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.223 for rabbits?


spandit
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Took my .223 out on a new permission tonight as was after fox and hoping for muntjac. Didn't see either and my mate (who apparently did see a fox) wanted to call it a night after not bagging any rabbits with his .22LR. I'd been watching a group of about 5 bunnies but the light was getting so dim, I had to lamp them. The shot echoed around for miles, it seems, which must have ****** a few people off ::o

 

The rabbit was pretty messed up but for pest control the round (55gr VMax) was certainly effective. Thinking it was a bit overkill for a bunny and noisy too. Wondered if anyone else uses theirs as a varmint gun, which seems to be the predominant use in the States?

Edited by spandit
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It makes as good a rabbit gun as any out to 200 yards even more if you get the speed down to under 3000 fps and select a slightly less frangible bullet ( speaking in terms of stuff worth eating)

 

Other than that it just kills them to much to bother

 

Lots of download info on the Web for the Americans also like to shoot edibles in season

 

I am a firm believer in the smaller centrefire for rabbits beyond the 22 rf

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It's not unbearably loud but at night when everything is very still & quiet, even an HMR would seem deafening. Great shame that the mod ruins the balance of an otherwise light rifle. I think next time I use it I'll fit the bipod although shooting from quad sticks is pretty stable

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The first time I was lamping with a 223 moderated i coulnt belive how quiet it was. When I fitted the t 12 scout mae on my hornet I though why fid I ever bother with hmr

 

Been trying to pick up the courage to shorten the hornet back for a few years so I might just put some lead in the butt to take away any front end tip

 

All the common 22 cf are great bunny guns

Perhaps not the swift as the case is a bit big for good lower power loads?

The first time I was lamping with a 223 moderated i coulnt belive how quiet it was. When I fitted the t 12 scout mae on my hornet I though why fid I ever bother with hmr

 

Been trying to pick up the courage to shorten the hornet back for a few years so I might just put some lead in the butt to take away any front end tip

 

All the common 22 cf are great bunny guns

Perhaps not the swift as the case is a bit big for good lower power loads?

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ive a 223 but also a .22lr ,17hmr i see as this when im out with .22 its rabbits and short range fox,17 hmr rabbits and medium range fox ,223 fox short to long , rabbits from short to long and its not much more cost for me than a hmr round as i home load, granted if there not headshots there fit only for fox bait or the larsen trap and find mine lot quieter than hmr

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There can be very few situations where a .223 is actually first choice on bunnies, but I have used mine on a few occasions for the job. As far as I can recall it was only ever when after something else and bunny turned up.

 

.223 V-Max V rabbit is a very unequal contest, I have one picture in particular which shows how unequal it really is.

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