abvice needed on foxing?

[roedeerred]

hope the farmer is paying you well if you can afford another rifle on the strength of it. As others have said Dead is dead.you have to get used to another rifle etc etc why waste an oppertunity to practise more with the 243 ever hear the saying"practice makes Perfect"
Over the years I have seen too many people with loads of rifles and yet cannot shoot accuratly with them stick to the 243:!:

 

[DC .270]

I would suggest that the .243 is an excellent foxing rifle and that there's no need for a change. A lighter bullet may suit your needs.

More essentially for foxing, and the only advice that I offer is that as soon as you get the thing in the scope: get the corsshairs on the chest/shoulder and squeeze the trigger. Don't wait for a 'perfect shot' to present itself, and don't get too fancy aiming for the head/ neck. Just get them on the deck!

DC

 

[Cyres]

Agree with most comments, would go for a lighter ballistic tip, just put it in the middle and no problems. I have both .223 and .243 and always use the .223 (60gn Vmax) for fox work. Much more precise tool, providing I do my bit.

We have been shooting the foxes on two big free range units for years, and the foxs will soon wise up. Also they will become very lamp shy even if you have not shot and missed. So best thing is to shoot only the ones you a certain to kill. They will also get very clued up on your routine, so it helps to change what and when you visit. The slightest noise eg metal gate catch will be enough to spook them.

We never found early am stake outs productive, evening better. Sometimes a very quiet walk out is productive. Helps if when lamping you have a very good lamper/shooter, sometimes its light on and bang, anything more and the fox will go.

NV can be very usefull, but advise you get to see some working in live scenario before you purchase.

Good luck, your just about to learn a lot!!

D

Remember if the hens are free range it only takes a fox a minute to be in and out, and thats him/her fed for the day.

 

[mereside]

the farm i look after has 1500 chickens the sheds have automated popups to let the chickens out and back in on a night all my foxes come in daylight as no chickens available after lights out i have shot foxes inside the pens craftey buggers can scale a 1.5 mtr fence easy i have a long ladder on the gable end of the shed with a seat at the top to see from all angles 7pm is there favourite time to come calling i am going to get a camera set up to see how the scale the fence .my foxing rifle is a 270 and for me its perfect usually with 130 grains but going to try the 100 vmax ,atb wayne

 

[MrYou]

If you re-load consider a 22Hornet to 150yds , cheep as it comes with 9gr powder ! ( fox size of a natt at this distance) they are superb !! Ask the 50+ i done this year

 

[finnbear270]

I always understood the .243 was originally intended/designed, for Fox / Coyote, primarily.

 

[Hw60sniper]

Ive just loaded some 55gr ballistic tips for my 243 and theres only 6 clicks of a difference between that and my 80's so no problem when swapping from deer to fox rounds .Having said that never had any foxes coplaining after being shot with 80's or 100's.

 

[crouch valley]

Ive never had a problem with 70g noslers through my 243 its always the fox that has the problem. Stick with it mate

 

[pete]

i found with my 243, 100grn soft point did not bring foxes down on the spot, i am shooting hornaday 95grn sst these have a balistic tip and work very well. Shot two foxes last week straight down on the spot and they are very accurate through my sako. personaly on lamps i love the clulite clubman lamps never had problems with them, and all my shooting palls and farmers have them i think there the best thing since sliced bread !! i would recomend some foxing books for all your basics like robert bucknells books the rest will come with experence. happy foxing

 

[marshall]

Thanks for all the replys

Think i'll keep using the 243 until i find a second hand 223, will use BT's in the 223.
then i'll have 1 gun for roe and 1 for foxes.

 

[dean]

I agree with most here .243 does the job lovely but if your set on another toy look at a .22-250..

cant beat the 2 mentioned i have both shoot foxes and deer with both

 

[W16OEN]

243 will do everything a 22-250 can do and more - death laser. 55gr upto and beyond 100gr, calibre and round for most species. Save your money and introduce charlie to some Vmax's

 

[Crow Man]

I use a .204 with 40gr V max. 4 inch drop over 300 yrds, it's like a bomb has gone off inside with no exit wound!!!!

 

[Paul at Fechan]

55gr from a .243 starts off with a greater diameter so it's that edge better that 22-250 at the same velocity??

 

[finnbear270]

For our foxing we will use .17 Rem, .223Rem, 22-250,25.06............ don't have a .243 since late 90's, but never noticed any difference, when they were stretched out using one, we limit our nightime range to a max of 300yds, dependent on weather conditions, had two nice condition Vixens (this years) last night, one @ 200 using .223 40 gn Noslers, the second @ 220, with 22-250, not sure what Mike was feeding his rifle.