Best Calibre To Go For As All Round Rifle For Rabbit And Fox

[Hydropotesinermis 724]

Interesting, it's lucky that you only have a vertical change in POI, mine shoots high and right, holding low and left is fine but obviously the further you get the windage increases as well as the holdover decrease.

[Underdog 2,337]

Interesting, it's lucky that you only have a vertical change in POI, mine shoots high and right, holding low and left is fine but obviously the further you get the windage increases as well as the holdover decrease.

Yes, that would be a pain.

 

R.

[Hydropotesinermis 724]

 

Interesting, it's lucky that you only have a vertical change in POI, mine shoots high and right, holding low and left is fine but obviously the further you get the windage increases as well as the holdover decrease.

Yes, that would be a pain.

 

R.

I should have said when I saw the pics, good work on the foxes BTW.

[Underdog 2,337]

 

 

Interesting, it's lucky that you only have a vertical change in POI, mine shoots high and right, holding low and left is fine but obviously the further you get the windage increases as well as the holdover decrease.

Yes, that would be a pain.

 

R.

I should have said when I saw the pics, good work on the foxes BTW.

Not at all, thanks.

[Rowan 308]

.22 lr , definately would suit your needs , i guess ? I use 42 grain subsonic hollowpoints .

[andyf 144]

HI;

Yes the 'best' rifle for Rabbits and the occasional 'other' is without doubt the .22 rimfire.

A few little hints follow:

1. An HV .22 rimfire is only marginally more powerful in ft/lbs than a Subsonic, yes it sounds much

heftier but it isn't. The difference is in the speed and therefore the trajectory, so this

actually adds up to that HV shoot a lot flatter, thus extending the reliable zero out by about

a further 30 yards on top of the 75 yards of the subs.

2. Centrefire .22's are very fine and good, but they are loud even when moderated, and the ammo

is horrendously expensive compared to .22 rimfire. Before you even start to think about buying

.22 CF go to your gunshop and price the ammo up (55gr soft point is the nominal), at this time

around here 500 rimfire are about £40, 20 .223 are about £25, YES 20.

3. Centrefire .22 ammo is easy to get in .223 and 22.250, anything else is less so, yes you can

get it, but you'll be stuck with whatever bullet type and weight is around, thus getting a regular

supply of the brand and bullet you like in say Hornet or .222 is likely to be less likely.

4. Reloading is clearly the way to go, even if you don't shoot 100's let alone 1000's, but you'll

need to spend circa £300 to get you started.

So whatever, get a .22, (forget 17 HMR in my opinion over rated and nowhere near enough zip for

Foxes) but only 'in my opinion' (for what that's worth?) at least I have owned one so feel I can

comment.

Have a GOOD ONE

AndyF

[shovel leaner 7,650]

HI;Yes the 'best' rifle for Rabbits and the occasional 'other' is without doubt the .22 rimfire.A few little hints follow:1. An HV .22 rimfire is only marginally more powerful in ft/lbs than a Subsonic, yes it sounds muchheftier but it isn't. The difference is in the speed and therefore the trajectory, so thisactually adds up to that HV shoot a lot flatter, thus extending the reliable zero out by abouta further 30 yards on top of the 75 yards of the subs.2. Centrefire .22's are very fine and good, but they are loud even when moderated, and the ammois horrendously expensive compared to .22 rimfire. Before you even start to think about buying.22 CF go to your gunshop and price the ammo up (55gr soft point is the nominal), at this timearound here 500 rimfire are about £40, 20 .223 are about £25, YES 20.3. Centrefire .22 ammo is easy to get in .223 and 22.250, anything else is less so, yes you canget it, but you'll be stuck with whatever bullet type and weight is around, thus getting a regularsupply of the brand and bullet you like in say Hornet or .222 is likely to be less likely.4. Reloading is clearly the way to go, even if you don't shoot 100's let alone 1000's, but you'llneed to spend circa £300 to get you started.So whatever, get a .22, (forget 17 HMR in my opinion over rated and nowhere near enough zip forFoxes) but only 'in my opinion' (for what that's worth?) at least I have owned one so feel I cancomment.Have a GOOD ONEAndyF

That is very good advice mate , couldn't have put it better myself , I'm not a big fan of the 17hmr although they do have their uses and wouldn't go after a fox with them . The ammo is expensive, they are loud , and no good in wind .

[.357shooter 1,215]

just to add the high velocity hp,s produce 184ft/lbs at the muzzle which is nearly double the 105ft/lbs that my standard eley rounds produce

[Rowan 308]

Just bought 500 , .22 eley subs £62 odd pence , still cheap if you ask me . 12p a round can't go wrong.

[Underdog 2,337]

Just bought 500 , .22 eley subs £62 odd pence , still cheap if you ask me . 12p a round can't go wrong.

I remember when they were 2p and Russian ammo half that!

[andyf 144]

When I said HV were only marginally more powerful than Sub's, my point is that when compared to a 'proper'

centrefire fox calibre (i.e. .223 or 22.250)which can check in 1200 - 1400 ft/lbs then an something uprate

on the rimfire rounds is neither here nor there.

I've shot plenty of Fox with a .22 RF, and many more with various 22.250's I've owned over the years, but believe

me you don't get many runners with a centrefire.

Sensible max Fox range (My Opinion)for a .22 RF is 50yds but closer is better, a well placed heart lung or

head shot will do fine, HV or Sub's won't make any significant difference.

[Underdog 2,337]

When I said HV were only marginally more powerful than Sub's, my point is that when compared to a 'proper'

centrefire fox calibre (i.e. .223 or 22.250)which can check in 1200 - 1400 ft/lbs then an something uprate

on the rimfire rounds is neither here nor there.

I've shot plenty of Fox with a .22 RF, and many more with various 22.250's I've owned over the years, but believe

me you don't get many runners with a centrefire.

Sensible max Fox range (My Opinion)for a .22 RF is 50yds but closer is better, a well placed heart lung or

head shot will do fine, HV or Sub's won't make any significant difference.

Good points.

I however give it credit beyond 75 yards.

 

U.

[Alsone 789]

When I said HV were only marginally more powerful than Sub's, my point is that when compared to a 'proper'

centrefire fox calibre (i.e. .223 or 22.250)which can check in 1200 - 1400 ft/lbs then an something uprate

on the rimfire rounds is neither here nor there.

I've shot plenty of Fox with a .22 RF, and many more with various 22.250's I've owned over the years, but believe

me you don't get many runners with a centrefire.

Sensible max Fox range (My Opinion)for a .22 RF is 50yds but closer is better, a well placed heart lung or

head shot will do fine, HV or Sub's won't make any significant difference.

 

I agree.

 

If you're going to shoot hundreds of bunnies go for LR but as others have mentioned some forces won't allow it for fox because it's marginal on fox sized targets especially as the range pulls out.. It will kill instantly at sensible short range with a well placed shot. If you're going to shoot hundreds of bunnies, why not stick to the air rifle and get a centrefire rifle for fox conditioned AOLQ, which means you can still shoot bunnies with it if you want to (and can afford to|). Otherwise choices pretty much are: air rifle + CF, .22LR + CF or .22LR alone and compromises on fox range.

 

If you're not shooting large numbers of bunnies, then personally I'd consider a .17 Hornet. Cracking little round, very flat and accurate and will deal with bunnies out to around 300yds and fox to around 200yds. A few people on here have them, and I've yet to hear a bad word. Only issue, is ammo price comes in about the same as many other common centrefires which makes it a very expensive bunny gun. That said, it won't be anywhere near as much overkill on the bunnies as say a .223 and if you only shoot a few....

 

There isn't really an all round calibre for both bunnies and fox, but the hornet variants come about as close as you can get.

Edited June 20, 2017 by Alsone

[polishunter1 47]

Agree with 17 hornet does what it says on the tin smashes rabbits and foxes so if your controlling and not eating them then go for it what's money when your enjoying what you do later you may regret it so hornet for me.

[shovel leaner 7,650]

 

When I said HV were only marginally more powerful than Sub's, my point is that when compared to a 'proper'

centrefire fox calibre (i.e. .223 or 22.250)which can check in 1200 - 1400 ft/lbs then an something uprate

on the rimfire rounds is neither here nor there.

I've shot plenty of Fox with a .22 RF, and many more with various 22.250's I've owned over the years, but believe

me you don't get many runners with a centrefire.

Sensible max Fox range (My Opinion)for a .22 RF is 50yds but closer is better, a well placed heart lung or

head shot will do fine, HV or Sub's won't make any significant difference.

Good points.

I however give it credit beyond 75 yards.

 

U.

yes you might drop them at that range or even beyond . But if you are taking long shots with a 22lr at foxes you will be having some run off to die a lingering death . I have done it myself , I've been out with only my rimfire , and seen a fox I was after . The temptation is to take that shot . I know the rifle well and know my capabilities. I once put 3 slugs into a fox at about 90 yards and it still made the hedge . Picked it up a few days later when it started to stink and it had made it a fair way before it dropped. I felt really bad , and now I never push it , 50 yards max , just my opinion.