Customize Tikka vs Seekins PH2

renagde

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I'm going to be buying a new rifle within the next few weeks. I've pretty much narrowed it down to buying a Seekins PH2 or buying a Tikka and customizing it. There's a thread floating around for a deal on a Tikka T3x lite for around $500. Add a new stock and upgrade a few components and I'll be in the same ball park as the Seekins. What's the better buy? I'm guessing the Seekins will be more accurate, possibly, idk? I won't have to do any upgrading to the Seekins, and it might retain the value better as it'll be a stock rifle vs something that's been built. What's your opinion?
 

Fonkie

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Depends on what cartridge your looking to get it in. Twist rates & mag length limit you with heavier bullets in the full length magnum cartridges with a tikka. Having said that a tikka will shoot great with a great factory trigger & give you a great platform to build on if you choose to do so.

I have a Tikka 7 mag in a Mesa stock & it shoots 168 Berger hybrids lights out & im sending one off to HCA to be turned into a tikka Carbon Killer in 300 wsm shooting 215 Bergers next week

I’ve handled the original Seekins when it first came out & for me at that price point I’d probably lean towards a CA or Fierce. Ultimately I bypassed all of those & opted for the custom built Tikka for just a few pennies more & I can’t wait to get it back this spring.😎
 
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renagde

renagde

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Depends on what cartridge your looking to get it in. Twist rates & mag length limit you with heavier bullets in the full length magnum cartridges with a tikka. Having said that a tikka will shoot great with a great factory trigger & give you a great platform to build on if you choose to do so.

I have a Tikka 7 mag in a Mesa stock & it shoots 168 Berger hybrids lights out & im sending one off to HCA to be turned into a tikka Carbon Killer in 300 wsm shooting 215 Bergers next week

I’ve handled the original Seekins when it first came out & for me at that price point I’d probably lean towards a CA or Fierce. Ultimately I bypassed all of those & opted for the custom built Tikka for just a few pennies more & I can’t wait to get it back this spring.😎

Either 6.5 Creedmoor if I went Tikka, 6.5 PRC if I went Seekins. I have a 25% off Seekins cert so that brings the PH2 below Fierce and the Ridgeline. The Tikka with a Mesa stock + a few other upgrades will be right around what the Seekins will be.
 

Matt W.

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One thing to think on is the Seekins warranty.. Not sure what Tikka's is but those warranty videos they have been doing are pretty entertaining..... : )
 
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renagde

renagde

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One thing to think on is the Seekins warranty.. Not sure what Tikka's is but those warranty videos they have been doing are pretty entertaining..... : )

Yeah not sure that their warranty can be beat. Also their shoot satisfaction guarantee. No moa guarantee, but they basically say they guarantee it will shoot as accurately as you want it to or they'll buy it back. And also pay for the return shipping to have them work on it.
 

LightFoot

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To add to the warranty/CS discussion regarding Seekins, I spoke to them a few weeks ago and they said, on top of the repair/replace warranty, they will replace a shot-out barrel for $500.

I was considering the PH2 in 28 Nosler and this was a selling point. (Unfortunately, economic trouble is standing in the way of an immediate purchase)

Seekins will be my next rifle purchase.

>>>----JAKE----->
 
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renagde

renagde

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I see you haven’t owned a Tikka before...

Oh I'm not knocking the Tikka, I know the fan base they have here on Rokslide and for good reason. I've also seen some pretty nice groups on targets and I know what they're capable of. That's the reason I said maybe possibly because it really probably is a toss up.
 
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I'm definitely not saying looks are everything, but it is nice to get compliments on a pretty rifle. Shoots great too.
 

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Yeah not sure that their warranty can be beat. Also their shoot satisfaction guarantee. No moa guarantee, but they basically say they guarantee it will shoot as accurately as you want it to or they'll buy it back. And also pay for the return shipping to have them work on it.

The best warranty is one that goes unused. Especially when you only have so much time for load dev and barrel break in. From my experience, seekins will do as they say in regards to discussing your expectations.
 
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I’d buy a Tikka in a magnum caliber.. shoot it until I’m tired of it.. then customize it into a 6.5prc. Carbon barrel, Mesa or McMillan stock or a chassis, and have an awesome rifle just like I want.

Exactly what I’m doing with an awesome deal on I received on a used 300wsm!


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renagde

renagde

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Well, I was able to pickup a Tikka T3x lite in 6.5 creedmoor for the $499 deal that was floating around. Mostly because I could. So at this point, I can take that rifle, put on the Mesa Precision stock ($585 with the Rokslide discount), upgrade the trigger spring, flute the bolt and upgrade the DBM and be somewhere in the $1275 range. I also have a 25% off Seekins coupon so that would bring the price of a PH2 down to $1425. A difference of $150, for more or less the same thing.

Seekins would have the threaded barrel and I could get it in whatever caliber I want.

Tikka would be $150 cheaper. If I sell the original stock and barrel I might be able to recoup ~$300 and put that towards a carbon barrel in whatever caliber I want.

I think at the end of the day the Tikka is cheaper, and I'm not sure it's giving up anything compared to the Seekins. Oh one more option, I could sell the Tikka T3x I just bought, flip it locally and make $200 and put that towards the Seekins then they'd be the same price 😂 lol I'm killing myself.
 
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I think you’ll be happy with the T3X.

Are you wanting to reduce weight with fluting the bolt? Or just like the look?


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Aesthetics. And just to give it that custom feel.

IMO I’d rather spend that same money on a cerakote job first round, as it provides durability and the custom feel to me. I also love a sweet fluted barrel and bolt combo!!


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renagde

renagde

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Just to keep this thread updated, I did decide to stick with the Tikka. After doing the math, I just couldn't justify the Seekins after getting such a great price on the T3x. I was undecided between the Creedmoor and the PRC anyways so that made up my mind for me. Down the road, I might rebarrel into 6.5-284 or something.

So far, I've ordered the trigger spring to bring the trigger weight down a little. I have Hawkins hybrid rings on order, as well as a 3-12x44 LRTS scope from Doug. Hopefully both of those will be here soon and I'll get to break in the barrel.

Mods that I plan to do in the near future include a Mesa Precision altitute stock, have LRI flute the bolt, and install the HCA DBM as soon as he releases them.

Possibly down the road I'll look into installing a carbon barrel. Oregon Mountain Rifles has a pretty sweet deal to wrap your factory barrel in carbon, thread and install their muzzle brake, and install on your stock for $599. As good as the Tikka factory barrels are, this seems like a pretty cost effective option.

Once again thanks to Rokslide for the endless amounts of opinions and knowledge.
 
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