I had been looking at NEF for my Ten year old son to go shooting and hunting with. I found a Rossi single shot in 17HMR. I have not found anyone that has tried this rifle and was hoping a few of you have?

Thank you for all your help.

From what I have seen in person the H&R or NEF are better quality. Not hugely better but sturdier feeling with better made sights to my eyes. The Rossi looked to be quite serviceable though and I think it costs less than the H&R.

Rossi has no barrel program yet, if you consider other caliber rimfires barrels for the 17hmr frame. Their web site indicates they will have a barrel program this year, but that's the same story they've been telling for quite some time, so I wouldn't plan on it. I have an NEF Sportster 17hmr, 17M2 and 22Mag, they are all excellent shooting rifles, the 17s both shoot less than 1" at 100yds, all day long! Graybeard Outdoors has an NEF/H&R rimfire forum and a Rossi forum, check em out....

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/index.php?sid=bc66515bba710ae551fcbc6946991732

I have thought about the NEF. The biggest reason that I was looking at NEF was the weight of the gun. I was at a gun shop in town when I seen the Rossi. I would much rather have the NEF in 223. But when you thing about ( in the eyes of a 10 year old)packing a rifle around most of the day the Rossi weighs almost half as the NEF.

So do I have my head in the sand on this one? For me it would be the NEF in 223. For a 10 year old, I don't know?

That's true, the NEF 17hmr and mach2 only come in bull barrel configuration, the 22lr and mag have sporter weight barrels.