.223 Or .243 For Lamping Foxes

[zx10mike 137]

up to a point say 55 grn but the really light ones might break up etc from what i'm told.

[Rake aboot 4,935]

Just to throw a spanner in

 

I went .222 recently and love it. 50gr is lethal on anything including Roe Bucks and it`s an absolute peach to shoot with the P8 mod on it

 

1 hole groups at 100mtrs from my Tika M595

[charlie caller 3,654]

.If the gods chose a cartridge, it would most likely be .222, phenomenally accurate round, and almost impossible to mess up reloading for, a cool as fu-k case with that long neck, in my opinion, outshines a .223 on accuracy, if I was to have another rifle to shoot foxes and small deer with, along side the .243, .222 would be very close to the top of the list, along with .220 swift and .22-250.

[zx10mike 137]

a 222 certainly has a good rep and there are bargains to be had.what would the fps difference be using a 50 grn pill in both ???

[Rake aboot 4,935]

Honestly Charlie It`s the nicest rifle I have ever shot,, it`s a total joy.

 

.222 hits hard as well.

 

Ballistically there is bugger all in it between the .222 and the .223. The .223 is louder, but it performs almost identically to the smaller round

[charlie caller 3,654]

I know mate, a pal of mine has one and it is loooovly, so accurate, quiet, and deadly, and it held the benchrest record for years and years, and the difference in velocity? very little, like all super accurate rounds the secret is to reload them, accuracy beats power everytime.

[alan81 110]

I cant see you getting a .243 for fox alone but then you don't need it if Hornady are right. according to Hornady's ballistics calculator the 53gr Superformence round with a bc .290 zeroed at 250 yards travels as follows. MPBR at 100 yards +1.9" at 150 yards +2.3" at 200 yards +1.7" at 250 yards 0" at 275 yards -1.3" at 300 yards -3" and then drops fairly fast after that. so on a fox sized target its point and shoot out to 300 yards with no wind. I'm not 100% on this but I think with a 10mph cross wind the bullet drift is 16" at 300 yards. good enough for any fox in my book.

 

Edited to say wind drift at 300 yards with a 10 MPH cross wind is 8.5"

Edited December 25, 2013 by alan81

[DeerhoundLurcherMan 997]

If the .243 is out of the question, which it may well be (if they wont grant it solely for fox). Then the only spanner in my works that might tempt me away from a .223 might be the 22-250.....

 

I would be happy with either...

[Deker 3,478]

The most common .223 twist is probably 1-12, then 1-8, also available, 1-9, 1-10, or anything you want to have made!

Edited December 11, 2013 by Deker

[charlie caller 3,654]

So what calibre (if any) is your ground passed for? If you have deer on your ground .243 is a possibility, having said that, I know a lad who had his .243 conditioned for fox only, he now has deer on it, but it shows it can be done, dont ask you dont get mate, simples.

[DeerhoundLurcherMan 997]

Worth a phone call then, I will see what my FAO says about it....

 

I currently have 3 permissions, one 26 acre small holding which was only cleared for .22lr and two farms both about 500 acres each which were already cleared for a .22lr but maybe more, I will find out. But I'm confident that if they are not already, then they will be cleared for a centrefire....

 

Cheers

[bangerstox10 3]

Another spanner in the works for you ! Are you going to reload your own? Look at the calibre which is most common for your area. Like down here in Kent a .270 is hard to get factory ammo as it is not a common round here but up country very common but down here 223 22-250 243 are common as muck so a lot of choice and not too bad on price. I have a .222 and a .243 wssm. Now when I am out lamping I take the .243 as it is my favourite one. It is set up with 95gr ballistic silver tips. See Charlie put the cross hairs on him and the good old thud comes back, but there is a bloody mess to clear up afterwards. As for your area well they are all different it is down to your FEO personal choice on what he thinks suitable.

[charlie caller 3,654]

It is also down to what the ground will be passed for, if its not got deer on it, I think you can forget a .243, you will be steered down the .22 centerfire route in all probability.

[gibbo1973 187]

you could put on your fac FOR HUMANELY DESPATCHING WILD MAMMALS ,this will give you the upper hand as people may call you or dispatching mammals in destress ,also for PURPOSE OF CARRYING OUT ATIVITIVES OF ESTATE MANAGEMENT this also lets you kill stock so .243 cal rifle is more suitable

on my fac it states for purpose to shoot foxes and deer (ive a 243 granted) so I would put it down to your local police force forcing your hand on a lower calibre

[slipper 116]

Does anybody know what twist rate my cz 527 223 is?