New Foxing Rifle (Dedicated Thermal) - Looking for Input

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UpNorthMI

UpNorthMI

Well-Known Member
It's been a while since I've been in the market for a foxing rifle, my trusty Ruger M77 MK II Stainless in .243 doubled as a smaller deer and fox gun since 1987! My needs have changed and so have a lot of other things over the last few decades. Most of my shooting is shorter ranges, I don't need the big bang of a .243 or .22-250. I'm not prepared to go down to a .17HMR.

I've been thinking about what I consider to be important in my next rifle:

  • Caliber - .223 - shooting 50-55gn bullets
  • Synthetic Stock - It will get some abuse
  • Barrel Length - 20 inch or shorter
  • Threaded Barrel - short mod to be used
  • Weight - Lighter 6lb or under
  • Accuracy - 200M and under
  • Picatinny Rail - Dedicated Pulsar Talion (not ring mount)

Budget is not a key factor in the decision.

One of my concerns in .223 is that the twists on newer rifles seems to be in the 1 in 8 or 7 inches and are designed for heavier bullet use. Should I be looking at heavier bullets for fox?

Ideally I will be able to find a rifle off the shelf that meets my needs, I guess if I have to I may look to have a barrel cut down and re threated I may consider that. I currently have a very nice CZ527 in .223 but it has a very nice wood stock, long barrel and I added a one piece picatinny rail which has certainly stacked some height onto the scope position. The pulsar Talion has quite a chunky base mount too, not sure if I would have been better off with a regular tube and rings mount setup. Anyway looking, lighter, shorter, compact etc.

I liked the look of the CZ 600 Alpha but their barrel length is a little long, Tikka lite is an option but barrel is too long and no thread, Ruger American Gen II Ranch may fit the bill, 16.5" threaded barrel, I'm out of touch with what else is out there.

Any input on my next rifle?
 
It might be boring but you won’t go wrong with a tikka t3/t3x
I have 1-12 twist my cousin has 1-8 twist and both shoot sub Moa with 55 gn vmax. Only let down on the tikka is the magazine with the 223. The lips wear and a replacement magazine with steel lips are about £75
 
Seems that Tikka is well liked.

I split my time between the US and the UK, just realizing that the UK Tikka product offering is very different from what the US product offering is! One of my goals was to have the same rifle both sides of the pond for UK fox use and US Coyote use. It's a strange world, the UK offerings are defiantly better!
 
Last edited:
schmeiser .223 16inch barrel 1 in 9 twist very accurate nice and compact , I use a ase sl5i moderator and I comes with a 10 shot mag
 

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Tim1989 said:
schmeiser .223 16inch barrel 1 in 9 twist very accurate nice and compact , I use a ase sl5i moderator and I comes with a 10 shot mag
Click to expand...
That looks quite the rig, I had to look it up but it has great reviews. I think I'm sticking with the more traditional look for UK foxing. I do own a number of black rifles in the US. Now Texas Hog shooting is another thing, a centerfire semi is a real need.
 
UpNorthMI said:
I liked the look of the CZ 600 Alpha but their barrel length is a little long, Tikka lite is an option but barrel is too long and no thread, Ruger American Gen II Ranch may fit the bill, 16.5" threaded barrel, I'm out of touch with what else is out there.

Any input on my next rifle?
Click to expand...
I've just ordered a Bergara Stoke .223 with a 16.5" inch 1 in 9.

Dropping into a Vision Hybrid Chassis with a folding stock. Short and light 👌
 
jcalleja91 said:
I've just ordered a Bergara Stoke .223 with a 16.5" inch 1 in 9.

Dropping into a Vision Hybrid Chassis with a folding stock. Short and light 👌
Click to expand...
I really like the look of that Bergara Stoke rifle, did they give you a delivery estimate, seems like a .223 is a special order. That rifle fits all of the points I’m looking for.
 
It does have quite a short length of pull which is obviously its USP.

At 6ft2 I thought it was just about useable with the spacers... but as a donor barrel and action for a custom chassis/stock its PERFECT! Especially at £700-800.

Mine arrives in April through Jackal Firearms and my chassis from Spartan Refinishing will probably be here before that.
 
UpNorthMI said:
It's been a while since I've been in the market for a foxing rifle, my trusty Ruger M77 MK II Stainless in .243 doubled as a smaller deer and fox gun since 1987! My needs have changed and so have a lot of other things over the last few decades. Most of my shooting is shorter ranges, I don't need the big bang of a .243 or .22-250. I'm not prepared to go down to a .17HMR.

I've been thinking about what I consider to be important in my next rifle:

  • Caliber - .223 - shooting 50-55gn bullets
  • Synthetic Stock - It will get some abuse
  • Barrel Length - 20 inch or shorter
  • Threaded Barrel - short mod to be used
  • Weight - Lighter 6lb or under
  • Accuracy - 200M and under
  • Picatinny Rail - Dedicated Pulsar Talion (not ring mount)

Budget is not a key factor in the decision.

One of my concerns in .223 is that the twists on newer rifles seems to be in the 1 in 8 or 7 inches and are designed for heavier bullet use. Should I be looking at heavier bullets for fox?

Ideally I will be able to find a rifle off the shelf that meets my needs, I guess if I have to I may look to have a barrel cut down and re threated I may consider that. I currently have a very nice CZ527 in .223 but it has a very nice wood stock, long barrel and I added a one piece picatinny rail which has certainly stacked some height onto the scope position. The pulsar Talion has quite a chunky base mount too, not sure if I would have been better off with a regular tube and rings mount setup. Anyway looking, lighter, shorter, compact etc.

I liked the look of the CZ 600 Alpha but their barrel length is a little long, Tikka lite is an option but barrel is too long and no thread, Ruger American Gen II Ranch may fit the bill, 16.5" threaded barrel, I'm out of touch with what else is out there.

Any input on my next rifle?
Click to expand...
Faster twist rates in 223 will and do shoot 50 grain lead etc just fine ! You cant really over spin a bullet unless you drive the velocity right up there ! Thing is if lead goes as its almost certainly going to you might end up foxing with copper . Now this is what i am finding with my 1-12 223 . 1. its teetering on the edge of balancing 50 grain copper 2. I have had failures to expand correctly in small deer species as the velocity slips back ( even within 200 yards ). Trying different brands currently . My plan was always to re-barrel the 223 with a 1-8 , its hard to over spin a bullet but easy to under spin one !
 
UpNorthMI said:
It's been a while since I've been in the market for a foxing rifle, my trusty Ruger M77 MK II Stainless in .243 doubled as a smaller deer and fox gun since 1987! My needs have changed and so have a lot of other things over the last few decades. Most of my shooting is shorter ranges, I don't need the big bang of a .243 or .22-250. I'm not prepared to go down to a .17HMR.

I've been thinking about what I consider to be important in my next rifle:

  • Caliber - .223 - shooting 50-55gn bullets
  • Synthetic Stock - It will get some abuse
  • Barrel Length - 20 inch or shorter
  • Threaded Barrel - short mod to be used
  • Weight - Lighter 6lb or under
  • Accuracy - 200M and under
  • Picatinny Rail - Dedicated Pulsar Talion (not ring mount)

Budget is not a key factor in the decision.

One of my concerns in .223 is that the twists on newer rifles seems to be in the 1 in 8 or 7 inches and are designed for heavier bullet use. Should I be looking at heavier bullets for fox?

Ideally I will be able to find a rifle off the shelf that meets my needs, I guess if I have to I may look to have a barrel cut down and re threated I may consider that. I currently have a very nice CZ527 in .223 but it has a very nice wood stock, long barrel and I added a one piece picatinny rail which has certainly stacked some height onto the scope position. The pulsar Talion has quite a chunky base mount too, not sure if I would have been better off with a regular tube and rings mount setup. Anyway looking, lighter, shorter, compact etc.

I liked the look of the CZ 600 Alpha but their barrel length is a little long, Tikka lite is an option but barrel is too long and no thread, Ruger American Gen II Ranch may fit the bill, 16.5" threaded barrel, I'm out of touch with what else is out there.

Any input on my next rifle?
Click to expand...
.22 ARC?

Seems like a fun new one. If Hornady’s marketing is to be believed, it’s explicitly designed for exactly what you want and behaves more or less like a .22-250 but in an AR compatible cartridge.
 
May be boring but Tikka's do the job well. Mine is a laminate stainless .223 , 1:12, plus Thermion XQ and it loves 40 - 55 gr.
Very accurate and I've settled on 40gr Vmax reloads as my Fox round out to 250yds.
 
UpNorthMI said:
  • Caliber - .223 - shooting 50-55gn bullets
  • Synthetic Stock - It will get some abuse
  • Barrel Length - 20 inch or shorter
  • Threaded Barrel - short mod to be used
  • Weight - Lighter 6lb or under
  • Accuracy - 200M and under
Click to expand...
I think you are describing the mighty Tikka T3X here..
Just to add they are modestly priced, and they do what is said on the box, you won't go wrong with one.
Mine is the ultra boring T3X Lite in blued/synthetic... funny thing is it's the CF rifle that I pick up the most.
 
Bo Diddley said:
I think you are describing the mighty Tikka T3X here..
Just to add they are modestly priced, and they do what is said on the box, you won't go wrong with one.
Mine is the ultra boring T3X Lite in blued/synthetic... funny thing is it's the CF rifle that I pick up the most.
Click to expand...
Or Howa 1500 and cheaper😁
 
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