What Fox Round

[tomshep 41]

Hello I would like to ask people's advise on what fox round to get. I currently shot a .22rf for rabbits. I work as a shepherd on a large out door lambing flock (3000 ewes) and foxes can be a real pain. I will be mainly shooting early in the morning and at dusk but not to much lamping as after a long day at work I like to sleep at night!! I am not the best shot in the world so am after a round that is easy to zero in as this rifle will be a work tool more than a hobby. At times I may need to take shots in lambing fields with ewes in I was looking at the 17 hornet. Thank you for any help you can give

[bob.243 8,714]

Any centerfire, the .223 is very common, .22-250 is also quite popular.

 

Everybody has their own favourite calibre.

Edited October 4, 2015 by bob.243

[shropshire dan 467]

If I was you I'd go for the .22-250, as you've mentioned your not the best shooter and the .22-250 is a very forgiving round in my opinion. If you've miss read the range a little don't worry cus it's a very flat round. And using fast light weight ammo I zero 1 inch high at 100 yards and it's practically point and shoot out to 300 yards. You mentioned it'll be mainly a dusk and Dawn gun so I'd suggest a schimbt And bender 8x56 scope on top and you'll be well away.

 

Atb

Dan

[andyf 144]

I wouldn't go down the .17 road, it's a specialised and advanced 'rifle gourmet' reloading science thing, factory ammo

will make you draw a sharp breath if your used to .22RF. (that's if you can find any, this isn't America).

If your 'Joe Soap' and need to cull Fox, the calibre choice is fairly set in stone, .222, .223, 22.250 for the centrefire 22's.

But my best advice to someone like you who has plenty of land and need a 'cooking' variety rifle ammo & scope I'd go

for .243 as it does all of the things the 22 centrefires can plus it's Deer legal, the ammo is in every Gunshop in the UK

in several Brands and Bullet weights.

Plenty of new & used rifles, moderators & scopes, way to go!!

[SportingShooter 0]

Two things that may influence your decision are the maximum range and type of terrain you have

[Gaz6br 193]

223 100%

 

Nice to shoot and will last you years ?

[tomshep 41]

Thank you for the replies I should say that ammo cost doesn't worry me to much as I will not be useing to much as I use the .22 for most things and work help out with buying bullets. The only reason I was looking at the 17 hornet is because it is suppose to be a bit quietier and I didn't want anything to big as I may be shooting near stock

[Gaz6br 193]

If your shooting it in the same places as the 22 then you will just have to be as careful same goes for any caliber know matter what it is 22 17 222 223 22-250 ect ect

The 22 is one of the worst for bouncing around

[tomshep 41]

I totally agree and would never treat any caliber with out respect.

[sussexsteve 8]

What sort of range will you be shooting ?

[tomshep 41]

Please don,t think I,m taking the piss but the range depends on how close the fox is!! To be honest as most the time the rifle will be in the truck or on the quad with me as I,m going round the lambing fields it is mainly foxes that I bump into or catch out so most of the time they are within 200 yards

[ianm 2,594]

I have a .17 hornet as my rabbit gun, it is fox capable up to 200yds if you place the bullet properly, but i wouldn't reccomend one for you for what your intended purpose is. I would go .222 upwards but most likely .243 with a DM80 mod and using 55 or 58 grn rounds, nice and quiet with a very flat trajectory and plenty of energy.

[Alsone 789]

I wouldn't go down the .17 road, it's a specialised and advanced 'rifle gourmet' reloading science thing, factory ammo

will make you draw a sharp breath if your used to .22RF. (that's if you can find any, this isn't America).

 

.17 Hornet is fine out of the box. Very good factory ammo. You're thinking of the .22 Hornet.

 

.17 Hornet is very flat shooting as Ian will confirm and is fox capable at short to medium ranges with around 500 ft lbs on tap.

 

 

However, if you're not such a great shot with placement, a larger more explosive calibre would probably be a better choice.

 

Personally of the .22 Cf's I've seen in terms of destructive power, the two that stand out are .22-250 or .243. At the smaller end, .20 is quite explosive but has had some ammo issues with splashing. It's also quite a light round. All the aforementioned calibres are also flat firing. Of all the calibres, either .22-250 or .243 are the ones I'd choose but everyone has an opinion and almost any of the main .22 Cf's are very good against fox. There are quieter rounds, and rounds with less recoil than .22-250 or .243, but it's personal choice and if you're aim isn't great then I'd take ultimate energy delivery over a few extra db's of noise or lbs of kick. Being humane is all important in my book and very little runs from either of those 2 calibres.

[tomshep 41]

Thank you for all the help, although I said I,m not a great shot I,m not that bad! What I should have said maybe is that I just get a bit lost in all the facts and figures with different rounds. All I,m after is a nice and simple to set up ( zero in ) rifle that can do for the odd fox and crow, a point and shoot round if there is such a thing. Thanks again for the help

[shropshire dan 467]

.22-250