Seekins Havak PH2 - Initial review

[NWMT_MountainBum]

For those entertaining the idea of a Seekins Havak,

I recently picked up a Havak PH2 chambered in 6.5 PRC and can say for the first time that I’ve been blown away by a factory rifle. The overall fit and finish, QC, feel, and performance of this platform has impressed me more than the last three rifles I’ve purchased combined.

Seekins’ proprietary stock has been a pleasure to sit behind, offering precision ergonomics and rigidity with a recoil pad that effectively absorbs felt recoil without being obnoxiously large. The Havak’s action and barrel have impressed me and are of good quality and feel. No tooling, machining, or wear marks with a nice cerakoted finish and a delightfully easy bolt travel/throw. The optic rail is extremely nice with five mount fasteners securing it to the reciever and an additional receiver lug mating into the rail for strength. The Timney elite hunter trigger gets no complaints from me as it arrived breaking consistently at 2.5lbs with no creep and a solid break. The Havak’s magazine is made of carbon fiber and has fed well during my testing. It has generous room allowing for reloaders to play with bullet seating and seems sturdy overall.

My first range day started by fouling the bore and then printing its first three shot group at .375” with factory hornady 147gr ELD-M. After validating the group I moved on to try Hornady’s 143gr ELD-X and consistently printed about .5” with little POI shift from the 147’s. I’d be remiss not to mention these groups were off bags in snow on a crisp 30 degree day. She’s a shooter.

If you have any specific questions about the rifle drop them in the comments.

 

[Avonac]

I’ve had two of them in the same caliber. My experience is the same.

 

[huntnidaho]

Will you be handloading for it, or just sticking with factory ammo?

 

[NWMT_MountainBum]

Will you be handloading for it, or just sticking with factory ammo?

Will be loading berger 156 EOL’s for hunting season. Have a few hundred just trying to get powder so I’m able to load them.

 

[huntnidaho]

Will be loading berger 156 EOL’s for hunting season. Have a few hundred just trying to get powder so I’m able to load them.

I'd be curious where you run into pressure. My PH2 gives me heavier bolt lift and swipes around 2920ish with the 156 in Lapua brass. Long story short, I've gone back to 140 class bullets. For whatever reason, I can't match what the factory ammo achieves in terms of velocity without pressure signs. It does shoot pretty good though.

 

[NWMT_MountainBum]

I'd be curious where you run into pressure. My PH2 gives me heavier bolt lift and swipes around 2920ish with the 156 in Lapua brass. Long story short, I've gone back to 140 class bullets. For whatever reason, I can't match what the factory ammo achieves in terms of velocity without pressure signs. It does shoot pretty good though.

I’ll let you know what I run into wit them, I have a buddy pushing them in his PH2 and haven’t heard any negative feedback from him. Will report back.

 

[MTMeatHunter]

Man, I’ve been wanting one of these for way too long now, and reviews like this don’t help. Seems like one of the best options on the market pretty much period, especially with the warranty. Call me crazy, but Scheels has one in 308 that is really calling my name. Tons of cheap, accurate ammo available. I’m sure it wouldn’t take but a couple tries on factory ammo to find one it shot exceedingly well… you in Montana? I’m in Missoula and I heard you want to sell me that rifle

 

[NWMT_MountainBum]

Man, I’ve been wanting one of these for way too long now, and reviews like this don’t help. Seems like one of the best options on the market pretty much period, especially with the warranty. Call me crazy, but Scheels has one in 308 that is really calling my name. Tons of cheap, accurate ammo available. I’m sure it wouldn’t take but a couple tries on factory ammo to find one it shot exceedingly well… you in Montana? I’m in Missoula and I heard you want to sell me that rifle

I’d say bite the bullet and go for it. 308 ammo selection is incredible in stores right now. I can walk into sportsman’s and choose between 15 different manufacturers and 25 different grains.

 

[Cubby]

I own 3 PH2's one in 6mmcm, 6.5prc and 300wm, all of them shoot amazing and their customer service is top notch. I don't believe in spending 2-3k more on a custom rifle that shoots just the same as Seekins do.

 

[roosiebull]

Man, I’ve been wanting one of these for way too long now, and reviews like this don’t help. Seems like one of the best options on the market pretty much period, especially with the warranty. Call me crazy, but Scheels has one in 308 that is really calling my name. Tons of cheap, accurate ammo available. I’m sure it wouldn’t take but a couple tries on factory ammo to find one it shot exceedingly well… you in Montana? I’m in Missoula and I heard you want to sell me that rifle

Yeah, I want one in .308 pretty bad… it’s going to happen pretty soon too I have a feeling

 

[bluetick78]

This is the first 3 shots from my wife's new PH2 in 6.5 PRC. 156 EOL in Nosler brass with 58.7 gr of RL25. Very faint ejector marks on most of the brass through the first 30 ish rounds. I dropped to 58.4 gr of powder and it stacks 5 touching at 100 now with no ejector marks. If the wind will quit she'll get a chance to shoot to 800 and see if the accuracy is as good out there. Great rifle, great customer service.

 

[Whhood]

I would love to have one in 308 with a 20” barrel

 

[ahammer]

I get to pick up my ph2 in 300 prc on Saturday and can’t wait to see what it will do

 

[Twtxga]

5 shots from a 300 WM PH2. They shoot well

 

[roosiebull]

How are the stocks on these rifles? They look pretty good but I have not been behind one yet

Any dislikes from anyone with these rifles?

 

[NWMT_MountainBum]

How are the stocks on these rifles? They look pretty good but I have not been behind one yet

Any dislikes from anyone with these rifles?

I originally wasn’t a fan of the palm swell before owning the rifle, but I can objectively say that after shooting it I enjoy it. It allows the shooter to firmly plant into it but not over compensate or torque it while holding it. As for the material there are mixed reports saying it’s carbon fiber, it’s carbon poly blend, it’s fiberglass, etc. Handling it, it feels like a carbon/poly blend stock but is extremely solid and very rigid. No foregrip flex and has good grip texturing. Overall a big fan, but more so after I actually purchased and shot it.

 

[roosiebull]

I originally wasn’t a fan of the palm swell before owning the rifle, but I can objectively say that after shooting it I enjoy it. It allows the shooter to firmly plant into it but not over compensate or torque it while holding it. As for the material there are mixed reports saying it’s carbon fiber, it’s carbon poly blend, it’s fiberglass, etc. Handling it, it feels like a carbon/poly blend stock but is extremely solid and very rigid. No foregrip flex and has good grip texturing. Overall a big fan, but more so after I actually purchased and shot it.

I keep feeling like there has to be a catch somewhere with how nice these rifles appear and how they seem to shoot considering the price… the more I hear about them, the more I want one.

Appreciate the response

 

[MTMeatHunter]

This is NOT an attack on the PH2, as I’ve already noted how badly I want one. Here’s what keeps stopping me. As noted above, the stock on the PH2 is a carbon composite. Stiff, sure, but at the end of the day it’s a plastic stock. This is where I get hung up. Other than the insane accuracy and the warranty, I can’t help but compare them to a Tikka! In fact, Tikka forends seem to be noticeably stiffer. To any that own both, what’re your thoughts on the significant cost difference between the Seekins and the Tikka? Worth it for the stock ergos and warranty/ reputation for accuracy alone? Like I said, I want a PH2 badly and keep getting hung up. Straighten me out! I hate to think of them as even in the same class, but in a lot of ways they seem to be. Cerakote (shadow series) and a threaded barrel not withstanding. Mag box constraints aren’t a factor either, since I’d go short action cartridge in the Tikka. I know I’ll get hate for this…

 

[NWMT_MountainBum]

This is NOT an attack on the PH2, as I’ve already noted how badly I want one. Here’s what keeps stopping me. As noted above, the stock on the PH2 is a carbon composite. Stiff, sure, but at the end of the day it’s a plastic stock. This is where I get hung up. Other than the insane accuracy and the warranty, I can’t help but compare them to a Tikka! In fact, Tikka forends seem to be noticeably stiffer. To any that own both, what’re your thoughts on the significant cost difference between the Seekins and the Tikka? Worth it for the stock ergos and warranty/ reputation for accuracy alone? Like I said, I want a PH2 badly and keep getting hung up. Straighten me out! I hate to think of them as even in the same class, but in a lot of ways they seem to be. Cerakote (shadow series) and a threaded barrel not withstanding. Mag box constraints aren’t a factor either, since I’d go short action cartridge in the Tikka. I know I’ll get hate for this…

I’d say it’s all objective person to person, if you’re diving into the cost to value strictly based off performance and materials used most rifles in the seekins class and even beyond would rank right along side tikka. I personally think you aren’t gaining much functionality in any customs over tikka as buying more expensive rifles rarely if at all make you a better shooter. I bought the PH2 based off where it’s built, how it’s build, their customer service ratings, warranty, the aesthetics, and overall feel to me personally. I can’t say the extra money is justifiable to everyone over the tikka but I know If I bought a stock tikka I’d be left wanting more, whereas this rifle fits the bill in every fasset for me. You wouldn’t be wrong to purchase either, and truthfully the T3’s can hang in there with the best on the market.

 

[MTMeatHunter]

I’d say it’s all objective person to person, if you’re diving into the cost to value strictly based off performance and materials used most rifles in the seekins class and even beyond would rank right along side tikka. I personally think you aren’t gaining much functionality in any customs over tikka as buying more expensive rifles rarely if at all make you a better shooter. I bought the PH2 based off where it’s built, how it’s build, their customer service ratings, warranty, the aesthetics, and overall feel to me personally. I can’t say the extra money is justifiable to everyone over the tikka but I know If I bought a stock tikka I’d be left wanting more, whereas this rifle fits the bill in every fasset for me. You wouldn’t be wrong to purchase either, and truthfully the T3’s can hang in there with the best on the market.

Yeah but those PH2s are so freakin sweet… rifle envy. Appreciate your honest feedback.