243 Ammunition for Foxing

[georgedoubleyou]

Hi All,

I'm after a bit of advice please. Some of you may have seen a few posts from me in the past about foxing. I've been doing it for a couple of months now and I've had a good few in that time, but I'm clearly still a complete novice. I'm using a 243 with 75gr Hornady V-Max which just happened to be the ammo I got with the rifle when I bought it.
Does anyone have any suggestions on ammunition for foxing please? I respect these magnificent creatures so much, and whilst I appreciate it no more or no less dead than if I shot it in the right place with a 223/222, I dont like to see the poor things vaporised (Which I'm sure most of you can imagine I'm doing with the ammunition I'm using.)
Thanks in advance

 

[Bo Diddley]

I wouldn't worry too much mate, if I were to be shot I'd rather it was with something big and vaporised.
I use 60-grain Vmax out of my .223.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Not sure what your after here
You have a round that is awesome on fox but you want it less dead ?

Dead but slightly neater ?
I’d suggest you learn to dislike foxes .

 

[georgedoubleyou]

Not sure what your after here
You have a round that is awesome on fox but you want it less dead ?

Dead but slightly neater ?
I’d suggest you learn to dislike foxes .

I feel I was quite clear about what I was after. An effective round that isn't chopping them in half. If the answer to that is "you're better off carrying on as you are with the knowledge that they aren't going anywhere" then fair enough but it's comments like his that let the fieldsports community down. People that shoot things out of hatred aren't true country folk and play right into the hands of the anti-shooting community

 

[georgedoubleyou]

I wouldn't worry too much mate, if I were to be shot I'd rather it was with something big and vaporised.
I use 60-grain Vmax out of my .223.

Thank you for the sensible response

 

[6mmAI]

Hi All,

I'm after a bit of advice please. Some of you may have seen a few posts from me in the past about foxing. I've been doing it for a couple of months now and I've had a good few in that time, but I'm clearly still a complete novice. I'm using a 243 with 75gr Hornady V-Max which just happened to be the ammo I got with the rifle when I bought it.
Does anyone have any suggestions on ammunition for foxing please? I respect these magnificent creatures so much, and whilst I appreciate it no more or no less dead than if I shot it in the right place with a 223/222, I dont like to see the poor things vaporised (Which I'm sure most of you can imagine I'm doing with the ammunition I'm using.)
Thanks in advance

Personally I’d rather see them with a large hole in the side than shot with a smaller calibre and run,

I use a 6mmAI pushing a 87gr v-max @3670 fps, it strikes with some clout, I’ve shot somewhere in around 3000 foxes with that bullet over the last 7 years, and only had 3 run, 2 I found within 10yards, one I didn’t pick unfortunately.
I also had a 204 briefly, I had a lot of foxes run after being shot. Same with my 222, it’s a very capable round, but nowhere near as forgiving if strike isn’t 100% in the correct place.

Now for me I’d stick to what you’ve got, as I’d much rather pick what I’ve shot than it run and I loose it in cover.

 

[Cyres]

75 v max is excellent choice. Stick with it.
D

 

[The Grouse]

Anything designed with "varmint" in mind is likely going to get a bit messy. I use the same VMax in my .243 for fox, sometimes it's clean, sometimes it's not. just depends on what it hits on the way through.

22.250 pretty much the same, sometimes a bag of fox soup, sometimes a horror show.

If you really want to reduce the horror show then you could switch out for a soft nose like a 90g Sako Gamehead. It will do less bloody damage, but you stand the chance of more runners. You need to decide which is more important, a mangled but humanely killed fox or a more or less intact but injured and dying in a hedge fox.

 

[Rake Aboot]

I feel I was quite clear about what I was after. An effective round that isn't chopping them in half. If the answer to that is "you're better off carrying on as you are with the knowledge that they aren't going anywhere" then fair enough but it's comments like his that let the fieldsports community down. People that shoot things out of hatred aren't true country folk and play right into the hands of the anti-shooting community

That’s possibly the most precious answer I’ve read in ages .

I think I’m pretty entitled to answer what appeared to be a nonsensical question with a quizzical reply but if you feel that strongly about it I’ll leave you to crack on.

 

[VSS]

I use Hornady 58 grain superperformance V-max in .243 for foxes. I don't find them unacceptably messy.
It's the same rounds I use for head shooting park fallow. I think they're pretty awesome. Very accurate. At almost 4,000 fps you don't have to worry too much about bullet drop within sensible distances.

 

[75]

I'm with @Rake Aboot on this one and a little bemused by the question. Dead is dead and a big hole = dead faster. The most respect you can show for a fox is to ensure a quick death rather than chasing a solution that leaves an unmarked carcass. That route will only lead to more runners.

 

[Warbucks]

Hi Georedoubleyo'
I've done over 2500 foxes in the last 15 years, i judge how well a foxing round works by how well it drops the fox on the spot, not the outside damage to the fox, choose how well your shot placement is, you will still get the "odd" runner, if your getting more than the odd runner and your shot placement is ok then the round isn't dumping enough of its energy into the fox.
The Hornady range of v-max bullets are very good, i personally use home loaded 58g v-max, and i've found nothing to beat them.
If your using factory amo you can try the different weights of v-max, or ballistic tips but if your not going to re-load them you need the one's that group best in your rifle.

Dave (warbucks)

 

[The Singing Stalker]

Your priority is to kill the animal quickly and efficiently, ensure that it is not wounded and able to run away and die a slow and painful death.
Then dispose of it in the correct manner so it isn’t left out in the field for people to find.

You have a round that does that. Stick with it. Antis will be antis, and if they find a wounded animal then that will be even worse.

 

[Heym SR20]

I have shot quite a good number of foxes with normal deer bullets. In the past with a cup and core softpoint, these days with monolithics.

Provided I have put the bullet in the right place they have all died very quickly. Some have taken a run, others dead on the spot. Same result whether its 223, 243 or 7mm.

 

[georgedoubleyou]

Thanks all, the general consensus appears to be that I should carry on with what I'm using and that the lighter I go in terms of ammunition, the higher the chance I have of a runner. Which, of course, is not what I want.

 

[Cyres]

I have had more runners with .243 than .204.
204 dumps all energy on target where as 75vmax will exit.
If you use a heavier soft nose absolutely certain it will exit so the chance the bullet will go a long way if no big back stop. A lot depends on your ground and topography. Also are you shooting of sticks or truck?
D

 

[georgedoubleyou]

That’s possibly the most precious answer I’ve read in ages .

I think I’m pretty entitled to answer what appeared to be a nonsensical question with a quizzical reply but if you feel that strongly about it I’ll leave you to crack on.

You absolutely are entitled to answer. And not understanding the question is perfectly reasonable.

I just dont share the same sentiment of "learning to dislike" my quarry regardless of whether its a fox, pheasant, pigeon, rat etc. It is in fact something I feel strongly about as I feel that attitude is not a good look for the field sports community and it's impossible to defend. At a time when shooting in all forms is under such scrutiny, it can feel like a bit of an own goal. The shooting community always has and continues to be ints own worst enemy. I'd imagine I'm not going to convince you to adopt my attitude to killing, and you most certainly wont convince me to adopt yours. So, as you mentioned, I'll crack on and I'll leave you to do the same.

 

[georgedoubleyou]

I have had more runners with .243 than .204.
204 dumps all energy on target where as 75vmax will exit.
If you use a heavier soft nose absolutely certain it will exit so the chance the bullet will go a long way if no big back stop. A lot depends on your ground and topography. Also are you shooting of sticks or truck?
D

High seats mainly. There have been a few occasions where I have just been on a camping chair and shooting off of sticks however, I've only shot in this way when there has been a suitable backstop.

 

[75]

the lighter I go in terms of ammunition, the higher the chance I have of a runner.

I don't recall seeing that posted anywhere in this thread. Light and fast out of a 243 will kill foxes, probably more explosive than slow and heavy. In general, you are more likely to have a runner with a pass-through on a heavy, slow bullet designed for thick skinned game than with a varmint round. But with everything, shot placement it the critical factor.

 

[georgedoubleyou]

I don't recall seeing that posted anywhere in this thread. Light and fast out of a 243 will kill foxes, probably more explosive than slow and heavy. In general, you are more likely to have a runner with a pass-through on a heavy, slow bullet designed for thick skinned game than with a varmint round. But with everything, shot placement it the critical factor.

That's possibly me misinterpreting and not being clear on my point. There was a comment saying that he'd had runners with lighter calibres but not so much with a heavier hitting 243. and almost everyone else, including yourself, has suggested I keep shooting them with the round I'm using because although they make a bit of a mess, they don't tend to get too far.