.243 bullets for fox? Deer not important.

[njc110381]

What bullets do you guys use for fox in your .243's? As much as I slate it as a deer round I think that as a foxing tool it probably takes some beating. I'm thinking of chopping in my .223 and getting one. No reason other than I fancy a change, but what I'm wondering is at what point the bullets start to become too light for calibre? You can get 55gr, but is that a little too light in the wind?

 

I sold a cut down .243 a while back and am now wishing I'd given it a longer try on the foxes. It only went because I was too tight to pay the £25 for my 7-08 variation!

[Beretta28g]

Remmington make a Priemier Accutip ballistic tip factory round. Not sure of the weight 55gns? i think.

 

Bloody lethal bullet and brilliant on foxes, also extremely accurate too.

 

Is this your 6th or 7th variation for this year lol?

Edited August 1, 2013 by Beretta28g

[njc110381]

Let me think.... I'm pretty sure I've only asked for the drilling this year? The Hornet was over a year ago and I haven't changed anything else recently? I'm selling my combi to a mate and pretty much need to think of something to fill the slot. I'm thinking of selling the .223 too so want something for serious foxing. The .17 is great for walking about when a shot doesn't matter but when I'm out in the lambs I prefer to smash them with something big enough to Texas them if needs must! At that time of year they just need to drop and that's that. No waiting for a shot to present sensibly!

[stan68]

Norma 75g vmax

[WGD]

Because I do use mine for deer I shoot everything with 100gn soft points (minimum for red). If I was using it exclusively for fox I would go 75 - 80gn. 55gn a little to light and flighty for me, very very fast but I tried some through mine and they wouldn't stabilise.

[pat g]

Norma 75g vmax

+1

[CharlieT]

75gr Vmax for me too.

Remember, it's got a better BC than the light ones and therefore bucks the wind better, which is, after all, the main plus of a 243 for foxing. Otherwise treat yourself to a .204 and shoot 39's.

[bornfree]

Reminton premier accutip 75g good price too £23

[al4x]

As said 75 vmax though I'm really liking the 58 at the moment, that is fast and flat 22-250 fast and flat. Really flattens things well, I use nv a lot and ranging with that is difficult, these are very much point and shoot

[tex2]

Reminton premier accutip 75g good price too £23

+1

[steve_b_wales]

I use 100 grn heads in my homeloads, or PRVI Partizan 100sp.

[njc110381]

Looking around there's a huge choice of bullet weights for this calibre. I don't want to buy too many different versions to try (if you think my changing guns is bad you should see how often I pointlessly change ammo!).

 

75gr sounds like a good weight and it would be sensible to have something to buck the wind. One of my most important foxing grounds is right on the top of a hill and really open. I've nearly been blown off of my feet there several times on bad nights!

 

Does anyone use a Berger Varminter of around that weight? They're my favourite bullet in the .223

[steyrman]

Nosler 90g Ballistic tip does it for me

[CharlieT]

Nosler 90g Ballistic tip does it for me

 

But he said for fox only. This is a thicker jacketed deer bullet, would it not be better to use a bullet with a thinner jacket giving a more violent expansion designed specifically for the job.

[njc110381]

That's what I'm after. I don't mind an exit wound but I like it to be fragments not big lumps of bonded bullet. Of course one should always assume that it will exit and have a decent backstop, but every little helps and something designed to fragment can only be a good thing as far as safety is concerned. Then of course there is the fact that the fox is much less likely to run on if you turn it's insides to mush.

 

A well shot fox should sound like a bag of lumpy soup when shaken. The more important bits there are slopping around in there the better! If all the bullet stays inside that's also a bonus.

[Peskyfoxs]

I like the 75gr Vmax, seem to hit hard and accurate in mine. My howa doesn't like anything above 90gr if I want sub 1" groups

[al4x]

58 vmax you will like then you can shake them and they rattle well, often not exiting, 75 seem ok in mine but not great but I don't send them that fast at the moment. I'll probably have another go with them but go on other load data and pressure signs rather than hogdon who seem to be very low on charge.

[Beretta28g]

What about a barnes Varmint grenade if you like mess?

[deputy dog]

Norma 75g vmax

+1 with the above, brilliant round.

[Guest stevo]

if you want it just for fox why not try the king of the fox rounds ...... the Remington 220 swift , also great for Roe across the border as well .

 

regards stevo

[njc110381]

I'm not sure about the big .22's. I suppose it's just because if I do see a roe in the late evening on my way out foxing I know I can legally shoot it with the .243. Even if using a badly suited bullet a head/neck shot will drop it. I've seen a lot of deer and the land owner says I can take them, but I always have either the .17 or the .223 with me. As much as the latter with a 55gr bullet will drop a roe stone dead and there are no moral reasons not to take them, the law gets in the way.

 

I've spent some time getting velocities and BC's and entering them into a calculator. I know the results are to be taken as a guide but the 65gr V-Max looks very good for both windage and drop - about .3" worse than the 75gr for wind but 2"+ less drop at 300. To really buck the wind the 87gr looks good, a whole inch less wind than any of the others I compared it with but with 3" more drop than the 65's.

 

A big decider is that my local shop has 15 boxes of 87gr V-Max. It seems someone else, or perhaps several other people use them. A regular and easy supply is a real advantage.

[al4x]

The 87 is meant to be a pretty good deer bullet as well

[njc110381]

That's that then. I'll go lighter. If it's a good deer bullet it's not going to be perfect for foxing. The 75gr seems to be the choice of many so although the 65 looks pretty smart on paper I think I'm going to go with the majority. Time to get that variation in.

 

Now I need to decide whether to buy a Howa or a CZ550? The Howa has the option of the mag kit to be fitted and is stainless/synthetic. It can also have a ten round mag which I was going on about a while ago. The CZ, well I just like CZ's because they're well made and it already has a drop mag. 4 round I think?

[CharlieT]

 

Now I need to decide whether to buy a Howa or a CZ550? The Howa has the option of the mag kit to be fitted and is stainless/synthetic. It can also have a ten round mag which I was going on about a while ago. The CZ, well I just like CZ's because they're well made and it already has a drop mag. 4 round I think?

 

I bought a CZ (Bruno) in .243 about 35 years ago and had it for around 10 years. Super rifle, accurate and robust. I have a Howa stainless in .204 with a laminated stock which I've had for 6 or 7 years now, I absolutely love it, it shoots well and is extremely well made, far better than my Remington. A bit on the heavy side compared to say a Tikka T3 but of equal, if not better, manufacturing quality. One day I may be tempted to put it in a good quality light weight composite stock

For me the Howa would be the one to go for.

[njc110381]

Thanks Charlie - just the sort of feedback I was looking for. The last time I looked at a Howa I can't remember seeing any plastic parts? That's something that really bugs me with modern rifles as a lot of them have plastic bolt shrouds, trigger guards etc. I like metal - it's hard and tends to last.

 

I'm currently looking at a 20" fluted Howa. I'm thinking that should help cool the gun down a bit and also shed some weight. I agree with what you're saying about them being a bit on the heavy side. Even this short fluted model is 7lb 2oz bare!