fox control

[dave1372 83]

A few questions would help :

• Are you shooting from a vehicle or on foot most of the time - If shooting from a vehicle a shorter barrel would make things easier but would probably exclude a 22-250 which needs a longer barrel to get the velocities
  
• What type of ground do you shoot over ie lowland farm or hill farms - the higher the ground the more likely the wind conditions will be worse which affect the ballistics and heavier wind bucking rounds may be preferred ie .243
  
• Are you shooting on a small budget over small distances - then maybe a small .22hornet would be cost effective. In my experience most foxes are shot at 100 yards or less .22hornet is a nice cheap calibre for that.
  
• What other quarry are you shooting or maybe planning to shoot - maybe cheaper to get one rifle that can do everything ie .243 or 6.5x55 ideal for fox and deer
  

[Skull Hooker 185]

Forget 17HMR on foxes.Centrefire all the way, its more humane.

My choice is .204 for foxing and .22LR for rabbits.

7HMR on rabbits is too loud.Use a bit of firldcraft, get closer and quietly whack it with your 22

[JohnGalway 1,043]

7HMR on rabbits is too loud.Use a bit of firldcraft, get closer and quietly whack it with your 22

 

While I prefer the .22lr for rabbits over the .17HMR, with a silencer the .17HMR has the advantage of having a "soft" sounding bullet impact compared to the audible thud of a .22lr round impact. Rabbits don't seem to realise their buddies are getting whacked right beside them, and with the silencer they've trouble pinpointing the shooters position. I've shot multiple rabbits in the same spot one after another with the HMR, I can't remember doing so with the .22lr. But the .22lr is cheaper to run, and quieter (and more fun IMO but that differs person to person) to everything else in the countryside

[Deker 3,478]

Forget 17HMR on foxes.Centrefire all the way, its more humane.

My choice is .204 for foxing and .22LR for rabbits.

7HMR on rabbits is too loud.Use a bit of firldcraft, get closer and quietly whack it with your 22

 

:hmm: HMR is too loud on rabbits, I think every situation needs assessing in its own right!

 

Dead is dead my friend, a HMR is VERY capable in MANY situations, as is a .22lr, WMR etc. and in plenty of situations is a BETTER tool to use than a CF!

 

.22lr

 

.17HMR

 

.22WMR

 

 

ALL dealt with in clients Gardens! :thumbs:

[The Duncan 802]

.22 for rabbits and .223 for a dedicated fox rifle. IMHO they are two different disciplines and need to be treated as such.

.22lr is perfect for rabbits but a stretch for fox. If you are doing 1 or 2 foxes a year, .22lr will do it but its not ideal. More whack than .22lr is more humane for the red buggers.

[GEOFF.223 83]

.17hmr for cheapness will do job on foxs out to 100yards no problem just make sure to use a soft nosed bullet

or ,223 u can get cheap ammo 30 pounds for 100 but there only fmj but u get much for range 300+ yards.

[Philluk 181]

The question has been asked when and where, a .22 is ok for fox although I don't agree with it if unless you know what your doing, and as this is your first gun you won't be that experienced so I would say a .22 is not for you. a fox semi tame in someone's garden at 50 yds is not exactly hard unlike one in a wood at 100 yds, you need insurance ie something that will allow for error in the way of 222 .223 or something similar. A good way to start would be a shooting buddy who has the other gun you don't get that way you can pop the rabbits and he can pop the foxes and or swap round.

 

I know people on here will say that a .22 is fine they are the same people who say a shotgun is fine but for every one killed by one of these, the same amount run away with lead in them. Please dont think this is a pop I'm sure there are many responsible shooters but I dont see why they can't be protected a bit more.

 

For info I'm on 25 odd foxes in the last 6 weeks all hit all accounted for with a .243

[j j m 6,533]

223 without a doubt

[timwest 8]

if you are wanting to shoot foxes and rabbits you need a big enough caliber to kill a fox but cheap enough to kill rabbits. i suggest something on the lines of a .222 will do both jobs well. you could even have a go at reloading your own bullets. load both light weight bullets for rabbits and 50grn bullets for fox. see how it goes

[Deker 3,478]

if you are wanting to shoot foxes and rabbits you need a big enough caliber to kill a fox but cheap enough to kill rabbits. i suggest something on the lines of a .222 will do both jobs well. you could even have a go at reloading your own bullets. load both light weight bullets for rabbits and 50grn bullets for fox. see how it goes

 

As is so often the case this thread seems to have rolled all over the place, at least this response has some bearing on the original question........

 

So, if we are talking a Single gun, and General circumstances, What would be wrong with a .22Hornet, especially if you were reloading?