If you could choose one caliber for foxes, what would it be?

[gbal]

acm,yes-ish.The figuresare for SAAMI commercial loads-there are some 90 available in USA,not all here of course,though we may have a very few European that don't make it to USA.

That's why I quote them-they are a ore level playing field,with standars pressures etc,which are unknown for reloaders.

if at all possible,I'also quote them with comparable bullets,especially ones likely to be used by homeloaders -here mostly Vmax,and SMK for the heavier where no vmax is commercially available.Ditto VLD-not commercially loaded,I don't think-likewise some factory loads may have apecial powders,not generallly available...whatever-clearly there can be differnces....and I can't include all loadings,but try to give thebest,and avoid the worst....BC etc have small effects,esp at 200,even 300....fox distances.

I did include the 'hot' proviso,I should have said 'home reloaded' as some load a tad cool (sensible,mainly-esp if accuracy is better-and I did specifically say accuracy (rifle /ammo precision plus shooter factors,including scope-tho that has some prcision eng issues too) was not included in ballistic data. The differences generallly remain smaller than sometimes assumed....nothing is eg 'flat'-except a lazer-and 50-100 fps make surprisingly little effective field differences.That said,under very benign conditions,a curved trajectory (all are) can be very consistent,and with accuracy,achieve an increased hit rate-but factor in a full WEZ analysis.....and closer to the truth emerges-small targets gets missed a bit.

" I can get to 980 yards" really becomes "yes,but where exactly,980 yards away consistently?' -six yard box,yes,football...much less often,....add 'tennis ball' and all rigs will fail...........:-)...world records are done once...not often.

 

But of course some of the fun may well be in trying to improve these rather well established wheels-though It's much more likely that radical innovations like fast twist/heavy bullets will cause a real stir-as it did with the 223rem (compare the 222,/223 rem mag,as commercially loaded. If anyone loves their 'flat shooting' standard 222rem -a sooper dooper little cartridge-then they are probably confusing 'over the moon',with being actually 'on the moon'..... gravity will not be denied;though velocity and BC can help a bit ;-)

 

g

[achosenman]

I take your point gbal. Factory offered loading is crucial.

 

That was instrumental in me going back to the 223. When I realised that factory 204 loads were not as fast as the hype, and therefore the claimed ballistics was wishful thinking. You run real world figures and discover that it drifts as much as the standard 50/55gn 22 without the advantage of being readily available, (that may have changed these days) and being lighter, bleeds energy quicker and at long range losses out to the 22's The advent of the heavy 22 bullets changed the game for me and gave a new leas of life to just about every 22 out there. I can feed factory fodder when pushed, or load VLD when I want to reach out there.

 

Ironically my go to fox round is an Amax 52gn running at an easy 3349fps. At night the ranges are no more than 300yds and I like a frangible bullet that bleeds energy

 

Re-inventing the wheel is good, it generates advancement / improvement. However sometimes the old calibre's just plain work.

 

Atb

[Xtrema]

.223 for me. I would probably prefer 22-250 but i wouldn't be able to use it at Bisley.

.260 Rem or any of the 6.5's would be handy for both fox and deer.

[southwest shooter]

One calibre only ?

223 hands down , eveyone stocks the ammo in oz.

from melbourne to the back of bourke !

[David will]

I don't think there is a bad cal for fox I have used 223, 243 and now use 22.250 as a dedicated fox NV rifle they all do the same job and do it well. I have also shot many foxes with a 22 lr and HMR when out clearing rabbits. If I were to choose just one the 243 is probably the most versatile.

[miki]

.22-250 with a good moderator (they are loud)

[thekeeper]

would have to be 204 for me great with nv seated on top

[JabaliHunter]

If you don’t reload:

.223 is probably your cheapest and best option; or .204 if you can get ammunition easily/cheaply where you are);

But if you reload:

TAC .20 or .20 Practical to use readily available .223 brass; or .20 PPC if you want to go the whole hog...

[welshwizard]

Another vote for .223,. Mine is good to 250yds without altering the scope - I boil my own and a 40 grain V max with N133 suits it perfectly.

Being a Remington it also seems happy with Privvi. Recently purchased a .17 hornet - turning out to be a better choice when going for rabbits and seeing fox again out to .223 ranges and beyond - without the carcass damage.

[Scrumbag]

I enjoy shooting my .223 but if only going for one rifle I'd go for .243 or 6.5x55 for use with deer if you choose at a later date

[onehole]

Recent experience,,,,not for me personally but a friend of mine could not get a 243 passed for "fox control" on its own. 243 as pointed out by his FEO was primarily a deer calibre and had his variation/application refused .....here we go,,,,,,,,,O?

[banus02]

243 its all you will ever need,plenty of factory cartridges from 55 to 105 for a standard 1in 10 twist.get your self a tikka super varmint/decent scope and thats it .good hunting.

[lapua]

4 hours ago, banus02 said:

243 its all you will ever need,plenty of factory cartridges from 55 to 105 for a standard 1in 10 twist.get your self a tikka super varmint/decent scope and thats it .good hunting.

10” wont shoot 105’s, you need 8” for them

[Tick]

.223 all day long

 

[Bob57]

On 1/30/2018 at 8:09 PM, thekeeper said:

would have to be 204 for me great with nv seated on top

I'll second that?

[Furyan]

17Hornet with 30grn pain Killers

[treetop]

Well, if I look in the cabinet & had to decide

Factory ammo - 6.5 creedmoor ( although I've never bought factory ammo) 

home load - .20 practical  ( cos they don't make factory ammo) 

 

 

[No i deer]

So it's a 20 impractical then lol

[17 Rem]

2 hours ago, No i deer said:

So it's a 20 impractical then lol

As an aside, can anyone think of a single Tactical application for the .20 Tactical?

[treetop]

2 hours ago, 17 Rem said:

As an aside, can anyone think of a single Tactical application for the .20 Tactical?

Hague Convention, and the Geneva Convention,  Makes it impossible to be used in that way, as its best used with an expanding bullet.

personally the 20 prac is easier & if you haven't shot one - don't try to knock it, until you have shot one ?

[Malxwal]

.223 or 22-250.

[onehole]

On 14 July 2018 at 3:19 PM, onehole said:

Recent experience,,,,not for me personally but a friend of mine could not get a 243 passed for "fox control" on its own. 243 as pointed out by his FEO was primarily a deer calibre and had his variation/application refused .....here we go,,,,,,,,,O?

Thought I would have gotten more response to this,,,,,has anyone gotten a 243 for fox,,,? If so what were the magic words for reason to acquire? Our FEO did not have a problem in shooting a fox with 243 whilst out deer hunting but pure fox control was refused. Anyone,,,,,,,

[llwynog]

I've used a 22-250 primarily on foxes for around 15 years. Really liked the round.

Just changed to a 6mm XC because I wanted a more usable deer rifle. As has been said before, longer ranges and wind kill the .22 CF. 

[Montey]

In replying to Onehole

the 243win is a wildcat cartridge and there for ideal for fox I used 95g noslers with night vision out to 300yards to good effect in my 243 RPA I  originally had the calibre of the target round with a long-term strategy of adding it to dear but as I progressed to an open ticket I then started to use it alongside my 22-250 and 223  it became the go to Fox round  as I've never had a runner even out 300 yards.

 Might be worth your friend joining  BASC  and getting them to argue the case as it should be a restriction due to safety grounds not overkill.

 I didn't have a large a acreage then hence target then dear 

[hunter686]

If you're not reloading I'd go to my local gun shop and see what they have most of In terms of ammo. The usual suspects will be 223, 22-250, 243 and so on. If you are only going to lamping ranges anything more than a cumshot will be sufficient. I'm a big advocate of the .204 but you will get far more offerings in .223 and it will give you a chance to diversify your rifle if you want to go bigger or smaller in terms of grain weight or game. Maby look into 1-8 or a 1-10 twist if you can get it. Gives you the option to stretch the legs if you start to get the notion for longer ranges.