Scope for .17

[Deker 3,478]

33 minutes ago, KimE said:

Looks like Hornady only loads 58gr in .243

243 Win 58 gr V-MAX® Superformance® - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

WWW.HORNADY.COM

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55g is available, fortunately I have someone who reloads them for me, don't use many just the same......... 58g would be similar!

[Deker 3,478]

1 hour ago, David.evans said:

decker 

what range do you feel comfortable with on fox with the 55g vmax 243 

i reload and will get a box to try , how flat is flat , a round without the recoil would suit me a bit better on fox instead of 95 g

thanks

just looked on hornady and vit web , I can’t find data for 243 55g v max 

Very flat out to about 150-200 then they drop, also lose energy fast as they are so light.  I seldom need to take fox at Loooooong distance but if I'm out after the deer and see a fox a long way I'll pop in the 55g.  They don't suit every 243 just the same with the twist.   

Majority of my foxes are WELL UNDER 100 yards, a few 100-150, less 150-200 and very rare over 200. I know the 55g 243 pretty well out to 250, but everything needs to be right.  No doubt some will say they shoot further and of course you can, but I VERY rarely need to, and also like to be confident what I shoot at will drop.

Edit

You got me thinking, I've just checked and found I've thrown a wobbly....mine are 58g not 55g, shows how often I use them...whatever I said about 55 read 58! 

 

Edited May 16, 2021 by Deker

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

1 hour ago, David.evans said:

decker 

what range do you feel comfortable with on fox with the 55g vmax 243 

i reload and will get a box to try , how flat is flat , a round without the recoil would suit me a bit better on fox instead of 95 g

thanks

just looked on hornady and vit web , I can’t find data for 243 55g v max 

My mate used to use 58 grn v max and they are really flat out to around 300 yds and devastating on foxes. If I only shot foxes and not deer they would be my choice. 

[dawnraider09 75]

Thanks guys ,some really useful info.

[BenBhoy 4,706]

12 hours ago, KimE said:

Looks like Hornady only loads 58gr in .243

243 Win 58 gr V-MAX® Superformance® - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc

WWW.HORNADY.COM

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...

 

"Hornady .243 Bullets | Cluny Country Guns" https://clunyguns.co.uk/collections/243-ammunition/products/hornady-243-55gr-vmax-bullets

[ianm 2,594]

On 16/05/2021 at 09:27, David.evans said:

decker 

what range do you feel comfortable with on fox with the 55g vmax 243 

i reload and will get a box to try , how flat is flat , a round without the recoil would suit me a bit better on fox instead of 95 g

thanks

just looked on hornady and vit web , I can’t find data for 243 55g v max 

The 55grn rounds i used and will use again are nosler varmageddons hollow points. Trajectory very similar to my .204s but carrying more energy. If zeroed correctly this round is capable of foxes at 400 yds no problem, i know because i have done it. I rarely get the luxury of sub 150 or even 200 yard foxes due to the ground i shoot over.

Anyhow why are we talking about .243s, chavvy 223s and old mens .222s when the lad asked about and has quite clearly stated his ticket is for a .17 hmr (spit). Oh! and regarding 243s on deer, why use the MINIMUM calibre you can for the job? That is like trying to knock fence posts in with a ball pein hammer. 243 is a varmint calibre and a good one. If the intention is heart and lung shooting deer and in particular the larger species why not use a larger calibre. 30/06 is where its at, especially on Sika it knocks them right off their feet. 

Back to the OPs question, take into account of when you are going to do your shooting. If it is at night and with a lamp (how quaint) buy decent glass that will transmit the light. If you are going to use an add on be wary of quality scopes that have good i/r filtering lense coatings, because they will stop a lot of the i/r light that you need to operate the add on. Also take into account YOUR eyes, nobody can tell you which is the best scope for you as only you will know that having looked through them.  

[Dervburner 2,549]

24 minutes ago, ianm said:

The 55grn rounds i used and will use again are nosler varmageddons hollow points. Trajectory very similar to my .204s but carrying more energy. If zeroed correctly this round is capable of foxes at 400 yds no problem, i know because i have done it. I rarely get the luxury of sub 150 or even 200 yard foxes due to the ground i shoot over.

Anyhow why are we talking about .243s, chavvy 223s and old mens .222s when the lad asked about and has quite clearly stated his ticket is for a .17 hmr (spit). Oh! and regarding 243s on deer, why use the MINIMUM calibre you can for the job? That is like trying to knock fence posts in with a ball pein hammer. 243 is a varmint calibre and a good one. If the intention is heart and lung shooting deer and in particular the larger species why not use a larger calibre. 30/06 is where its at, especially on Sika it knocks them right off their feet. 

Back to the OPs question, take into account of when you are going to do your shooting. If it is at night and with a lamp (how quaint) buy decent glass that will transmit the light. If you are going to use an add on be wary of quality scopes that have good i/r filtering lense coatings, because they will stop a lot of the i/r light that you need to operate the add on. Also take into account YOUR eyes, nobody can tell you which is the best scope for you as only you will know that having looked through them.  

Ian, stop beating about the bush.........just tell it like it is for gods sake.......

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

1 hour ago, ianm said:

 

 Oh! and regarding 243s on deer, why use the MINIMUM calibre you can for the job? That is like trying to knock fence posts in with a ball pein hammer. 243 is a varmint calibre and a good one. If the intention is heart and lung shooting deer and in particular the larger species why not use a larger calibre. 30/06 is where its at, especially on Sika it knocks them right off their feet. 

 

I have shot all 6 species of deer on this island of ours with my .243 and it has performed well. My main quarry is roe and its perfect for that. If I had to shoot a lot of fallow or sika I would probably go for a .308 but no need as I only shoot the occasional deer of the larger species. 

[ianm 2,594]

1 minute ago, FOXHUNTER said:

I have shot all 6 species of deer on this island of ours with my .243 and it has performed well. My main quarry is roe and its perfect for that. If I had to shoot a lot of fallow or sika I would probably go for a .308 but no need as I only shoot the occasional deer of the larger species. 

I sometimes have to shoot Sika as you know and to be honest i was sick of the 243. If they see you they get pumped up straight away and even with with a perfect heart shot they run. Where i have to shoot them they invariably run into plantations or other dense cover making extraction difficult at best. On buck ran down a ravine and had to be butchered on the spot to extract it. Then i decided to try a 30/06 and to date have had no bother at all, it literally knocks them off their feet. With the advent of toxic free ammo 243s are going to be redundant for deer because they cannot shoot the larger non toxic bullets required by a lot of estates now. Some are already telling stalkers non toxic only and don't use 243.  

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

2 minutes ago, ianm said:

I sometimes have to shoot Sika as you know and to be honest i was sick of the 243. If they see you they get pumped up straight away and even with with a perfect heart shot they run. Where i have to shoot them they invariably run into plantations or other dense cover making extraction difficult at best. On buck ran down a ravine and had to be butchered on the spot to extract it. Then i decided to try a 30/06 and to date have had no bother at all, it literally knocks them off their feet. With the advent of toxic free ammo 243s are going to be redundant for deer because they cannot shoot the larger non toxic bullets required by a lot of estates now. Some are already telling stalkers non toxic only and don't use 243.  

Yep Sika are tough animals but I always try and neck shoot them to avoid any running. Once the lead ban comes in to force I will have to rethink about getting another calibre but for now my .243 will suffice.  

[ianm 2,594]

8 minutes ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Yep Sika are tough animals but I always try and neck shoot them to avoid any running. Once the lead ban comes in to force I will have to rethink about getting another calibre but for now my .243 will suffice.  

Yep! If I can neck shoot them I will, but when I go for them I want to kill as many as I can so I don’t have to go back for a while. 

[FOXHUNTER 5,021]

1 minute ago, ianm said:

Yep! If I can neck shoot them I will, but when I go for them I want to kill as many as I can so I don’t have to go back for a while. 

I would love to keep going  back Going up around  Peebles this season to shoot a few hopefully.  They are the most challenging deer to stalk that's for sure.

[ianm 2,594]

2 hours ago, FOXHUNTER said:

Yep Sika are tough animals but I always try and neck shoot them to avoid any running. Once the lead ban comes in to force I will have to rethink about getting another calibre but for now my .243 will suffice.  

If you aren't shooting on estates ie: paid stalking and aren't putting the carcass into game dealers, then i would stock up on lead and continue as you are.

[David.evans 5,323]

And that’s just what I’m going to do