Foxing calibre

[EddieArran505]

What NV are you using for foxes at 300yrds?

I use a DronePro10 with a Solaris SRX IR laser illuminator on a SAKO 75 in .243. I’ve seen foxes out to 650 yards on clear nights so far and have shot a few foxes out to around 300 yards with this. The Solaris is quite an advancement on my previous IR LED lamp. Longest successful fox shot was at 350 yards with .204 and conventional scope and Light Force lamp.

 

[25 Sharps]

Great if a fine Ret shows up. I have one on a 243 but no good on ordinary lamp. I've shot stuff at silly ranges many years ago, but the kit was exceptional as with the stuff the yanks use.

Modern higher end air rifle scopes are very at home with this sort of work, also with a digi NV add on.

 

[25 Sharps]

I use a DronePro10 with a Solaris SRX IR laser illuminator on a SAKO 75 in .243. I’ve seen foxes out to 650 yards on clear nights so far and have shot a few foxes out to around 300 yards with this. The Solaris is quite an advancement on my previous IR LED lamp. Longest successful fox shot was at 350 yards with .204 and conventional scope and Light Force lamp.

Yeah the Solaris is very good, have been able to see foxes at 500-600 clear enough to shoot but my shooting off sticks is not up to that!

 

[EddieArran505]

I tend to shoot off the bonnet or from a shooting chair in the back of my pick-up truck with foxes. My local land rarely offers safe shots much beyond around 300. Deer I also am mainly off sticks, usually a bipod, though I recently bought a set of ViperFlex quad sticks and though they are a bit more of a handful the accuracy is excellent. Hits within an inch of point of aim at 100 yards is no problem. I added the fifth leg just to see what difference it made and can hold rock steady at silly distances though have yet to use them in earnest - probably just get used for target practice with the fifth leg. I reckon with a bit of practice though they would do well on longer range foxes.

 

[JTO]

When you talk about 'cheap to run', you should consider barrel life when thinking other than .222.or .223.
How many shots would you be getting through? You could be looking at 50p a shot in barrel wear with some cartridges.

 

[Nick703]

That seems a bit unusual, an inch high at 100 takes you to 200, only 150 with mine. Mine also drops a hell of a lot more than 2 inches at 300.

Yeah, I think that’s a bit odd as even 58gr hornady drop about 5” at 300 yards when pushed pretty fast.

I use 58g hornady superformance,I’ve shot plenty at 300ish,cross at top of shoulders works for me

 

[JTO]

I use 58g hornady superformance,I’ve shot plenty at 300ish,cross at top of shoulders works for me

Last year I found a dead fox on my place that could only have been shot from the neighbouring farm at 300yrd over the top of a high hedge. When I asked what the chap over there used, it was 58gn superformance in a 243. 1-1/2 inches lower would have been a miss!

 

[Nick703]

Last year I found a dead fox on my place that could only have been shot from the neighbouring farm at 300yrd over the top of a high hedge. When I asked what the chap over there used, it was 58gn superformance in a 243. 1-1/2 inches lower would have been a miss!

I use superformance in both 223 and 243 both with drone pro,no hold over on either to 300 just top of shoulders

 

[gixer1]

I use 58g hornady superformance,I’ve shot plenty at 300ish,cross at top of shoulders works for me

Not saying you can’t - what I’m saying is there is more than 3” of drop at 300 yards!

 

[Free range rob]

I tend to shoot off the bonnet or from a shooting chair in the back of my pick-up truck with foxes. My local land rarely offers safe shots much beyond around 300. Deer I also am mainly off sticks, usually a bipod, though I recently bought a set of ViperFlex quad sticks and though they are a bit more of a handful the accuracy is excellent. Hits within an inch of point of aim at 100 yards is no problem. I added the fifth leg just to see what difference it made and can hold rock steady at silly distances though have yet to use them in earnest - probably just get used for target practice with the fifth leg. I reckon with a bit of practice though they would do well on longer range foxes.

I also use the viperflex and rate them as the most stable platform I’ve had. I use the 5th leg when sat up waiting for Charlie, but not for stalking on foot. I can sit the rifoe on them and walk away I’m that confident in them.
They become less of a faff the more you use them.

To the op.
222, 223, or. 243
Never shot the 22-250 so can’t really comment but fail to see what it would bring to the table the above can’t do.

222 is a good round, but not as available as the others, check what your rfd keeps in stock, if you intend to home load for this then it’s a case of finding a rifle you want/like/get on with.

223 would be excellent, not so Sure about the drops quoted in this thread though ! but very capable out to 300, 53gr VMAX, cant go wrong, cheap, accurate, reliable, deadly, Lots of choice rifle and ammo. Would be my no1 choice.

243, Same as above, a favourite Calibre of mine, load it down for fox or up for deer. A versatile Calibre.

or get a 6.5cm if your foxes are in the next county

 

[Nick703]

Not saying you can’t - what I’m saying is there is more than 3” of drop at 300 yards!

I’ll have to get a target out an see exactly what my 243 is doing but I’d guess 3-4 in drop

 

[User00025]

I use superformance in both 223 and 243 both with drone pro,no hold over on either to 300 just top of shoulders

Must have a hell of a magnification and fine crosshair to distinguish top of shoulders at 300.

 

[Nick703]

Must have a hell of a magnification and fine crosshair to distinguish top of shoulders at 300.

Drone pro 10x ,on both my 223 and 243

 

[DVS1]

Drone with IR laser is a seriously clear piece of kit at range

 

[Bowland blades]

Sorry, when I say flat I don’t mean zero it at 100 yards and it will be bang on at 300 but like the .243 I zero at an inch high at 100, bang on at 200 and only about 2 inch drop at 300! I’m trying to steer clear of another .243 as my local force don’t like giving 2 of the same calibre!

22-250 40 grn v max or a 20 ruger with an appropriate bullet will match 243 with a 55 grain trajectory wise thereabouts. However 300 yards at night when you can't see wind clues ? No chance ! 300 yards has a little to do with drop and wind can hardly ever be ignored
The idea of nv is to be close without being detected by you quarry personally I would go small, and quiet and keep those long shots for daylight when you can also see the backdrop area and the backstop is acceptable

 

[Xtrema]

I see no one has mentioned the venerable 220 Swift yet?

 

[Bowland blades]

I see no one has mentioned the venerable 220 Swift yet?

Is there a factory rifle produced today in swift? 22- 250 can almost match it with a longer barrel life and shorter action . Burns less powder , burns the barrel out much slower . Brass available in most shops and factory ammo , easier to moderate due to the lower fill and of course with the price of powder more economic .
This is just what happens to cartridges, they get bettered

 

[gr cz527]

hi jack, i currently use a .223. i have used the calibre for 10 years. its great for me personally as its low recoil with 55gr loads, never had any issues with it not having the omph to kill roe. ppu and powershok are my go to loads. i have paired it up recently with a sightmark wraith and pbir L and its a great combination.i Will need to change scope or get a separate rifle for roe and was thinking of a 22 250.

 

[NP435]

Agree on 400 but out to 300 is pretty achievable with modern kit. None of the variable scopes I use wouldn’t cover a fox at 400, think about all the Americans that shoot gophers out to silly ranges, they are smaller than a fox and don’t get obscures they just use a scope with a fine ret

Yes I am one of those fellows and a fine reticle sure helps, not that all of my rifles have one I tend to hold high not twirl my elevation knob so unless the shot is past 500
yds it works if I estimate the range correctly.

 

[welshwarrior]

I’ve gone full circle now and end up back at 222 with a dedicated nv scope. Loads of others did the job but where either this or that compared to my old 222 so I’ve gone back to where I should of stayed.