Seekins Havak HIT 6.5cm (accuracy and barrel coming loose under hand strength)

[usmc2336]

Hello all, I am posting this to see if other members are getting the same accuracy from the Seekins HIT and also to see if anybody has info on how much torque it takes to overcome the barrel retaining screw. I am very happy with the rifle and I think it was one of my best investments in a firearm.

I have been firing in a few configurations out to 1200 yards to see how my new HIT performs. Ammo - Hornady 140gr ELD match and Hornady American Gunner 140gr. I am going to start reloading next month so I will expect results to improve (after I figure out the process).

I have been using an Atlas PSR and rear bag for support most frequently, but occaisionally I will fire from a Fatboy Traverse tripod and invert 60 ballhead configured for prone firing. The optic is a Vortex Razor Gen III 6-36 / Mil.

I have fired approximately 250 rounds so far with no muzzle device, a Hellfire match muzzle brake, and a Dead Air Nomad-L attatched to the muzzle with a Hellfire universal adapter and Hellfire suppressor adapter. The rifle has been very accurate and consistent with all 3 configurations but the best accuracy has been achieved with the Nomad-L setup. The only exception is described in the paragraph below.

I was trying to remove my stuck suppressor and mounts with hand strenght only, no vice. I thought I felt some slippage while applying torque but chalked it up to the bipod slipping on the table. I went to the range and had some horrific groups, could not achieve 1 MOA at all. I found later that the torque I applied by hand overcame the barrel retaining screw, I had turned the barrel about 1/4 to 1/2 turn loose and fired it that way. I sent an email to Seekins to see if it is possible to overcome the screw by hand, does anybody have insight on this? Anyway - I re-installed the barrel and the groups below are from the Nomad-L configuration and Atlas-PSR with rear bag for support from 300 yards.

 

[TonyG]

Interesting. Whenever I removed my barrel it took a lot of grunting just to break it loose after loosening the screw. It holds it pretty tight. You shouldn't be able to budge that barrel with that type of clamping system.

 

[mettee]

....

 

[Varminterror]

Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the barrel clamp. But at its core, the Hit is a stainless action with a shouldered barrel, so you can torque the barrel up to 75-100ft.lbs. like any other rifle and have confidence that your barrel is secure. That’s how the standard Havak’s and Havak Elements are assembled, since they don’t have the barrel clamp.

But… by design, Seekins added the clamp so users can tighten the barrel “hand tight” and then lock it in place with the clamp. Like I mentioned, I don’t love the clamp because it may not necessarily be pulling the barrel evenly into the action, and it may be creating a pressure point on only ONE side of the action when barrels get hot (and that’s the specific part of the rifle which sees the second highest temps in firing), but I’m sure it works well enough for hunting rifles and casual/low volume shooting. Glen builds great rifles which shoot very small (I had a PH1 which he replaced with a PH2 when I sent it in for the bolt upgrade).

So personally, I would do 2 things: 1) torque the barrel as normal for a shouldered barrel design, and 2) make sure the clamp is actually making contact with the barrel - if not, I’d have Glen fix it.

 

[FuSchnicken]

Any updates on this? Have we seen any further problems with the quick-change barrel? Seems like the Seekins ticks a LOT of boxes, and I am very interested in this rifle.

 

[usmc2336]

Any updates on this? Have we seen any further problems with the quick-change barrel? Seems like the Seekins ticks a LOT of boxes, and I am very interested in this rifle.

It has been perfect after re-installing the barrel. consistent accuracy to the max range I have available to shoot (1200 yards)