Tikka build or Seekins Havak element

[stan_wa]

For what it’s worth regarding spotting your impacts I have a havoc element in 28 Nosler . 195 @2850
I would be shocked if you got a 195 anywhere above 2800 with a 7 prc. I have played with quite a few primer and powder combinations and have not been able to get anything over 2900 without crazy pressure signs.

with the factory seekins brake spotting impacts at 200 is very difficult on about 10 magnification or higher but you can spot impacts on 600 yards pretty well
, however I swapped to a ti pro five and can spot impacts at 200 on 18 zoom no problem

 

[Sako300]

If you’re talking shooting FACTORY Hornady 7 PRC 180 ELDM, velocity will be closer to 2800 fps anyways with both rifles and 22-24 inch barrels. I’ve even seen them in the 2700’s with the factory Hornady 7 PRC and 22 inch barrels.
The other question to ask is whether you are shooting factory ammo out of your seekins or tikka.

 

[idahodave]

Tikka again and again, that t3x action is money and when or if you burn out a barrel that action is much more capable and user friendly than the seekins. i own a tikka and several custom actions, if i were starting over ide go tikka everything and swap barrels as i pleased.

Seekins will replace the barrel FOR you for $500....and not a cheap barrel either.

I like Tikka's a lot, but I'm struggling to see how this "advantage" goes to Tikka.

To the OP...no bad choices here. You've narrowed it down to the two "best" imho.

Dave

 

[wind gypsy]

Actually if you look at the SAAMI reamer specs, It shows that the 7 PRC SAAMI chamber is optimized to shoot 184-195 high BC (low drag) bullets. You won’t find any 7 PRC factory ammo with those longer and heavier bullets. It is because the COAL of those cartridges would exceed the SAAMI COAL specifications for a long action cartridge which is 3.34”. This conundrum is nothing new with long action cartridges. If you are happy loading those 180 elds to magazine length and it works for you then that’s just great. But if someone wants to load a 195 EOL for example, the cartridge OAL will probably exceed the Tikka magazine length. Seekins and some other rifle makers figured this out and have extended the maximum DBM length to accommodate those longer handloads.

So how did Hornady get around this super important 3.34" SAAMI constraint with the 300 PRC? Same question with Short Action COAL on the 6.5 PRC. You think they decided to start giving a shit about it with the 7 PRC though?

Seekins didn't "figure this out" for the 7 PRC. They had 3.9" COAL mags on factory Havaks before they chambered them 300 PRC. 7 PRC is kind of in no-man's land on that front.

 

[rileybassman]

If you’re talking shooting FACTORY Hornady 7 PRC 180 ELDM, velocity will be closer to 2800 fps anyways with both rifles and 22-24 inch barrels. I’ve even seen them in the 2700’s with the factory Hornady 7 PRC and 22 inch barrels.
The other question to ask is whether you are shooting factory ammo out of your seekins or tikka.

Hornady ammo is anemic. Federals ELD-X is getting 3k out of me PH2 (26") and the federal Terminal Ascent (granted it's a 170) is getting 3075

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

 

[Gila]

So how did Hornady get around this super important 3.34" SAAMI constraint with the 300 PRC? Same question with Short Action COAL on the 6.5 PRC. You think they decided to start giving a shit about it with the 7 PRC though?

Seekins didn't "figure this out" for the 7 PRC. They had 3.9" COAL mags on factory Havaks before they chambered them 300 PRC. 7 PRC is kind of in no-man's land on that front.

Hornady didn’t attempt to get around anything They designed the 3 different PRC cartridges for three different action lengths. But what’s a guy to do with a long bullet that is 70% the length of the case?

1) 300 PRC - Magnum Action with SAAMI COAL limitation for factory ammo 3.7”
Ryan Furman (LRO)
”The 300 PRC will not fit in what was once considered a standard long action. The antiquated long action magazine standard is roughly 3.4” long. The 300 PRC will need a magazine internal length of at least 3.7” and can make use of Wyatt’s length boxes with many bullets. Cartridges like the 300 PRC will eventually push the manufacturers who are stuck in the past to catch up or get left behind.”

2) 7 PRC - Long Action with SAAMI COAL limitation for factory ammo 3.34”.
Ryan Furman (LRO)
”The 7 PRC’s freebore of .233” makes it very flexible. It is not too long for the shorter bearing surface 180s and not too short for the larger bullets like the 195 Berger. At SAAMI length, the 7mm PRC will fit inside the 3.4” magazine boxes of last century’s design in SAAMI form. With the larger bullets, it will exceed the 3.4” magazine, but will not need a Wyatt’s box.”

3) 6.5 PRC - Short Action with SAAMI COAL limitation for Factory ammo 2.955”.
Ryan Furman (LRO)
“With a maximum SAAMI COAL length of 2.955,” the PRC will not fit in a “standard” short action. Hornady worked with a few manufacturers to have rifles chambered in 6.5 PRC, with initial factory ammunition offerings loaded with 147 ELD-Ms and 143 ELD-Xs. The short actions needed very little change to accommodate the longer than standard 6.5 PRC. Most magazines, for the cartridge, are around 2.950”-3.00” long. Many rifle manufacturers are making subtle modifications to change from the “standard” 2.850” magazine box to the longer box to accommodate the 6.5 PRC. Hornady is forcing the industry to move forward with both PRC cartridges. The longer magazine requirements are hopefully just a start to breaking away from antiquated design restrictions.”

 

[Bowtech55]

Thanks for all the reply’s as far as what bullet I would shoot I’m looking the Berger 175 or 180. I have no desire to shoot 195’s in the 7 prc. Can anyone attest to the accuracy of their tikka build or the Seekins element?

 

[idahodave]

Thanks for all the reply’s as far as what bullet I would shoot I’m looking the Berger 175 or 180. I have no desire to shoot 195’s in the 7 prc. Can anyone attest to the accuracy of their tikka build or the Seekins element?

Can't speak to the Element, but my son's PH2 7 Rem Mag shoots 180 Bergers into knots near and far.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Tikka again and again, that t3x action is money and when or if you burn out a barrel that action is much more capable and user friendly than the seekins. i own a tikka and several custom actions, if i were starting over ide go tikka everything and swap barrels as i pleased.

Well Seekins gives away the thread pattern for their rifles so while you probably won’t get a pre fit from any where, Seekins will rebarrel for less than 600 dollars or any company can make a barrel threaded for the Seekins so it’s not that hard.

I have a seeekins element and several tikkas, all of them are good, not sure which I like better.

 

[Bowtech55]

I'll add that if you get a Tikka, and you decide the tiny bit of extra COAL is something you want, it's pretty simple to get more COAL out of a Tikka.

What can you do to add more COAL to a tikka?

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Thanks for all the reply’s as far as what bullet I would shoot I’m looking the Berger 175 or 180. I have no desire to shoot 195’s in the 7 prc. Can anyone attest to the accuracy of their tikka build or the Seekins element?

My tikkas and my Seekins are both very accurate. You mostly just have to decide what you want to do. Get a tikka and do the custom thing or get an element and get something already pretty tricked out.

Again, I can’t recommend one over the other, I have and like both. The reason I got my Seekins was because I had the $$$ and I liked the features the gun had, after reading reviews and jumping on the Facebook group and talking to the guys at Seekins, I figured what the hell, I got a havak element. It’s a sweet rifle. But again, I like my tikkas too even though none of my tikkas have an aftermarket stock or barrel on them.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

What can you do to add more COAL to a tikka?

Nothing.

 

[Mountainrancher]

What can you do to add more COAL to a tikka?

You can get bottom metal that uses aics mags. Unknown munitions is also making a tikka bm and mag that will increase coal but that may be a while out

 

[bmicek]

Tikka again and again, that t3x action is money and when or if you burn out a barrel that action is much more capable and user friendly than the seekins. i own a tikka and several custom actions, if i were starting over ide go tikka everything and swap barrels as i pleased.

I’m curious as to what isn’t user friendly about a Seekins? Just bought one and some day it’ll need rebarreled so I’m curious. It’s cheaper to have the barrel replaced by Seekins ($550) than having a custom barrel made. But, having a custom barrel made is still possible if that’s the route you want to go.

 

[Gila]

You can get bottom metal that uses aics mags. Unknown munitions is also making a tikka bm and mag that will increase coal but that may be a while out

For a handful of aspirin and $800, AICS can be used with a T3x action. But only to eek out a couple of tenths of additional cartridge length. I have done it and I can explain what is needed to do it, but I am not going to sit here and be flamed by trolls or people who think they know, but don’t.

 

[Bfish22]

What can you do to add more COAL to a tikka?

Tikka T3X/T3 Billet Magazines | Hells Canyon Armory

www.hellscanyonarmory.com

3.410” with just a magazine

 

[Bfish22]

people who think they know, but don’t.

Right back at ya bud


Tried to resist, but you can’t tee it up like that and not expect me to swing

 

[bmart2622]

Tikka T3X/T3 Billet Magazines | Hells Canyon Armory

www.hellscanyonarmory.com

3.410” with just a magazine

Seems like a pretty simple and cost effective options

 

[Sako300]

Accuracy out of my 2 havak elements are around .5- .75 moa out to 1000 yds (5 shot strings). I know I’ll get a bunch of shit about not doing a 30 shot cone accuracy node. I just don’t have that much time and think it’s a way to get bullet manufacturers to sell more bullets.

Seekins all the way again!!!! unless you want to jump on with the trolls and the RokStok and customized Tikkas

 

[Gila]

Tikka T3X/T3 Billet Magazines | Hells Canyon Armory

www.hellscanyonarmory.com

3.410” with just a magazine

MT Gen 2 will do the same thing…more like 3.40. Beretta sells a similar mag for after market Tikka support. Not much of a gain is it…