250-300yds

[sporting rifles]

Of course 243AI is suitable but you will be using over 40 grains of powder unless using a faster powder with a lesser fill and likely higher ES. BR uses around 30gr usually, PPC a shade less, just depends on the riflemans preference for sledgehammer or stiletto, there are times when a sledgehammer is handy, windy night at 350 yards for example but most of the time the lesser cases get the job done ok. It does not great a great deal of power to kill a fox with a properly placed projectile and PPC and BR cases do have an accuracy edge over 243 AI, easier to shoot due to less recoil is one reason, just look at what is shot in competition.

 

I also load the 6mm 55s the same as 65s, 29.5gr x N133 for everything, velocity is not that much different, 150 FPS or so, Once my 55s have gone I wont replace them.

 

A

Iam on over 50gr of powder I klike a sledgehammer,no point going under gunned you never know what condition your in or how far you need to shoot.I totally agree a "properly placed projectile" will kill a fox with a lesser caliber BUT a miss placed shot may not BUT if you have that bit extra power it will

also whast this "easy to shoot buisness" yes if your a big girls blouse with no shoulder and without a mod the BR and PPC would be great BUT how many people go foxing without a mod ?? so there will be little to no difference in shouldering each caliber,if you have shoulders like a girl you can always down load the AI you cant do that with a BR or PPC

we could debate this forever and each of us will defend there caliber choice,at the end of the day you buy what caliber ticks your own boxes

I love the 6mm BR and the PPC perfect of my 11 year old daughter ut do they tick the boxes for me "no" only if shooting paper

[TonyH]

Iam on over 50gr of powder I klike a sledgehammer,no point going under gunned .......................

I love the 6mm BR and the PPC perfect of my 11 year old daughter ut do they tick the boxes for me "no" only if shooting paper

Cripes, now we're into macho posturing... I think we should remember that the OP requested recommendations for calibres

..capable of 250-300yd vermin shooting, foxes and crows mostly..

. Foxes are at the top end of UK varmint hunting, in terms of size; crows are near the bottom. As more than one respondent here (including me) has said, at 250-300 yards the standard, traditional varminting calibres such as .223 and the .20 cals are ideal, more than adequate. There's a lot to be said for .243AI, very fine calibre, but it wasn't developed to zap varmints at relatively close range: it's comparatively heavy artillery, for long range and/or bigger quarry than typical varmints. I mean, standard .243 Win is generally categorised as a deer cartridge. You can insist on your love for .243AI 'til you're blue in the face but it won't make that calibre anything like an optimum round for 250-300 yards!

Who goes foxing without a mod? Me. I've only ever used a moderator on .22 rimfire, don't like them. Moderators are for big girls' blouses who can't take a bit of muzzle blast....

Tony

[6.5shooter]

Well said Tony.

 

Garry

[6.5shooter]

[Alycidon]

I also don't have a moderator on my 20BR although my 6PPC does have a T8.

 

Most of us can handle recoil OK but whats the point when you don't have to, its not a macho contest but an exercise in accurate, precise, projectile placement. Anything that helps that should be considered a benefit. For the guys 300 yards tops he does not need a 243, indeed my current and old force wont grant 6mm/243 for anything below fox.

 

I am now reaching the end of a shooting career that goes back over 45 years, I have done the heavy artillery bit, these days having enough gun for 85% of what I might expect to come across is enough for me. My latest acquisition is a very light, compact CZ527 in 17AH, that is a nice round for a 150 yard fox, 11 grains of powder. In the last year I can count my foxes over 150 yards on one hand so my stiletto gets smaller !!, but I do love the 20BR as a long reach gun.

 

Taking of heavy artillery I was at Bisley the other week, bloke on the next bench was touching off a 45.120, thats 45 caliber with a case length of about 3 inches, that and a .444 lever action Marlin made the ground shake but it must have been good fun to have a blast !!.

 

 

A

[sporting rifles]

Cripes, now we're into macho posturing... I think we should remember that the OP requested recommendations for calibres . Foxes are at the top end of UK varmint hunting, in terms of size; crows are near the bottom. As more than one respondent here (including me) has said, at 250-300 yards the standard, traditional varminting calibres such as .223 and the .20 cals are ideal, more than adequate. There's a lot to be said for .243AI, very fine calibre, but it wasn't developed to zap varmints at relatively close range: it's comparatively heavy artillery, for long range and/or bigger quarry than typical varmints. I mean, standard .243 Win is generally categorised as a deer cartridge. You can insist on your love for .243AI 'til you're blue in the face but it won't make that calibre anything like an optimum round for 250-300 yards!

Who goes foxing without a mod? Me. I've only ever used a moderator on .22 rimfire, don't like them. Moderators are for big girls' blouses who can't take a bit of muzzle blast....

Tony

 

your having a laugh mate a 243 not being an optimin round for 250 to 300 yard shots,the caliber is just getting warmed up at that range

as to muzzle blast,thats all well and good if you like upsetting the farmers and there neighbours,ask anyone who shoot foxes regular 99% will use a mod on what ever caliber they use

if i want muzzle blast I just take my 7mm wsm out

[TonyH]

your having a laugh mate a 243 not being an optimin round for 250 to 300 yard shots,the caliber is just getting warmed up at that range...

You misunderstand me, but in fact you make my point perfectly: .243 (regular or AI) is ideal for much greater distances than the 250-300 yards maximum that the OP enquired about - for which a smaller cased round would be far more suitable.

 

..as to muzzle blast,thats all well and good if you like upsetting the farmers and there neighbours,ask anyone who shoot foxes regular 99% will use a mod on what ever caliber they use..

Are you sure about that figure? Actually, my reference to muzzle blast was a bit light hearted... I've never had any comments or criticism, not even a mention, about rifle noise over the areas I shoot. That includes a lot of stuff with fairly hot 22-250 loads - all unmoderated of course. I'm not opposed to mods, naturally, they're very popular, but i just don't like them.

 

..if i want muzzle blast I just take my 7mm wsm out

That would be for barn rats no doubt, at 25 yards - don't want those buggers surviving a hit, nasty when cornered...

Tony

[CZ Varminter]

Totally right. My "little" .223 does the biz on 95% of varmint shots I make and I can live with the difference. Sure, it's nice to take the 6.5x47 for a stroll but it's total overkill on stuff under 200yds, ie 80% of what I ended up blasting. Efficiency is what it's all about IMHO

 

Chris-NZ

 

I love it when people use the word "overkill" it ammusses me so much, especially on varmints, doesnt matter how heavy your bullet is or how much energy it hits it with when its dead its dead! LOL I'm not taking the mick chris, just seing that word again, sets me off.

[Chris-NZ]

OK, if ya want to be pedantic, it's "engineering overkill"

 

I too enjoy that extra puff of fur or feathers but it comes at a cost.

 

Chris-NZ

[22/250 foxer]

Cheers guys. I hadn't considered the 6br.

 

What rate of twist would you recommend? 1:8 would seem to work best but I don't want to have to have a 26"-28" barrel on it as it will be used quite a bit out of the truck.

 

a mate of mine is selling a remmy 700 20 tac it has a 24 inch pacnor barrel, h&s stock,jewell trigger, 20 cal wildcat stainless mod,redding dies,rings and bases, some bullet heads,brass, 20 caliber cleaning rod,boreguide,cleaning bits etc... very very accurate £1200, it was built by dasherman

 

also got a nightforce 5.5x22x56 scope with the np2dd ret i think it is.

 

which is also for sale once rifle go's