In terms of packable mountain rifles, the Seekins Havak Slam is essentially the most refined and feature-rich on this increasing subject. This svelte creation incorporates modern parts whereas avoiding extra, and is as pleasant to shoot on the vary as it’s to haul in your again.
I’ve spent a number of months with two examples of the Slam, one in 6.5 PRC and the opposite in 6.5 Creedmoor, and have come away happy by each. I’m not alone on this. The panel of judges on Outside Life’s gun check staff shared these sentiments, and that’s how the Havak Slam earned an Innovation Award at this 12 months’s rifle check.
Seekins Havak Slam Specs
- Motion: 4-lug bolt-action (two rows of two)
- Inventory: Carbon-fiber folder with aluminum bedding chassis
- Cartridge: 6.5 Creedmoor (examined)
- Capability: 3+1
- Weight: 5 kilos 9 ounces (measured)
- Set off: TriggerTech Diamond, 1 pound 15 ounces (measured)
- Barrel: 20 inches; 1:8 twist, threaded 5/8-24
- Size: 42.25 inches (32.5 inches folded)
- Worth: $4,650
Key Options
- Integral 20 MOA Pic rail with bubble stage
- Folding carbon-fiber chassis inventory
- Accessible briefly and lengthy motion lengths
Evaluate Highlights
- Ultralight rifle is stiff and steady
- Delivered good accuracy
- Wonderful ergonomics and design
John B. Snow
Seekins Havak Slam Accuracy
We’ve put greater than 50 five-shot teams by the Slam to this point to evaluate its accuracy. The general common of these teams was 1.25 inches, which is superb efficiency from such a big pattern dimension throughout 12 various kinds of ammo.
Taking a look at 20-shot teams with sure sorts of ammunition, the Seekins Slam printed excessive spreads of 1.19 to 1.6 inches. One load that carried out notably effectively was SigSauer 140-grain HPBT, which had 20-shot imply radius values of .33 to .36 inches.
A Featherweight Marvel
Technically, any rifle you haul up a mountain on a hunt is a “mountain rifle.” By that customary, I’ve lugged some 8-pound mountain rifles round in my time — and that’s earlier than you account for the scope.
Typically talking although, as soon as a rifle trims its weight to six.5 kilos or much less, it could possibly legitimately be thought of a mountain rifle, and people below six kilos bare are true ultralights. We’ve reviewed a number of nice mountain rifles through the years, and now we’re including the Seekins Havak Slam to the roster.
This rifle weighs 5 kilos 9 ounces unscoped and that, mixed with how neatly it tucks away when the inventory is folded, makes it tremendously interesting for chasing sheep, mountain goats, or another critter that lurks at excessive altitude.
To get down to five.5 kilos, Seekins needed to take a minimalistic method to each part. I used to be curious to see how completely different parts on the rifle measured up.
John B. Snow
Seekins Havak Slam Element Weights
- Barreled Motion: 3 kilos (sans bolt and brake)
- Inventory: 1 kilos 14.6 ounces
- Bolt: 7.8 ounces
- Journal: 1.8 ounces
- Muzzle Brake: 1.0 ounces
Just a few issues stood out whereas weighing the bits and items. It ought to be famous that the rifle makes use of a full-body diameter bolt with two rows of two lugs. Usually that will add heft, however at lower than half a pound it’s nonetheless a exceptional design.
The journal is only a wisp of a carbon-fiber shell that appears prefer it was original for Method 1 racing reasonably than a looking rifle. It’s a cool design that Seekins created years in the past for his or her earlier Havak rifles and is surprisingly robust and sturdy regardless of its featherlight development.
Creating a light-weight inventory is one factor. However to have a inventory that’s below two kilos that folds, has an adjustable cheek piece, incorporates an aluminum bedding block and insert within the fore-end for M-Lok equipment, and that comes with connected aluminum Pic rail and ARCA rail segments is simply exceptional.
In fact, the barrel is turned right down to a slender profile and has spiral fluting (that appears fairly baller, I would add) to cut back weight and the receiver is constituted of aluminum. One of many cooler weight-saving particulars on the motion is how Seekins machined out the tops of every of the rails on the 20 MOA Picatinny rail that runs the size of the motion. I don’t understand how a lot weight that accounts for, however as mountain climbers wish to level out, grams change into ounces and ounces change into kilos.
John B. Snow
Mountain Calibers
What are the very best calibers for mountain looking? Again within the day, hunters gravitated towards the .30-caliber magnums such because the .300 Weatherby Magnum, .300 Winchester Magnum, and others.
In fact, again within the day, these rifles would have a tough time capturing below 1.5 inches at 100 yards with good situations off a bench with five-shot teams. Within the subject, they’d do even worse. Even in common sporter-weight rifles many (if not most) hunters have a tough time dealing with magnum recoil.
Little doubt somebody will bark at me about their ½-MOA magnum-caliber ultralight gun and make no mistake about it — I couldn’t be happier for you. Whether or not it really shoots that effectively, notably when judged by extra exacting (and significant) requirements is one other situation. I’ll imagine it after I see it.
As we’ve change into extra savvy about cartridge design and its relation to inside, exterior, and terminal ballistics, we’ve realized that much less is extra — typically much more. With that in thoughts, cartridges just like the 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.8 Western, and others have gained favor with open-country hunters.
One skilled information I do know who focuses on high-dollar hunts for Asian wild sheep, ibex, and different recreation needs all his shoppers would include the often-maligned 6.5 Creedmoor, as a result of he is aware of they’d shoot higher and extra shortly anchor their recreation in comparison with traditionally well-liked magnums.
Jeff Worth
Seekins Havak Slam Cartridge Choices
Glen Seekins is effectively conscious of the tradeoff between a lightweight rifle and cartridge dimension, and with that in thoughts he’s launched the Havak Slam in .308 Win., 6.5 PRC, and 7 PRC, along with producing a smaller run of Slams in 6.5 Creedmoor.
By his personal admission the 7 PRC pushes the shootability of the platform. Even with the efficient radial muzzle brake the rifle ships with, launching these heavy .284-caliber bullets at 2900 to 3000 fps turns into a chore after a number of set off pulls.
In .308 Win., the rifle comes with a 16-inch barrel. The 6.5 PRC model has a 21-inch barrel, and the 7 PRC has a 22-inch tube. The barrel on my 6.5 Creed is 20 inches.
Capturing the Seekins Havak Slam
I cut up my time capturing the Slam with the brake affixed and with a suppressor connected to get a really feel for the way it behaves in inventory trim and the way it works with a can, which is how I intend to hunt with it this fall. I actually like how effectively the rifle runs in 6.5 Creedmoor and barely most well-liked it over the 6.5 PRC, although each had been nice. Because it’s a bit milder, the Creed appeared to pair higher with the Slam and was a contact simpler to handle.
Each rifles maintain three rounds within the journal and will be loaded with one further within the chamber if desired.
John B. Snow
An Wonderful Butt Inventory
The hinge on the folding inventory is remarkably stiff and locks open and not using a trace of wiggle or give. The Slam mounts a generously sized recoil pad on the butt, which in any other case is skeletonized and minimalistic, although it does additionally embrace a QD attachment level, as does the fore-end.
Between the pad, the graceful carbon fiber cheekpiece, and the skeletonized body, the butt presents a shocking quantity of management over the rifle. Utilizing a rear capturing bag, I may hook a thumb by the body and actually cosy the rifle into my shoulder for efficient, constant capturing. As soon as I found out that approach, my teams tightened noticeably.
The rifle comes with a easy AR-15 type pistol grip made by B5: their P-Grip 22. It’s minimalistic and incorporates good texture on the perimeters and entrance for all-weather traction. It positions the capturing hand in good relation to the flat-faced set off and I discovered I shot equally effectively with my thumb alongside the grip as with my hand wrapped round it.
Adjusting the Rifle
The rifle doesn’t have a ton of adjustability constructed into it, however you may increase or decrease the cheekpiece a bit. The wonderful TriggerTech Diamond set off the rifle ships with will be tuned as effectively.
I don’t know if it was intentional, however you may look beneath the taco-shaped cheekpiece whereas bore sighting the rifle, which made zeroing it go that rather more shortly.
John B. Snow
Reliability and Primary Operation
The excellent news right here is that there isn’t a lot to report. The journal masses simply, clicks into place in a constructive method, and — due to how the lugs orient within the motion (they’re at 6 and 12 o’clock when working the bolt) — the underside lug has a number of space to interact the highest spherical within the journal for dependable feeding.
The bolt has an AR-15 kind extractor on the 10:30 o’clock place, and a plunger ejector at 4 o’clock. Each labored completely.
The TriggerTech Diamond incorporates a normal two-position Remington 700 security that’s constructive and straightforward to control — one other primary and easy characteristic on the rifle.
Biking and Fouling
The Slam has a 90-degree bolt throw, and the full-diameter bolt physique runs simply within the raceway. The anodized aluminum motion isn’t as slick as some metal actions will be, however it’s clean sufficient and each time it could begin to get gummy from fouling a fast wipe with solvent or gun oil would treatment the problem.
(Although the receiver is aluminum, it accommodates a metal sleeve the place the lug recesses go as a way to deal with the pressures generated by the cartridges.)
Positional Capturing
The Seekins Slam brings rather a lot to the social gathering on the subject of working it in sensible capturing conditions. The pistol grip, the trim fore-end with a flat backside, the convenience with which you’ll connect a high-quality bipod, and the intelligent ARCA rail part (which is turned 90 levels so it doesn’t protrude from the perimeters) give the shooter a number of choices.
I’ve run the rifle clipped right into a tripod, off a primary capturing bag from rocks and different terrain options, off a tac desk/tripod combo, and inclined with bipod and rear bag.
I discovered the rifle simple to handle and shoot precisely throughout all these eventualities. It doesn’t have something extraneous hanging from it that may get caught in vegetation, the stiff inventory and pistol grip afford a number of management, and it’s mild and nimble to maneuver.
One different bonus within the rifle’s design is the bubble stage that’s built-in into the rear of the Picatinny rail. That’s a very helpful characteristic so you may double verify your rifle’s orientation earlier than dropping the hammer on a goal — whether or not it’s a chunk of distant metal or the mule deer of your goals.
My One Gripe: The Journal Launch
It is a effectively thought out rifle from muzzle to butt. And whereas I actually like the concept of the journal launch on this rifle — it’s elegantly integrated into set off guard — I’ve one concern by way of its sensible use.
To get to the discharge I’ve to hook a finger contained in the set off guard and when doing so the finger would generally contact the set off. A pair instances whereas manipulating the rifle throughout dry-fire apply that was sufficient to journey the sear. To keep away from this, I’ve realized to be further cautious and deliberate when eradicating the journal.
To be clear, neither I nor anybody else who dealt with the rifle throughout our analysis had a negligent discharge — and neither will you in the event you observe primary firearms security. However I would favor {a magazine} launch just like the Mack Bros M5. The discharge continues to be integrated into the set off guard however you may manipulate it and drop a magazine with out placing a digit contained in the guard.
John B. Snow
Having a bolt that simply comes aside and goes again collectively with out instruments is a significant plus. And having that performance in a real backcountry rifle is just about a requirement for me anymore.
A easy twist on the bolt shroud on the Seekins Havak Slam permits you to take away the shroud and firing pin meeting. With the meeting eliminated, you may knock out the pin that retains the bolt head. Inside seconds you may have the bolt in serviceable items — simply preserve observe of that retaining pin, as that’s the one bit that would doubtlessly get misplaced within the rocks on a mountain.
John B. Snow
Stable Bedding System
A part of the rationale for the Seekins Havak Slam’s accuracy is how the motion and inventory be a part of. The muse of the inventory is an aluminum bedding block round which carbon fiber is laid. That bedding block is broad and flat on the entrance of the receiver and has an excellent sized flat on the again as effectively.
A raised rectangular lug is machined into the bedding block and that goes right into a corresponding recess on the flat underside of the motion. The motion and bedding block even have flat angled sides that mate up too, giving further help.
When the motion and inventory are positioned collectively there isn’t an iota of motion between the 2 — even with out both of the motion screws threaded into place. It’s a formidable, stable design.
John B. Snow
Seekins Havak Slam Professionals and Cons
There’s rather a lot to love about this rifle, and I’m not stunned to study that avid mountain hunters (or these with the price range to fake they’re) have been snapping up these rifles.
Professionals
- Light-weight, nimble, and correct
- Folds down sufficiently small to move inside a pack
- Optimized for sensible subject capturing
Cons
- Costly
- Journal launch is awkward to control
Closing Ideas on the Seekins Slam
It’s definitely the best-executed pack rifle you may at the moment purchase, assuming it’s inside your price range. And it’s what I’ll be carrying in my pack this fall whereas mountain climbing round for elk and deer within the backcountry.
It is a fantastic, although expensive, looking rig. It units a brand new highwater mark amongst ultralight mountain rifles by way of its considerate design. It has a superb characteristic set geared towards difficult pictures in difficult terrain however avoids pointless frills.