Is Wilson Combat’s New Rifle All Hype or the Real Deal? (Full Review)

Field & Stream named the NULA 20 the “Best New Rifle of 2023” and On Target Magazine bestowed upon it their “Editor’s Choice” award. This year, Guns & Ammo named it their “2024 Rifle of the Year.”

I won’t contradict my esteemed colleagues at these august institutions, but bandwagons are as real in the gun world as they are in the sports world. No one wants to get left out of the party, so I’ve been curious to see for myself whether Wilson Combat’s new rifle is all hype or the real deal.

The answer depends on who you are, how you hunt, and what you value. I’ll give you all the info you need, and you can decide for yourself.

Features and Specs–NULA Model 20S Mini Action, 300 HAM’R

• Weight: 4 lb. 12 oz.
• Length: 35"
• LOP: 13.5"
• Capacity: 5+1
• Stock: AG Composites carbon fiber stock with Pachmayr 1" Decelerator recoil pad and nitride-coated sling studs
• Receiver: EDM cut from 4140 bar stock with Armor-Tuff coating
• Bolt: Fully machined from 4340 bar stock
• Barrel: Lightweight profile Wilson Combat button rifled 416R stainless
• Trigger/Safety: Timney Elite Hunter (2.75#-3.25#)
• Action, bolt and barrel coating: Armor-Tuff
• Bottom metal: Hard Anodized
• Available Calibers and Barrel Lengths: .223 Wylde 18" (1-8 Twist), 1/2"x28 | 300 HAM'R 16" and 18" (1-15 Twist), 5/8"x24 | 300 Blackout 16" (1-7 Twist), 5/8"x24 | 350 Legend 16" (1-15 Twist), 5/8"x24
• Base price: $2,995

NULA: “New Ultralight Arms”

Arkansas-based Wilson Combat was founded by gunmaker and competitive shooter Bill Wilson in 1977 and is known primarily for high-end 1911’s and AR-15’s. Bolt-action rifles are a new venture for the company, but they aren’t reinventing the wheel. They’ve based their design on the rifles developed by Melvin Forbes, who more or less invented the “sub-five-pound rifle” category. Forbes sold his company, New Ultra Light Arms, to Wilson Combat in 2022, and Bill Wilson and his crew set out to improve upon what was already an excellent design.

They first released the NULA Model 20 with chamberings in .243 Winchester, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Remington, .308 Winchester, and .358 Winchester. Those rifles hovered right around five pounds, and they are reported to be exceptionally accurate. Then, just a few months ago, Wilson released a “mini-action” version of the rifle, the Model 20S. These rifles shave off a few more ounces and are available in smaller cartridges: .223 Wylde, 300 HAM'R, 300 Blackout, and 350 Legend.

All rifles take advantage of modern manufacturing technologies to produce durable yet precisely machined parts. That starts with the receiver, which is EDM cut from 4140 bar stock. EDM stands for “electrical discharge machining,” and it’s used to machine extremely hard materials like titanium alloys, carbides, and heat treated tool steels. The two-lug bolt is fully machined from 4340 bar stock, and the button rifled barrel is made by Wilson Combat out of 416R stainless steel that’s been honed and double stress relieved. Button-rifling a barrel produces stress in the material, so removing that stress promotes accuracy and guards against warping throughout the life of the barrel.

This might sound like Greek to you unless you work in a machining shop, and it’s certainly not obvious looking at the gun from the outside. It’s also true that less expensive rifles use similar manufacturing techniques, and even though the NULA is a high-quality product, it’s not hand made or anything like that. Still, each component is factory constructed with an eye towards performance and durability, and so far I have no reason to doubt that this rifle will outlive me and still perform in the field.

300 HAM’R: Big Performance, Small Package

Speaking of performance, the NULA is a real pleasure to shoot. The mini action, slim-profile barrel, and AG Composites carbon fiber stock combine to create a lightweight, well-balanced gun that allows for accurate standing shots and easy all-day carry. Lightweight rifles aren’t the trump card some make them out to be, but I find that they boost confidence hunting in the woods where a quick standing shot is often necessary. Ultralight rifles are nice on a mountain hunt, but they may be even more valuable in thick cover.

All of these benefits are made possible by the 300 HAM’R. The NULA 20S can be had in several mini-action cartridges, but I think the 300 HAM’R offers the most benefits to hunters. I’ve covered the 300 HAM’R in detail in a Caliber Battle against the .30-30 Win., but here’s the Spark Notes version.

Bill Wilson developed the HAM’R to replicate the ballistics of the .30-30 Win using a .223 Rem. case. He wanted something that could be easily chambered in an AR-15, but he wasn’t satisfied with the other .30-caliber cartridge used for this purpose, the 300 Blackout. So, he cut the .223 Rem. case a little longer than the Blackout to accommodate a larger powder charge and necked it up to accept a .30-caliber bullet.

Left to right: .30-30 Win., 300 HAM'R, 300 Blackout.

The result was a cartridge that does indeed rival the velocity of the .30-30 Win., but does it using a smaller case and with better accuracy. The HAM’R allows Wilson Combat’s engineers to use that mini action and achieve maximum velocity with a short, 16-inch barrel–making the rifle ultralight but also not too front-heavy, even with a suppressor. It’s the ultimate medium-power setup for deer, hogs, coyotes, and even elk, if the Wilson Combat website is to be believed.

At the Range

On paper, the NULA 20S is an excellent rifle. But how does it stack up at the range?

Putting this rifle through its paces, the word that kept coming to mind was “handy.” The dictionary defines “handy” as “convenient to handle or use” and “close at hand.” The NULA is both: its short overall length makes it convenient to use and easily stowable in a side-by-side or truck–even with a suppressor. Bolt guns have a hard time not transforming into broomsticks with a suppressor on the end, but this rifle feels well-balanced firing from any field position, suppressor or no. (Plus, the barrel’s flared muzzle end makes it easy to direct-thread a 5/8"x24 suppressor, which is the most common thread pitch for .30-caliber suppressors.)

The mini action cycles smoothly, though there is more play than usual between the bolt and the receiver. If it isn’t well lubricated, this makes it stick if you don’t manipulate it on a perfect parallel with the bore. It’s a small gripe, but it’s noticeable.

The Timney Elite Hunter trigger is excellent, and on the model I received came set around 2.25 pounds. It’s adjustable between two and four pounds, but I felt no need to mess with it at that weight.

Moving from field positions to the bench, I didn’t have high hopes that this rifle would be a tackdriver. I have quite a bit of experience accuracy testing both the 300 Blackout and the .30-30 Win., and neither cartridge can do much better than 1.5-inch groups at 100 yards. That’s why I was surprised to see that Wilson Combat sends out all their NULA 20S rifles with a sub-MOA accuracy guarantee. I didn’t think the 300 HAM’R could actually post groups less than one inch at 100 yards, but I was pleasantly surprised.

One of the best groups at 100 yards. Shot with 110-grain TCC ammo from Lehigh Defense.

These results might not look impressive when compared to more powerful cartridges designed for long-range shooting. But for a snub-nosed cartridge like the 300 HAM’R, this is pretty damn good.

I was also struck by the rifle’s consistency across bullet weights and styles. Some rifles, like this Savage Axis II I reviewed recently, can be picky about ammunition. Higher quality rifles may not always shoot the lights out, but like this Sig Sauer Cross Magnum, they post respectable groups no matter what you feed them.

I used most of my non-infinite ammunition supply shooting groups at 100 yards, but I also shot a few groups at 200 and 300 yards. The results were surprisingly good. With those 110g TCC cartridges (the most accurate of those I tested), I shot two 1.3-inch groups at 200 yards. At 300 yards, those groups expanded to 5.5 inches, which is to be expected with these low-BC bullets and the stiff wind that day at the range. I want to conduct further testing at ranges beyond 200 yards, but I’d be more than confident in taking a 200-yard shot with this rifle and ammo. I can’t say I’d always feel the same with either the 300 Blackout or the .30-30 Win.

A sub-MOA group at 200 yards, also shot with 110-grain TCC.

So, What’s the Catch?

The Wilson Combat NULA 20S is an excellent, thoughtfully designed rifle that any hunter would be proud to own. But it’s not perfect. Not because there’s anything wrong with it but because it’s expensive.

“Expensive” is a relative term, of course. One man’s once-in-a-lifetime rifle is another man’s weekly trip to the gun store. But with a base price of nearly $3,000 (currently $2,500 with a 15% discount on Wilson Combat’s website), I think I’m on safe ground assuming most hunters will balk at the cost.

That’s especially true given the limited capabilities of the cartridges on the NULA mini action platform. It’s one thing to spend an arm and a leg on a rifle chambered in .308 Win. that can be used on most North American game animals. It’s another to spend those arms and legs on a small caliber rifle that has less versatility–both in terms of power and range.

If you go with a NULA 20S in the 300 HAM’R, you’ll also have a tougher time finding ammunition. As far as I’m aware, Sig Sauer is the only other company besides Wilson Combat and Lehigh Defense (which is owned by Wilson Combat) to have ever offered factory-loaded 300 HAM’R. But I’ve confirmed that Sig is no longer producing that cartridge, so you’ll have to order ammunition from Wilson.

Wilson and Lehigh offer a huge variety of bullet weights and styles, and you can get a box of 20 for less than $30. But if you want to use the HAM’R long-term, I’d suggest getting a set of reloading dies. The HAM’R uses a modified .223 case and .30-caliber bullets, so reloading is relatively inexpensive and the components are readily available.

Last Shot

Is Wilson Combat's new rifle all it’s cracked up to be? I think the answer is yes. I’m not surprised the Model 20 received so many accolades, and I think it deserves them.

But is it worth the price tag? That’s a more subjective question. For the average hunter working with the average household budget, I think the Model 20 (as opposed to the 20S) chambered in a high-powered cartridge like the .308 Win. is worth the once-in-a-lifetime investment. It’s the kind of high-quality shooting iron that'll last as long as you care to use it, and it will have enough juice to chase anything in North America.

The mini-action Model 20S, on the other hand, may or may not be worth it to you, and there are definitely cheaper rifles in .223 Rem., 300 Blackout, and 350 Legend that will do most of the same things. For many, a $3,000 rifle that can't shoot past 300 yards is tough to justify—in your own head or to your significant other. Still, if you’re dead set on the 300 HAM’R (and I can see why you would be), the NULA 20S is the only bolt-action game in town. It’s a handy gun chambered in an innovative cartridge, and if you have the resources, you won’t be disappointed.