 lb 1 oz, OAL 39 3/4 in. Barrel lengths 16.25-22 in by cartridge. AG Composites carbon stock, Pachmayr Decelerator pad, Timney Elite Hunter trigger, sub-1 MOA accuracy guarantee. Base MSRP $3,495. Based on Melvin Forbes' New Ultra Light Arms design.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Wilson Combat
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2023
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 508 mm
- Overall length
- 1010 mm
- Weight, empty
- 2.33 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Rotating bolt
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Trigger pull
- 13.0 N
- Capacity
- 4
- Magazine
- Internal
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Stainless steel
- Stock
- Carbon fiber
- Finish
- Armor tuff
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 838 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 3400 J
- Effective range
- 800 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Match grade barrel
Button rifled barrel
Stainless steel barrel
Carbon fiber stock
Timney elite hunter trigger- Sub moa guarantee
Two position safety
Controlled round feed
Recoil pad
Drilled and tapped
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 157 .308 Winchester rifles | 2.33 kg | 3.22 kg | Among the lightest tenth |
| Overall lengthAmong 146 .308 Winchester rifles | 1010 mm | 1067 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 166 .308 Winchester rifles | 508 mm | 559 mm | Shorter than about 80% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 162 .308 Winchester rifles | 4 | 5 | Holds fewer rounds than about 60% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Wilson Combat NULA Model 20
How much does the Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 weigh?
The Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 weighs 2.33 kg (5.13 lb) empty. It is the 2nd lightest of 157 .308 Winchester rifles in the catalogue.
What caliber is the Wilson Combat NULA Model 20?
The Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 is chambered in .308 Winchester, .243 Winchester, .358 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 7mm-08 Remington.
How many rounds does the Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 hold?
The Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 holds 4 rounds, fed from an internal magazine.
How long is the Wilson Combat NULA Model 20?
The Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 is 1010 mm (39.8 in) long overall, with a 508 mm (20.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the Wilson Combat NULA Model 20?
The Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 is made by Wilson Combat (United States). It was designed by Melvin Forbes / Wilson Combat.
When was the Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 introduced?
The Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 was introduced in 2023.
How does the Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 operate?
The Wilson Combat NULA Model 20 uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is rotating bolt.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/wilson-combat-nula-model-20' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "wilson-combat-nula-model-20", "name": "Wilson Combat NULA Model 20", "manufacturer": { "id": "wilson-combat", "name": "Wilson Combat", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1977, "website": "https://www.wilsoncombat.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "7f5e3023178d48f7553fcde5c65b4cb6000ffd1255840d0eb63837a52de8b11f" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2023, "barrel_length_mm": 508, "weight_empty_g": 2325, "action_type": "bolt_action"}