Seekins Element Hunter M3: 6 Lbs, .264 MOA

Estimated reading time: 18 minutes

The Seekins Element Hunter M3 in 7 PRC weighs just 6 lbs, folds down for mountain travel, and printed a .264 MOA group with factory ammunition. After long-range steel, a 680-yard coyote, and plenty of miles in the mountains, this rifle has become exactly what I hoped an ultralight hunting rifle could be.

From the Seekins Slam to My Dream Backpack Rifle

My first introduction to the Seekins Element Hunter was a few years ago. Back then, it was called the Seekins Slam rifle. I could not believe how light the rifle was. I almost couldn’t believe that I was holding a gun, and how good the folding stock felt and functioned. I was not a fan of the action; it had a 90-degree throw and wasn’t as smooth as, say, a Tikka. I also didn’t like the price tag of $4500.00. But I thought to myself, if Seekins ever comes out with a smoother action, I would have to start saving my money to get one. As a backpack hunter, I found the rifle incredibly alluring.

The M3 Redesign Cut $1300 From the Rifle

Fast forward to now, Seekins dropped their new M3 action and rifle lineups in January of 2025. I was able to order in July of 25, and received the rifle 9 months later in April of 26. They are in very high demand. Much to my surprise, Seekins had actually lowered the price of the “Slam Rifle”; it is now called the Element Hunter and retails for $ 3,200.00. Seekins was able to drop the price so dramatically due to the new stock and actions they are using.

Instead of bedding stocks like the old models, which can crack if the action screws are over-torqued, they now come with a mini chassis system that locks the action and stock together the exact same way every time. The bottom of the action is flat, allowing for better contact area with the stock. This is a great innovation by Seekins: instead of keeping the price the same on the new Element Hunter as on the old Slam rifle, or even raising it, Seekins made it $1300 less expensive for the buyer! There aren’t many companies I know of that would improve a product immensely and then sell it for less. Way to go, Seekins.

Why I Chose 7 PRC for the Element Hunter

My intentions for this rifle were to use it for backpack hunting deer, bear, and elk. I struggled for a long time over which caliber to choose. I love shooting short-action rifles but felt I couldn’t get enough speed out of a 6.5 PRC with a 20-inch barrel to shoot extreme distances. I am not a fan of long-action magnum cartridges, as I don’t care for the recoil and percussion they bring. After struggling with my first-world problems, I decided to go with the 7 PRC and suffer the added recoil and percussion. Even at slower speeds, the bullet’s efficiency will still perform on game out to extreme distances.

I also have plans to hunt Alaska at some point in my life; with the long action and quick-change barrel system, I can easily bump up to a heavy-hitting .30 cal for brown bears or moose if I ever get the chance.

🛒 Check Current Price for Seekins Element Hunter M3 on GunsAmerica

A Lightweight Scope for a Lightweight Mountain Rifle

The purpose of this rifle was to shed some weight off of my old hunting setup. Keeping this in mind, I decided to mount a Leupold VX-5 3X15X44 scope with a Wind Plex reticle. This scope only weighs 19 oz and outperforms for its size and weight class. I have killed coyotes out to 900 yards with it, and figure it will do just fine for bigger game at extended ranges.

Seekins Element Hunter M3 Accuracy: Will This 6-Lb Rifle Shoot?

I have always been somewhat amazed at how much money people will spend on a rifle that doesn’t shoot well. I was having a little anxiety when I went to the bench to test factory loads on the Seekins Element Hunter. It is by far the most expensive rifle I have ever purchased. My worries weren’t warranted, however, as Seekins offers a customer satisfaction guarantee on all their rifles regarding accuracy. The rifle shoots all four factory loads I had bought for it under an inch. All groups were three-shot groups shot from a bench at 100 yards. All shots were chronographed with my Garmin Xero.

Hornady Precision Hunter 175gr ELDX

Nosler 175 ABLR

Federal Premium 175 gr ELDX

My rifle particularly likes the Hornady Precision Hunter 175 ELDX and Hornady Match 180 ELDMs. After shooting a few groups with the 180’s, I zeroed and haven’t looked back. The accuracy, low SDs, and extremely high B.C. make this load feel almost like cheating. It borders on witchcraft and sorcery.

508 Yards, a 6-Inch Plate, and 30-MPH Wind Gusts

After getting my zero set, I was dying to test out the rifle. On a day with 30-mph wind gusts, I went to a friend’s house where he has a 6-inch plate set out on his property. It is a very humbling target to shoot at, especially in high wind. I lay down prone with my bipod and ranged the plate at 508 yards. I input a 15 mph wind into my Sig Kilo 10k’s. I could tell that the wind wasn’t blowing in a single direction from me to the target, as it was laying the grass flat like ocean waves back and forth. But I gave the Sigs the best data I could and hoped that the G1 B.C. of .798 would overcome my errors.

I had bragged up this rifle a lot to my friend and was pretty nervous about only having 3 inches of error available in any direction of my hold. He had asked me when I first got there if I wanted to start with a larger target, and I had confidently told him no.

I waited for a lull in the wind and touched the shot off. I was relieved to see the bullet slam into the right side of the plate and hear the impact. This is exactly what I wanted this rifle for: to make a shot when needed at any distance, in any condition. Trophy animals are hard to come by on public land. When I get my chance, I want to make it count.

The Element Hunter Connects Again at 876 Yards

A few days later, I took the rifle to another target I had set up to calibrate B.C. Although I didn’t have time to true the B.C., I thought I’d see if I could get a hit using the numbers provided by Hornady. The target is roughly 12 inches wide by 20 inches long, rectangular in shape. I podded up on the target at 876 yards. I held one minute right for wind and sent the 180 ELDM. Impact. I could not see where the impact was, as I had not painted the target recently, but the steel didn’t move much, indicating it was close to center.

When deciding which cartridge to go with, I shot a friend’s Seekins Element in the old M2 model chambered in 7 PRC. While I did not enjoy shooting this rifle due to the recoil, I felt I could handle it well enough to make a shot when I needed to. I figured it would be fine if I only had to shoot it a couple of times a year.

Taming 7 PRC Recoil With One Freaking Awesome Foam Pad

Much to my surprise, I actually enjoy shooting the Element Hunter rifle, and I believe it’s a combination of several factors. First, I placed a piece of foam padding on the rifle’s cheek piece. A friend suggested this tip to me, and it’s freaking awesome! The foam absorbs vibrations from the cheek piece and doesn’t transmit them to your face. I plan on putting foam on all my rifles, even the milder shooting ones. It’s a more comfortable shooting experience. I now see that Seekins is offering foam pads on their website.

I also feel that the new stock and action contribute to the gun having less recoil. I do not know why or how. My friend’s Seekins Element M2 is heavier than my Element Hunter M3, due to a heavier bipod and scope, by over a pound. Yet my Element Hunter recoils less; it must have to do with the way the stock and action are different from the old model.

Field Test: A 680-Yard Coyote With the Element Hunter

I was now feeling very confident with the rifle and wanted to kill something with it. Bear season had long passed, and I had not found one big enough to kill. I went for a hike and saw a coyote, who saw me and ran off in the opposite direction. I thought to myself, perfect, run out there further. The coyote would stop to look back at me, I would range him, and by the time I got back in the scope, he would take off again. This happened several times, and I thought he was going to go over the hill out of sight. The last time I ranged, dialed the elevation, and looked through the scope, he was in the same place. The gun went off immediately! I didn’t even take the time to look at and adjust my level. I saw the coyote roll violently through the dirt; it was a 680-yard shot.

Generally, there are some trade-offs for a super-light, feature-rich rifle designed to be strapped to a backpack and hauled around for miles and miles during hunting season, only to be shot a few times a year. Most hunters are willing to sacrifice some accuracy to have these features. I am not one of those hunters, and thanks to Seekins, I don’t have to sacrifice anything.

I am perfectly comfortable shooting rock chucks and coyotes with my Seekins Element Hunter chambered in 7PRC. It is ridiculously accurate with FACTORY AMMO. I believe that the new M3 action and stock make it recoil less than traditional rifles in the same chamberings. I have shot a lot of rifles in my life. Production and Custom alike. This is one of the most accurate rifles I have ever shot with factory ammunition, and it only weighs 6lbs! While I wish I had more time to develop a load for this rifle, shooting a .276-inch group with an extreme spread of 18 fps over a six-shot average is pretty hard to beat.

Folding Element Hunter Stock: Built for the Backpack

I absolutely love the folding stock. There is no slop in it; it does not rattle. It is very tight and precise, and it folds over the bolt to protect it when closed. The MLOK rail is perfect for adding any accessory the shooter wants, and I believe it also helps increase the stock’s rigidity. It has quick-connect adapters for a sling. The pistol grip has a rubber-molded handle that is very comfortable to shoot with, and I believe it helps reduce perceived recoil. The fore end of the stock is also comfortable in hand while carrying it.

The slim profile and folding capability make this stock and rifle a joy to pack around the mountains. It fits great in both my Eberlestock packs, the J-34 and Gunrunner. Even with the added 7 inches of suppressor, I can still ride a horse or motorcycle with the rifle in the scabbard of the pack. With the stock folded, I don’t have to worry about it sticking up over my head and catching on tree limbs or branches.

The Hunter Element Stock is also available for purchase for other rifle platforms; it retails for $995.00. This is a bargain compared to other stocks, as I believe it is currently the best folding stock on the market.

Seekins M3 Action: Smooth, Tight, Light, and Modular

The new M3 action is one of my favorites on the market. The Element Hunter Action is machined out of aluminum with a steel sleeve to keep it strong. The aluminum base is what makes it so light. It has a Picatinny, 20 MOA rail machined into the action with a bubble level on the back. While there are a few other actions on the market that are as smooth, or possibly a touch smoother, I don’t know of any that are as tight, smooth, and easy to cock even after the firing pin has been dropped. I can feed and eject rounds from it using my pinky finger.

This action is also modular. It has a quick-change barrel system, meaning the barrel can be changed in a few minutes without a gun vise, wrench, or gunsmith. The bolt can also be taken completely apart without any tools in a few seconds. I believe this innovation will pave the way for future rifles.

TriggerTech Trigger: A Clean 1.5-Lb Break

The trigger is the only part on the Seekins Element Hunter that is not made in-house by Seekins. It is a TriggerTech, and I got mine to break at 1.5 lbs. I own several of these triggers; I set all of them to break at 1.5 lbs, and they have all worked flawlessly.

Carbon-Fiber Magazine: Three Rounds at Just 1.7 oz

The magazine is a three-round, carbon fiber mag made in-house by Seekins. It fits tight and flush, feeds smoothly, and weighs only 1.7 oz. For context, a single Hornady 7 PRC 180 ELDM round weighs 1.1 oz.

22-Inch Carbon Barrel: 2.1 Lbs and Borderline Benchrest Accuracy

The barrel is a 22-inch, medium contour, carbon fiber-wrapped barrel made in-house by Seekins. I was skeptical when I saw that Seekins had switched to carbon fiber, as I had loved that they used steel barrels on their older-model Slam rifles. However, my skepticism was not warranted. The accuracy of this barrel borders on benchrest accuracy, and it only weighs 2.1 lbs. In 7 PRC.

Seekins Element Hunter M3 7 PRC Specifications

Model	Seekins Element Hunter M3
Caliber	7 PRC
Barrel	22-inch, medium contour, carbon fiber wrapped
Barrel Weight	2.1 lbs
Rifle Weight	6lbs
Magazine	Three round carbon fiber magazine
Magazine Weight	1.7 oz
Trigger	TriggerTech, set to break at 1.5 lbs
Optics Rail	Picatinny, 20 MOA rail machined into the action
MSRP / Retail Price Stated	$ 3,200.00

What the Element Hunter Gets Right, and What It Costs You

• Pros: Extremely accurate with factory ammunition, 6lbs, folding stock, smooth M3 action, modular quick change barrel system, carbon fiber magazine, integrated 20 MOA rail and bubble level, TriggerTech trigger, and excellent packability.
• Cons: $ 3,200.00 is still serious money, 7 PRC adds recoil and percussion compared with milder short-action cartridges, and my foam cheek pad showed wear after 4 months.

Final Verdict: My Dream Backpack Rifle for $3200.00

Glenn Seekins has built my dream backpacking rifle for $3200.00. I ran into a friend of mine a few weeks ago who builds custom rifles. I couldn’t help but show him some of the groups my Element Hunter was producing. He asked me a few questions regarding the accuracy, and then told me what his cost would be to build something similar.

For his customers requesting a lightweight rifle, he uses the Seekins Element Hunter Stock for his builds. Then a Proof carbon-fiber barrel and a TriggerTech trigger. Actions vary depending on what the customer wants and will correlate directly with how much work he has to put into truing the action. On the cheaper side of the builds, he can’t sell them for less than $4500.00, or he can’t justify his time.

In my opinion, when you buy a Seekins rifle, you are buying a custom rifle. Seekins machinery is the best in the world, and their customer service is as good or better than any custom shop that I know. Add in the fact that Seekins can sell their rifles for a reasonable price because they are making everything but the triggers in house, and it’s a giant win for the consumer.

I was very interested in some other lightweight rifles from other manufacturers when I was looking to buy my next mountain gun. Some out there are lighter, but not all of them have folding stocks. They all come with an accuracy guarantee; most are one MOA with quality ammunition. But none of them come with a Shooters Satisfaction Guarantee.

I have always been leery of buying high-end rifles because I always felt it was a gamble that they would shoot any better than cheaper rifles. Seekins has taken that worry out of buying a new rifle for me. There is no risk; when they build a rifle, they guarantee its parts and accuracy standards for the life of the rifle, regardless of the owner.

I am lucky that I get to shoot and test a lot of rifles. I have had people bring me all kinds of rifles that won’t shoot, from cheaper models to very high-end models. The only company that I can consistently call and know will deliver on accuracy and customer service is Seekins.

I would recommend the Seekins Element Hunter Rifle to anyone interested in owning a lightweight, pack friendly, accurate rifle that will last a lifetime.

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