Need Kid Size Chassis Help

[veezer]

I am beginning to get parts together to build a .223 PRS type rifle for my daughter. I plan on using a deviant action, med palma contour barrel, and I am stuck on which chassis to go with. The biggest thing is the length of pull and weight. She is 9 so we are talking about a 12-13" LOP. What I have looked at so far is the XLR Envy (easily adjust LOP from kid size to adult and comes with arca rail system), Manners short LOP stock, and MDT. The Manners worries me because it will have a full size grip that may be an issue with little hands reaching the trigger with proper grip. The xlr systems (carbon fiber and/or the Envy) look good and I have heard alot of good things about them and they are fairly light weight so easier for her to carry and safely manipulate on positional stages. The MDT ACC looks really good, but being 6 lbs has me worried and I am not sure I can get a short LOP stock for it. The MDT LSS-XL has the option of a shorter LOP stock but doesn't have all the features of the ACC. I have a KRG bravo that she shoots some, but the grip is a little big and the LOP is a little too long.

So, what do you all think would be best for her?

 

[021411]

I have no first hand experience but check out the Magpul Pro 700. The LOP can be as low as 13.25” and weighs 5.4# according to their website.

 

[Dank27]

MPA BA Lite can go down to 12.5lop i believe and its very light

 

[Dank27]

https://masterpiecearms.com/shop/mpa-ba-ultra-lite-chassis/

2.5lbs Damn lol

 

[Precisiondada]

I would do the Manners CS (compact stock) in the elite. Minimum LOP is 10.25”. My oldest is only 7, but has difficulty steadily shouldering my scoped AR.

 

[veezer]

I would do the Manners CS (compact stock) in the elite. Minimum LOP is 10.25”. My oldest is only 7, but has difficulty steadily shouldering my scoped AR.

Is the grip too big for your 7 year old or can they get the proper grip on it?

 

[AlBundy81]

MPA BA Lite can go down to 12.5lop i believe and its very light

Agreed the MPA lite would be great!

 

[MDT_Josh]

Thanks for considering our ACC and XL Gen2 chassis amongst these other great suggestions @veezer and this is actually a question we get quite a lot! In my opinion, I would go with our LSS-XL Gen2 chassis, Skeleton carbine stock and an 8.75" buffer tube. This way, you could cut down the buffer tube if the LOP is still too long, adjust the LOP as she grows and just replace the buffer tube, rather than replacing the whole stock!

Additionally, as the whole forend is M-Lok compatible, you could add our M-Lok Arca/RRS dovetail adapter for bipod/tripod adjustability and even M-Lok Exterior forend weights if necessary! Just a thought, and a lot of the other chassis/stocks mentioned are great options too. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions

 

[JaredCO]

Xlr goes pretty short

 

[D2junky]

I would second @MDT_Josh ’s recommendation of the lss-xl2. I put a Howa Mini Grendel in a Brownells BRN1 (mdt made, essentially lss-xl) and that thing is PLUM handy. The aluminum gets a bit cold in cold weather hunting but some m-lok grip panels help insulate that.

With a carbine buffer tube and MagPul stock my daughter and I pass it back and forth.

 

[Precisiondada]

Is the grip too big for your 7 year old or can they get the proper grip on it?

It’s both, but he struggles with the weight forward, the short reach forward makes it difficult I would assume

 

[D2junky]

From anything other than prone my daughter prefers a chassis and shorter barrel. The balance of a lighter chassis with a long medium Palma will be nose heavy. She hates nose heavy and I find she struggles a bit with everything else when she’s nose heavy.
Nice thing about hollow buffer tube type chassis....they can hold a chunk of lead and epoxy for balance.

 

[TimK]

My kids' Rifle.

Five minutes with a hacksaw on the buffer tube could take another couple inches off the LOP.

 

[RobertB]

Let me know if you have any questions on the Manners MCS-CS. I took my 4yo nephew, 8yo niece, and 50yo 6'4" uncle and we all shot the MCS-CS with ease. All the way in my the 4yo, half way out for the 8 yo, and all the way out for us adults.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[MTETM]

Our 2 girls each have what you are working on. They started at 7 and 8 with 223 custom bolt rifles.
One rifle has a medium palma, 1 has a light palma. To redo I would have used 5 contours and cut them short. Both have short Ti cans on them...
Stocks. Both started with MDT LS chassis with magpul CTR extension and cheek risers.
Older daughter has since moved to the XLR Element...
Both use the Masterpiece arms vertical pistol grip, the thumb shelf and shorter distance to the trigger are very beneficial. The girls really like the shelf, so much so we modified a MP grip to fit the XLR because the daughter really liked the shelf....
One prefers a 2 stage trigger, it was a huge help, the other likes a crisp 2.5 pound single stage. Both want to feel the trigger before it goes bang...
NOW
What we learned, and are still addressing at 9 and 10...
The guns still weight 13 and 14 pounds all ready to go... so they have a hell of a time packing them, even with short bbls they are almost as tall as the kid. They started to use Biathlon slings last fall.
They must sit up to reposition the rifles if they are shooting prone and if they are not balanced well on a prop, they can have issues keeping the rifle in place.
When you put the XLR on the rifle, it adds 1.5 pounds to the overall weight above the MDT.
Both daughters will have CF bbls on their rifles for the coming year, it took some weight off, but they are still a handful.
Make damn sure the bolts are smooth, and that ammo is short enough they don't need to add any pressure when closing the bolt. Lighter loads with zero pressure so the bolt always runs smoothly is huge
With help from the folks, our girls are very comfortable with the rifles and have had great success competing several times with them. They also pack them coyote hunting, but again the weight is an issue...

All things perfect, a final rifle that was 9 pounds ready to roll...

 

[just browsing]

All good suggestions in here.

One other I would recommend as a more budget-minded option would be the Boyd’s AT-One stock. I have one on a Howa Mini action and it goes to 12.5” LOP in its shortest configuration. Light weight, adjustable cheek, LOP, and interchangeable grips.

Obviously not on the same planet quality or feature-wise as an MCS, MDT, or MPA, but considerably cheaper and a nice little stock nonetheless.

Good on ya for getting her started early!

 

[223ai]

I built my son's 6x45 with an XLR Element, and it's had a tremendous amount of adjustment for him as he's grown. It was a good buy, and I'd recommend it for anyone. Plus the XLR crew is always great to work with.

 

[earthquake]

I built my son's .223 on an MPA Lite. Med Palma contour. The barrel was originally my trainer for my TL3, so it's same size & weight as my Dasher barrel; 26".

He will compete next year with a 24" long 6BR, which should make it a tad lighter and easier to weild. No can next year for him either. ?

The MPA Lite fits him well. He's 12 now. YMMV. Let me know if you have any questions.

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[RobertB]

I built my son's .223 on an MPA Lite. Med Palma contour. The barrel was originally my trainer for my TL3, so it's same size & weight as my Dasher barrel; 26".

He will compete next year with a 24" long 6BR, which should make it a tad lighter and easier to weild. No can next year for him either. ?

The MPA Lite fits him well. He's 12 now. YMMV. Let me know if you have any questions.

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This is beyond awesome and what I hope to see more of in the competitive rifle world, great job @earthquake!

 

[Sogan]

Manners MCS-CS would be my vote. Only downside is it may be a little heavier than you are after.

 

[chavezz556]

I have a MPA lite for sale if interested... my wife has shot it comfortably at the lowest setting