.243 Reloading - Recommended bullets for Fox?

[ade343]

I have been reloading 6.5CM and am thinking of doing the same with .243 which I mainly use for foxing at the moment. I have some RL-17 and Viht N-150 powder that I may use but am wondering what bullets people are finding good for foxing in .243?

 

[Tikka_prs]

Sierra blitzking 70gr are devastating on foxes.

 

[andychas]

I use 87gn Vmax for foxes over N160, very accurate and effective in my Tikka 595

 

[BLUEROLL]

I use the Sierra 85gr BTHP Gameking and it does well on all my local deer (Roe & Fallow) and Fox.

 

[Brno2e]

I use the Sierra 85gr BTHP Gameking and it does well on all my local deer (Roe & Fallow) and Fox.

As above, one load fits deer and fox use south of the border without the need to re zero or muck about. It's an excellent choice.

 

[W33 tam]

I use n140 with Nosler 70g bt

 

[G4ZZ]

I’m trying to work a load up with N140 and 55grn Blitzking

 

[243varmint]

70gr Blitzking. Awesome foxing bullet.

 

[1894]

It does rather depend how you're trying to shoot them.
Flat ground, lamp, max expansion, minimal pass through/ricochet = hornady 58gr Vmax
Longer range, increased terminal energy, reduced wind drift = hornady 87gr Vmax
These are opposite ends of the spectrum - in between is something like a 70gr ballistic tip.

 

[J o h n]

58grain vmax, at 3800fps I find ideal. Very often doesn't exit and dumps all its energy in to the fox. Generally just point and shoot within sensible ranges.

Another bonus is that rapidly fragments and the likelihood of ricochet's and greatly reduced.

 

[Acm]

I’ve recently been using Berger vld hunting to good effect. But at full price they are an expensive foxing bullet

 

[Hornet]

I like the Sierra 80gn blitz, drops them in their tracks, and is also a decent deer bullet, certainly on the smaller deer I have used it on, also love the Nosler 95gn ballistic tips, while not a varmint bullet, it certainly works very well on foxes too, I certainly haven't had any complain

 

[The Singing Stalker]

If you are going to shoot deer as well as foxes with the 243 then go for a heavier bullet, if you are only going to use it on fox's then I would go for the 56 grain Vmax or similar.

 

[camo304]

R17 with 55gr SBK work very well.

 

[Sonicdmb73]

I used 55 blitz king, 58, 75 and 87 Vmax and some other soft points etc.
My thoughts based on experience of many foxes with the above is
The 55’s and 58’s work well and as previously mentioned suit Lamping in particular being both fairly flat with very good terminal performance.
the 75’s make a good compromise between the light and heavy bullets mentioned. Performance is better in the wind but you still get good terminal performance.
The 87’s were the ultimate if you’re shooting over very windy ground. However I did have a few cases of them pencilling through. Always on foxes that were not aware of my presence. The foxes were all dead on the spot but it is something to bear in mind.
In summary over 250/300 yards 58 Vmax is hard to beat.
Very windy or consistently long shots then the 87’s would be my choice.

 

[mickyfinn]

Have tried the 65g and 75g Vmax and 87gn Vmax for foxes, and stuck with the 87s accurate and effective.

 

[ade343]

Gents, thank you for your recommendations.