17hmr youth

[Patriotparty]

I have 2 girls 8 and 10 they are small. I want to upgrade them from a Henry kids 22 to 17hmr. So far I’m finding there are not many youth models. Want a bolt gun and threaded.

Am I stuck with getting a wood stock and cutting it? Can I purchase a rifle and get an aftermarket stock?

I need ideas and will take any recommendations. Not looking to go cheap cheap like a Rossi I’d say $1,300 if that will get what is needed on the gun itself.

 

[BJames]

Most youth model rifles will come in at 12.5” LOP, some chassis’s will get you shorter. XLR has the shortest LOP at 7”, unfortunately the grip to trigger measurements on pretty much everything stays the same across the board. XLR makes chassis inletted for the CZ rimfires, that will get you a 17 hmr in a chassis inside of your price range. Jump on XLR’s website, 1/2 of the pics of kids on there is a friend of mine, his kids are pretty small for their ages. They’re taking moose and black bears at 650 yards regularly.

That said, have you thought about bumping them to a 223? Sticking with the XLR chassis, with a tikka/howa/older remington all in a cheaper configuration should stay inside of your price range, and give them something to grow into. Standard short action chassis that can be swapped into any short action cartridge up to the short mags, if desired, for whatever action footprint you choose. I started my boy on 22lr them bumped to 223 at around 8 yo, shooting suppressed, now at 10 he’s on to 6.5 creed.

 

[Carole Baskins]

unfortunately the grip to trigger measurements on pretty much everything stays the same across the board.

Yup. Been struggling with this myself. It's annoying that the manufacturers who claim to target youth shooters and "grow the sport" can't/won't design a stock or chassis for small hands.

I ended up using balsa wood and fiberglass bondo to reduce the grip to trigger distance. Not optimal or pretty but it works.

 

[Badjujuu]

My daughter (9) shoots savage bsev in 17hmr. She manages it. It sucks that we can't adjust the LOP - as it's her favorite rifle. We have couple chassis 22s we use for matches and she shoots those as well.
You'd figure manufacturers would be paying attention but not sure if they are

 

[pineoak]

Eurooptic has Tikka T1x for 17HMR, other places will have it as well

Doesn't fit your budget as it's less than 1/2 the price you're proposing, but could be construed as meeting that price point if you toss on a $600-700 scope

stock is pretty darn short factory; internet says 13.25", just measured it myself off an empty T1x stock and that's about accurate

because the stock butt is also very THIN, it makes it seem shorter as well compared to the WIDE buttstocks which add to the FEEL of a longer LOP for a small statured person IME

I know it will work for a skinny 52" tall kid as far as LOP is concerned

the plastic stock is cheap and might be better to cut than wood; drop it into a KRG Bravo or something else when they're older

Glad to see people supporting future shooters in the sport.

 

[DanGroves]

Here is what I did for my boys when they were small. Took a Savage 17 HMR and shortened the stock to about 12" LOP.

As they grew up, I bought another stock from Boyd's that was full length and fitted the action to it. My boys are now over 6' and shoot PRS. I am ready to move the 17 with both stocks and it is now threaded. PM me if interested in this kit?

 

[Patriotparty]

Most youth model rifles will come in at 12.5” LOP, some chassis’s will get you shorter. XLR has the shortest LOP at 7”, unfortunately the grip to trigger measurements on pretty much everything stays the same across the board. XLR makes chassis inletted for the CZ rimfires, that will get you a 17 hmr in a chassis inside of your price range. Jump on XLR’s website, 1/2 of the pics of kids on there is a friend of mine, his kids are pretty small for their ages. They’re taking moose and black bears at 650 yards regularly.

That said, have you thought about bumping them to a 223? Sticking with the XLR chassis, with a tikka/howa/older remington all in a cheaper configuration should stay inside of your price range, and give them something to grow into. Standard short action chassis that can be swapped into any short action cartridge up to the short mags, if desired, for whatever action footprint you choose. I started my boy on 22lr them bumped to 223 at around 8 yo, shooting suppressed, now at 10 he’s on to 6.5 creed.

Thanks I’ll look at the Xlr options. I have several ar15 that I will eventually bump them up to for 223/5.56…. But I was hoping to start on a cheaper cartridge so they can shoot more. Also I have access to farms but where I live the 223 is a little too much cartridge.

 

[Patriotparty]

Eurooptic has Tikka T1x for 17HMR, other places will have it as well

Doesn't fit your budget as it's less than 1/2 the price you're proposing, but could be construed as meeting that price point if you toss on a $600-700 scope

stock is pretty darn short factory; internet says 13.25", just measured it myself off an empty T1x stock and that's about accurate

because the stock butt is also very THIN, it makes it seem shorter as well compared to the WIDE buttstocks which add to the FEEL of a longer LOP for a small statured person IME

I know it will work for a skinny 52" tall kid as far as LOP is concerned

the plastic stock is cheap and might be better to cut than wood; drop it into a KRG Bravo or something else when they're older

Glad to see people supporting future shooters in the sport.

It’s funny you posted about the tikka…. I’ve got one ordered from a Black Friday sale that should hit my ffl soon…. You are probably right the plastic stock might be a good one to cut…. I’ll see when it gets here. I appreciate everyone providing the options

 

[pineoak]

You might not need to cut it. The butt is skinny and works for a kid better than I ever would have thought at that LOP.