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Thread: A more traditional rifle

  1. #21
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    pointblank, that AIAW looks awesome. nothing better than an accurate rifle with character


    out of curiosity, why were you disappointed in the impact?
    perhaps it was a rhetorical question and i'm wasting 10 minutes writing this, but 10-15 years ago, there weren't a lot of custom actions marketed to the tactical crowd. they were primarily for benchrest and not at all appropriate for dirt/sand/mud. the Surgeon was pretty much THE choice, and had quite a cult following, but despite popular opinion, the surgeon had many, many flaws. Among them was that, depending on the year, it was rarely cut square and often had to be trued. the firing pin hole in the bolt often needed work, etc. then things changed. 5-10 years ago there was an explosion in the market and you can't sling a can of iced tea now without hitting 3 dudes making their own custom actions.
    so in that context, the hype around the impact was partly due to the stellar reputation and history (as shooters and gunsmiths) of the guys who make it. it replaced the venerable surgeon action, which was destroyed through acquisition and bad business practices. but the impact is very nearly a surgeon, just with all the problems fixed, and with superb machining, and tolerances that allowed them to lead the market in pre-fit barrels. as i'm sure you know, i can take a barrel from one of my impacts and screw it on to the other, and be assured headspace is correct. lots of companies offer this now, but the only ones that did before impact, did so via barrel nut shenanigans, not precision machining. This was truly a game changer for the competition crowd that would shoot out 2-3 barrels per year, at a time when it could take 4-6 months to get a gunsmith to custom ream a new barrel. so the hype was imho well justified, and it's success is clearly demonstrated by dominating the podium at PRS matches.

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by contax_shooter View Post
    Care to elaborate? The Hide community praises them.
    Quote Originally Posted by taliv View Post
    pointblank, that AIAW looks awesome. nothing better than an accurate rifle with character


    out of curiosity, why were you disappointed in the impact?
    perhaps it was a rhetorical question and i'm wasting 10 minutes writing this, but 10-15 years ago, there weren't a lot of custom actions marketed to the tactical crowd. they were primarily for benchrest and not at all appropriate for dirt/sand/mud. the Surgeon was pretty much THE choice, and had quite a cult following, but despite popular opinion, the surgeon had many, many flaws. Among them was that, depending on the year, it was rarely cut square and often had to be trued. the firing pin hole in the bolt often needed work, etc. then things changed. 5-10 years ago there was an explosion in the market and you can't sling a can of iced tea now without hitting 3 dudes making their own custom actions.
    so in that context, the hype around the impact was partly due to the stellar reputation and history (as shooters and gunsmiths) of the guys who make it. it replaced the venerable surgeon action, which was destroyed through acquisition and bad business practices. but the impact is very nearly a surgeon, just with all the problems fixed, and with superb machining, and tolerances that allowed them to lead the market in pre-fit barrels. as i'm sure you know, i can take a barrel from one of my impacts and screw it on to the other, and be assured headspace is correct. lots of companies offer this now, but the only ones that did before impact, did so via barrel nut shenanigans, not precision machining. This was truly a game changer for the competition crowd that would shoot out 2-3 barrels per year, at a time when it could take 4-6 months to get a gunsmith to custom ream a new barrel. so the hype was imho well justified, and it's success is clearly demonstrated by dominating the podium at PRS matches.

    Everybody and their dog had Defiance when I got into the game not long ago, then Impact (2018ish it was picking up steam), and then as I quit playing Curtis seemed to be getting attention. I really don't know nor care what's going on now.

    I've been around or had Stiller, Surgeon, Defiance, GAP Templar, Impact, several worked 700/40X actions, Sako TRG, and Tikkas along with I can't even count how many AI's. No doubt I've been spoiled by the AI barrel change feature (even back to when you still needed the action wrench and vice). So at the time, the barrel change aspect was not important to me, I was needing a clone/700 action and wanted what was nearly unanimously called the smoothest, non-binding action of them all. In terms of feel, it did not stand out, and perhaps in the context against other clone actions of the time (a whopping 3 years ago), perhaps it did have advantages. Compared to what I could get out of AI's, it was nothing special. Again, PRS is not my primary focus so some of the PRS deficiencies of the AI don't matter to me as much and the AI kicks ass in areas where PRS people don't care. So maybe I'm spoiled and the benefits of the Impact where something I was already taking for granted and it was little more to me than just another fancy 700 clone action.

    It certainly did not help my opinion that the Impact rifle build had some other parts interface problems and was just a PITA that probably didn't help my overall opinion.
    Last edited by pointblank4445; 01-21-21 at 22:50.

  3. #23
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    If I had to pick a problem, having so many AIs that i can’t count them would be top of my list

    That all sounds about right to me. Neither of my impacts are as slick as either of my bighorns Or defiances either but that’s not a criteria I really measured them by. I can still run the bolt with one finger.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by taliv View Post
    If I had to pick a problem, having so many AIs that i can’t count them would be top of my list

    That all sounds about right to me. Neither of my impacts are as slick as either of my bighorns Or defiances either but that’s not a criteria I really measured them by. I can still run the bolt with one finger.
    There's not been an action that couldn't run in that list...though the Tempest had ignition issues with CCI primers. It's all down to the minutiae at this point.

  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by C-grunt View Post
    Im wanting my next rifle to be a more traditional style precision rifle in 308 and lighter weight than my AI. Think something along the line of a M24 or M40. Budget is 2000 dollars. Scope will likely be a Nightforce 4-14 SHV or maybe a Leupold Mk5 3-18

    Im really intrigued by the Christensen Arms Mesa LR. I really like the look and feel of them and they run about 1500 bucks.

    I also like the Seekins Havak PH2 but I find the spiral fluted barrel to be really ugle.

    Anything else in that price range?
    If the Seekins Havak PH2 wasn't ugly would it be a good choice for a ~7lb .308? I've read good things, but any first hand knowledge?

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by ndmiller View Post
    If the Seekins Havak PH2 wasn't ugly would it be a good choice for a ~7lb .308? I've read good things, but any first hand knowledge?
    My only first hand experience is fondling a couple at Cabelas. If you are interested in one, the Cabelas in Glendale Az has two on sale for 1700 I believe. Definitely felt like a quality rifle but no one I know has any shooting experience with Seekins bolt guns.
    C co 1/30th Infantry Regiment
    3rd Brigade 3rd Infantry Division
    2002-2006
    OIF 1 and 3

    IraqGunz:
    No dude is going to get shot in the chest at 300 yards and look down and say "What is that, a 3 MOA group?"

  7. #27
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    i have a few highly experienced friends who own the seekins rifle. 2 are very positive, 1 somewhat negative. the negative was that it only shoots around 3/4" groups (he shoots PRS and benchrest, so has high expectations) and inconsistent feeding from AIAW and magpul mags, but AICS worked fine.
    i'd take my chances with one but they sure are ugly though... (actually, i'd prob get the bergara since i haven't ever heard anything bad about them)

  8. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by taliv View Post
    i have a few highly experienced friends who own the seekins rifle. 2 are very positive, 1 somewhat negative. the negative was that it only shoots around 3/4" groups (he shoots PRS and benchrest, so has high expectations) and inconsistent feeding from AIAW and magpul mags, but AICS worked fine.
    i'd take my chances with one but they sure are ugly though... (actually, i'd prob get the bergara since i haven't ever heard anything bad about them)
    Sounds like solid advice.

    FYI, I have a 308/6.5 magpul mag that seems the spring is weak and wont feed reliable when it gets to the last rounds. I just ordered 6 more in case I need to shoot my old ones. Need to try my real deal AICS mags by comparison.

    PB
    "Air Force / Policeman / Fireman / Man of God / Friend of mine / R.I.P. Steve Lamy"

  9. #29
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    I had a Seekins PH2 in 6.5PRC and it was ok. Very well built and I like the spiral fluting but it was really finnicky about ammo. Factory ammo shoots fine. 143gr ELDX I can keep between .75"-1" groups. 147ELDM a bit better. I purchased some Berger140gr Elite Hunter ammo from Copper Creek Cartridge and it hated it. 3-4" groups at best. I bought some 142gr ABLR ammo from Unknown Munitions and I could keep .5" groups all day. Now I used it as my hunting rifle this year. However, I began searching online for a custom rifle that wasn't too too expensive and found Alamo Precision Rifles. I reached out to them and settled on their Maverick rifle. Their prices are pretty good. I ended up selling the Seekins to help fund my Alamo rifle. I haven't had the chance to shoot it yet though. We shall see how it shoots. I've been lucky and was able to put away a good bit of ammo so I'm not worried as far as that is concerned. Look into the Alamo Precision line up you may find something you like
    e.
    Last edited by Watrdawg; 01-31-21 at 11:05.
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  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Watrdawg View Post
    I had a Seekins PH2 in 6.5PRC and it was ok. Very well built and I like the spiral fluting but it was really finnicky about ammo. Factory ammo shoots fine. 143gr ELDX I can keep between .75"-1" groups. 147ELDM a bit better. I purchased some Berger140gr Elite Hunter ammo from Copper Creek Cartridge and it hated it. 3-4" groups at best. I bought some 142gr ABLR ammo from Unknown Munitions and I could keep .5" groups all day. Now I used it as my hunting rifle this year. However, I began searching online for a custom rifle that wasn't too too expensive and found Alamo Precision Rifles. I reached out to them and settled on their Maverick rifle. Their prices are pretty good. I ended up selling the Seekins to help fund my Alamo rifle. I haven't had the chance to shoot it yet though. We shall see how it shoots. I've been lucky and was able to put away a good bit of ammo so I'm not worried as far as that is concerned. Look into the Alamo Precision line up you may find something you like
    e.
    I totally forgot about them. The Ranger looks awesome and is only 600 bucks more than the Bergara in looking at.
    C co 1/30th Infantry Regiment
    3rd Brigade 3rd Infantry Division
    2002-2006
    OIF 1 and 3

    IraqGunz:
    No dude is going to get shot in the chest at 300 yards and look down and say "What is that, a 3 MOA group?"

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