Ridge Runner

y'all don't know how many guys kill deer running full out at 500 yards......lets see 35 mph is 52 fps...1/2 sec. plus TOF for 500 equates to 26' of lead not counting the holdover plus the bobbing up and down, yep I could see it happening......05% of the time, that my friends takes skill!
RR

Big Uncle

I am surprised that you are not going to use $10 Tasco see-through rings like you have on all of your other rifles. Maybe a nice Simmons 4x scope?

That is an interesting design and the price seems reasonable. Have you had a chance to see how your lug contact is yet?

Nomercy448

You might have me confused with someone else - I don’t own a single set of Tasco see-thru rings...? Only Simmons optic I have is an older Prohunter handgun scope.

I’ve been on the road for work this week, haven’t yet attempted to check lug contact. I’m intrigued by this action, however, as Seekins is touting a future with pre-fit barrels - NON BARREL NUT pre-fit barrels. I’ve spoken with their techs to confirm, they’re machining for a tight tolerance between receiver face, lug face, and bolt face to allow them to use shouldered pre-fit barrels. An interesting production decision, to say the least, as EVERY ONE of their actions will have to have the same dimensions, within SAAMI headspace tolerances...

Big Uncle

Maybe I got it backwards. Simmons rings and a Tasco scope? Barska rings and a NcStar scope?

I posted once on a message board that I was considering $10 rings to hold a $1,000 scope on one of my big rifles (416 RM) for dangerous game hunting, and was surprised at the guys that took me seriously and offered their sage advice. My attempt at humor was poorly done, but the responses made me smile.

If they do offer the pre fit barrels they may be planning to offer bolts also. Wow.

This may be a good time to try out the Calvin Elite trigger since you like the 2-stage style.

Big Uncle

How is the new rifle working out?

Nomercy448

For what it is, the Seekins Havak Rifle has been very good. It’s close in many aspects to what I would build for myself, but I’ll admit, there’s a lot I would change - all of which would put the rifle somewhere around $4500 instead of $1800. For the money, and for a precision hunting rifle, I highly recommend it.

I’m 650 rounds into it so far, about to move my bullets forward for the first time on the next batch. Two nodes with H4350 and the 105 Hybrid exactly where they were supposed to be. I’m shooting the lower node at 40.0grn, which puts out a modest 2916fps, with an ES of 24, SD of 6. It shoots the 108 ELD exceptionally well also, but I prefer the Berger, and the low node with the ELD is a little lower than I want for speed. It shoots better than I can, and with loads in the nodes, I haven’t shot a group larger than 0.7moa out to 300yrds. At the first match I used it, I had only established dope to 850, but made 4 out of 4 hits at 901 and 955yrds on 66% IPSC (1.2moa wide). That match was my first with a new club, and I walked away with a Top New Shooter award.

The action is silky smooth when clean and lubed, not surprising for a DLC bolt. Seekins did well in the dimensional tolerances, as it still runs like it should when it’s caked in dust - my practice sessions and matches have all been been dust bowls every time I’ve had it out of the safe.

The Rock Creek barrel and the Seekins action don’t walk at all. My cold bore shots go where they are supposed to go, and when I get 10 rounds out in ~40 seconds, they still stay where they should. The HEAVILY fluted midweight barrel would make for a dandy sporting weight hunting rifle, but I will admit, it’s incredibly dangerous for precision rifle games - that barrel gets so hot in a fast 10 round stage it can burn skin. I accidentally laid it against my neck after a stage last month when I braced on the rifle and bent to pick up brass, it didn’t blister, but the skin peeled and I had a red burn/scab for a couple weeks. I’m learning to be very mindful of how I handle my rifle after stages - I apparently have a habit of moving rifles around by grabbing the barrel forward of the forend. Not a great habit when your barrel gets that hot. The good news - I’ll be getting a new barrel by the end of the year, and won’t get something that light again. The HEAVY flutes so cool incredibly fast, but it heats up fast, as the barrel is much, much lighter than its profile suggests. It’s also a pain to clean on the outside, like any spiral fluted barrel.

The Game Warden stock fits me well, and rides a bag nicely (an A3 grip and tail with a sporter forend). It does need a cheek riser to get my eye up to the Bushnell DMR II in Vortex/Seekins rings, so I have been using a Hornady stock pack with some home brew high impact foam inserts. I picked up a Victor cheekpiece to make it more ambidextrous and a little more aesthetically pleasing - but I’ll have to reinforce the stock shell to install it - so I need a solid free weekend to get that done. I’m also going to add a rail under the forend. I have an ACRA Swiss rail from Area 419 on another rifle, which is an easy bed and bolt on job, but I’m considering an Ingenuity Gunworks rail instead. If this one had an adjustable comb, the Game Warden would be in my top 3-5 favorite stocks available. I do wish they would have left about a half inch more between the front bipod stud and the QD socket, as my swivel lock lever blocks the QD socket. I just threw a standard swivel on my sling and hang it on the Harris. I will also admit, I have a local cerakote shop prepped to help me get rid of the pea soup green on the stock, as soon as I get the rail bedded in place. It’s growing on me a little, but it’s still an ugly color.

After some feed lip straightening to lift my rounds, my AIAW mags run perfectly no matter my position or pressure. AICS pattern mags need to be widened and filed shorter to accommodate the bolt locking lug. Super easy to do with Magpul AI mags, which are running perfectly too, a little more work to accomplish with metal AI mags. It’s not a plug and play, as none of the mags I tried would feed 100% reliably in variable conditions until tuned. Not so uncommon there - not many long body detachable mag rifles will feed well, regardless of different pressures on the mag (barricade, bag, prone/bipod, etc).

I’ve never been a fan of the Timney 510, and this rifle has reinforced that opinion. It’s a fine trigger, crisp, and consistent in pull, but it can’t be adjusted below 2lbs, which is about a pound heavier than I want for a competition rifle. It’s a great trigger for a hunting rifle, and it does have a good feel, but I really don’t want so much weight for this type of game. So that’ll come out this weekend too - I have a Jewell HVR which needs a home, just needs the bolt stop removed, so that’s another upgrade for a weekend coming soon.

Overall, I’m very happy with the rifle, and I would buy another Seekins action. I like it enough to hang onto it and rebarrel it as it burns out, instead of selling it off. My new Deviant is going to be another 6 creed and this will become a trainer, so I’m considering rebarreling into 6 Dasher, but will probably do another 6 creed barrel first, and a Dasher on it’s 3rd barrel.

Big Uncle

Since it shoots so well your initial cost looks like a good deal for that rifle. You got a complete rifle with good components for about the cost of just a bare BAT action, and not too much more than a Defiance action. I am a little surprised that they put a basic 510 trigger in it but since you already have a spare HVR it works out.

Now that you have had some time behind the rifle what are your thoughts about the 6 Creed vs the Dasher?

Nomercy448

Loading for the 6 creed was about as easy as loading for the Dasher, throw and go. I weigh every charge, but only because I am obsessive, I can throw charges and be well within my node and still be single digit SD’s.

The advantage for the Dasher is barrel life. The advantages for the Creed are trajectory and brass availablility.

I THINK I mentioned above, this Seekins is going to get one more 6 creed barrel, then it’ll become a Dasher. My Deviant will replace this one as my main match rifle and will be a 6 creed, so this one will be a practice/backup/alternative rifle in the Dasher, with less powder and longer life.

Nomercy448

I might add - as objective as I try to be in most selections, I really like the Dasher, so I will likely always own one. The 6 creed, like the 243win, isn’t kind to barrels, but it’s a necessary evil for competition - I don’t shoot like I used to, so I need my trajectory to be as shooter friendly as possible.