NULA

Yes, I'm happy with it. Whether it is worth the price is super subjective in this price range, but for me it is. It is a very nice rifle, I enjoy carrying it, and I feel that I got what I paid for. Getting it made wasn't the most pleasant experience, but no big deal.
 
Ts3 said:
Yes, I'm happy with it. Whether it is worth the price is super subjective in this price range, but for me it is. It is a very nice rifle, I enjoy carrying it, and I feel that I got what I paid for. Getting it made wasn't the most pleasant experience, but no big deal.
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I too have wanted a NULA rifle for many years. I live just an hour from Morgantown and am in Morgantown generally once a week. So I finally ordered my first rifle last month. When I put my deposit down, I never asked how long it would take to get my rifle. As I was leaving Melvin said he was 5 1/2 months out, which shocked me, I figured I would be lucky to have it within a year. You said your experience wasn't the best, is there anything I need to know? Thank you!!
 
Safariman62 said:
I too have wanted a NULA rifle for many years. I live just an hour from Morgantown and am in Morgantown generally once a week. So I finally ordered my first rifle last month. When I put my deposit down, I never asked how long it would take to get my rifle. As I was leaving Melvin said he was 5 1/2 months out, which shocked me, I figured I would be lucky to have it within a year. You said your experience wasn't the best, is there anything I need to know? Thank you!!
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What did you order?
 
Melvin is a great guy to deal with and a great builder. You will never find a better balanced or better shooting 5 LB rifle. However, if you get under his skin he can get cranky. He is more so the older he gets. To be fair to Melvin, he has been dealing with people for many many years, it can get old. He has the German view of building a rifle, build the gun, then figure out what you need to charge to make it work. He has twice tried to license his design to other builders who wanted to build an "Affordable" version of the NULA and both worked out really badly.

His price has stayed pretty much the same for nearly 20 years that I know of, so if you think they are expensive now, think about it in terms of 2001 dollars. I have no real idea how he has managed that, but guys complaining about the cost or trying to shave a few bucks will twist him up pretty fast. Also, he turns the guns out as fast as he can but he has a small team and you can't just sub in someone off the street if a guy gets sick or goes on holidays, so guys complianing their gun is late gets old fast too. Remember you are dealing with an artist and craftsman, not a run of the mill production operation. Keep it friendly and conversational, accept that he has the very best intentions to deliver the top notch product he designed and is so proud of. After all he has been doing this successfully for 40 years, and with that perspective you will have no problems getting along with him.
 
I clearly got under his skin and he sure let me know about it. I called to pay him a compliment on his work and he sure let me have it. He also brow beat me for scope choice, barrel contour, etc. I could not have been more friendly and respectful of his time and expertise. Price was never a point of discussion and had nothing to do with it.
I still am baffled about how I could have irritated him. I spoke with him no more than four or five times in 15 months. Only the second to last time was about expected ship date, which I think was reasonable given we were 4 months later than what he told me, and since he never reached out to update expectations.
 
Ts3 said:
I clearly got under his skin and he sure let me know about it. I called to pay him a compliment on his work and he sure let me have it. He also brow beat me for scope choice, barrel contour, etc. I could not have been more friendly and respectful of his time and expertise. Price was never a point of discussion and had nothing to do with it.
I still am baffled about how I could have irritated him. I spoke with him no more than four or five times in 15 months. Only the second to last time was about expected ship date, which I think was reasonable given we were 4 months later than what he told me, and since he never reached out to update expectations.
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I wonder if he needs someone to handle the phone/emails inquiries. I saw Mcwhorter was looking for someone to do this recently. If I lived close I would have jumped on it given my background and experience. I do live near Melvins shop so if he needs help I'm in!
 
rharfo said:
I wonder if he needs someone to handle the phone/emails inquiries. I saw Mcwhorter was looking for someone to do this recently. If I lived close I would have jumped on it given my background and experience. I do live near Melvins shop so if he needs help I'm in!
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That would probably be a good thing.
 
Dean2 said:
Melvin is a great guy to deal with and a great builder. You will never find a better balanced or better shooting 5 LB rifle. However, if you get under his skin he can get cranky. He is more so the older he gets. To be fair to Melvin, he has been dealing with people for many many years, it can get old. He has the German view of building a rifle, build the gun, then figure out what you need to charge to make it work. He has twice tried to license his design to other builders who wanted to build an "Affordable" version of the NULA and both worked out really badly.

His price has stayed pretty much the same for nearly 20 years that I know of, so if you think they are expensive now, think about it in terms of 2001 dollars. I have no real idea how he has managed that, but guys complaining about the cost or trying to shave a few bucks will twist him up pretty fast. Also, he turns the guns out as fast as he can but he has a small team and you can't just sub in someone off the street if a guy gets sick or goes on holidays, so guys complianing their gun is late gets old fast too. Remember you are dealing with an artist and craftsman, not a run of the mill production operation. Keep it friendly and conversational, accept that he has the very best intentions to deliver the top notch product he designed and is so proud of. After all he has been doing this successfully for 40 years, and with that perspective you will have no problems getting along with him.
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I have been wanting one of his rifles for 20 years. I have read as many articles about his work as I can. So one day last month I decided I would just go order me a new NULA rifle. I was in Morgantown to see the doctor, so I just plugged in Melvin's address, and went to see him. He was standing outside on the phone so I stayed in his parking area until he was finished. He came up to me and asked me if he could help me. I said 'I am here to see about ordering a gun'. He said 'come on in'. He showed me some guns in his shop, then we went down to his house to do the paperwork. As he was doing the paperwork I told him that he reminded me of my granddad. Well, if I thought things were going good before, they certainly went better after saying that. He took me over to his guns in his living room and we talked for a good while about life, hunts, etc. I am only 58, but I can attest to that fact that my patience with stupidity in people is far shorter than when I was 28!!! lol Before I left, and I certainly did not ask him, but Melvin told me that he would gladly hand deliver my gun to me!!
 
Safariman62 said:
I have been wanting one of his rifles for 20 years. I have read as many articles about his work as I can. So one day last month I decided I would just go order me a new NULA rifle. I was in Morgantown to see the doctor, so I just plugged in Melvin's address, and went to see him. He was standing outside on the phone so I stayed in his parking area until he was finished. He came up to me and asked me if he could help me. I said 'I am here to see about ordering a gun'. He said 'come on in'. He showed me some guns in his shop, then we went down to his house to do the paperwork. As he was doing the paperwork I told him that he reminded me of my granddad. Well, if I thought things were going good before, they certainly went better after saying that. He took me over to his guns in his living room and we talked for a good while about life, hunts, etc. I am only 58, but I can attest to that fact that my patience with stupidity in people is far shorter than when I was 28!!! lol Before I left, and I certainly did not ask him, but Melvin told me that he would gladly hand deliver my gun to me!!
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That's really cool. What did you order?
 
rharfo said:
What did you order?
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Like most people, I own a number of guns, but I have 3 main hunting guns that I use regularly, Kimber Talkeetna in 375H&H, Kimber Hunter in 6.5 creedmoor, and a Kimber Mountain Ascent in .308. So I really did not have a caliber of gun that I actually wanted. Because of that, and because I hunt here in Maryland, and in Ohio, I elected to order a 350 Legend which shoots the straight wall cartridge. Sure, I expect people to question that decision, but I just wanted something I could use and a caliber that I did not already have.

After going into Melvin's shop, he turns to me and says, 'what caliber are you looking to have built?' I said, '350 Legend'. Melvin says, 'whats that??' haha I knew right then I may well end up with the only 350 Legend Melvin ever builds!!

Again, I expect people to give me the business about buying such a gun, but I like my 3 Kimbers a lot and did not want to own a second custom built gun in the same caliber. Here on my property in Maryland there is not one place I can shoot over 40 yards on my 30 acres, it is filled with mountain laurel, a real bear haven. The 350 Legend will allow me to use a rifle in several areas I now cannot use a rifle.
 
Safariman62 said:
Like most people, I own a number of guns, but I have 3 main hunting guns that I use regularly, Kimber Talkeetna in 375H&H, Kimber Hunter in 6.5 creedmoor, and a Kimber Mountain Ascent in .308. So I really did not have a caliber of gun that I actually wanted. Because of that, and because I hunt here in Maryland, and in Ohio, I elected to order a 350 Legend which shoots the straight wall cartridge. Sure, I expect people to question that decision, but I just wanted something I could use and a caliber that I did not already have.

After going into Melvin's shop, he turns to me and says, 'what caliber are you looking to have built?' I said, '350 Legend'. Melvin says, 'whats that??' haha I knew right then I may well end up with the only 350 Legend Melvin ever builds!!

Again, I expect people to give me the business about buying such a gun, but I like my 3 Kimbers a lot and did not want to own a second custom built gun in the same caliber. Here on my property in Maryland there is not one place I can shoot over 40 yards on my 30 acres, it is filled with mountain laurel, a real bear haven. The 350 Legend will allow me to use a rifle in several areas I now cannot use a rifle.
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That's awesome. There is not a better reason than "because I want one" for cartridge or rifle choice, especially if you already have your bases covered.
As an aside, my next rifle purchase is probably going to be a talkeetna in .375 H&H.
 
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