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Question is there a rifle that will do both for foxes and rabbits?


murph3010murph
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Question, is there a rifle that will do both for foxes and rabbits? I was wondering and i think i know the answer is no. I have seen the arguments over the 17hmr. But i am hopping to make myself more useful on permissions in the future and at this point i can only offer pest control with shotgun and 22 air rifle. But should i get a farmer needing rabbit and fox control i would very much like to get into rifles but then i would potentially want to sell the air rifle. 

 

Anyway as i said im guessing its a no to the question but thought i would ask.

thanks

murph

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Have shot both, with both a 22lr and HMR. 22lr with HV ammo used to deal well with foxes upto 100yds or so, have used the HMR up to similar ranges but you just have to be a bit more sure of a head or square on boiler room shot. By comparison the 223 with ballistic tips knocks big enough lumps out that a shot generally in the right area will stop a fox in its tracks. 

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 Any small calibre centrefire from 223 down. Realistically if you’re going to be eating them once you get out of rimfire territory you only want to be head shooting, even with the hmr you want to shoot them in the head because the bullets do a great job of killing them but are so explosive they frequently end up sneaking through the diaphragm and making a nasty green mess inside. If you just want to kill them then you could go bigger. 243 covers a multitude of sins but unless you reload it’s a bit pricey for eviscerating rabbits. But is a great fox killer. 

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All great replies I was thinkng the 17hmr because it does seem a good all rounder. I will look into the hornet too when the time comes.  I have read on here and in replies here I might struggle for a centre fire to start with. I think after some time I would go for a 223 as well but I just wanted to get an idea of people's thoughts so if and when I get a farmer asking me to deal with foxes I will tell him I will do my best with shotgun and squeaking them in but if he was happy to speak to the firearms debt I would be happy to invest in a rifle. I' hoping having my shotgun licence for over ten years helps. 

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7 hours ago, Brad93 said:

I’ve used my HMR on Fox. Less than 100 yards head shot is perfect. 

Bear in mind you might not get a centrefire granted straight away. 

another vote for hmr here. i do most of my fox shooting with 243 but the little round used at sensible is certainly up to the job of close fox control and rabbits. a good rifle to set you on your firearms journey

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2 hours ago, bumpy22 said:

another vote for hmr here. i do most of my fox shooting with 243 but the little round used at sensible is certainly up to the job of close fox control and rabbits. a good rifle to set you on your firearms journey

Got to start somewhere thanks i thought it might be. whats people thoughts on a second hand rife?

Edited by murph3010murph
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Lots of talk on here of head shots on fox. It's a very risky and I think mostly unnecessary choice of shot. The best of us can miss and a misplaced head shot could easily lead to a fox without a jaw. A boiler room shot is a bigger target and the HMR will easily take down a fox with such a shot at up to 100yds side on.

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I'd say the hmr is the best all rounder , if I thought about picking up just one rifles for a nights shooting then it covers all bases.

it has limitations for fox but you can work within these.

its cheaper than centre fire if you can't be bothered with reloading , it's relatively safe from a ricochet perspective and not as loud as most centre fire.

 

whatever you do though don't get rid of your air rifle, you'll always needs it.

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5 hours ago, murph3010murph said:

Got to start somewhere thanks i thought it might be. whats people thoughts on a second hand rife?

I bought a 2nd hand 17HMR CZ 452 varmint and its a fantastic rifle. 

Brilliant on the rabbits and the odd fox or 2. Very accurate rifle for the money.

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most rifles rust out well before they are shot out

even then don't discount a patchy bore as one that doesn't shoot

Stock interference is significantly more damaging to accuracy than a few rust spots in the bore

 

.22 Hornet, .17hornet, 17 rem all good rounds. - make sure you can feed them affordably

.22WMR is a most useful round and accounted for literally hundreds of foxes personally until I started reloading for .222

 

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11 hours ago, oowee said:

Lots of talk on here of head shots on fox. It's a very risky and I think mostly unnecessary choice of shot. The best of us can miss and a misplaced head shot could easily lead to a fox without a jaw. A boiler room shot is a bigger target and the HMR will easily take down a fox with such a shot at up to 100yds side on.

Good to know I would prefer this option if possible 

9 hours ago, bumpy22 said:

You will struggle to find a rimfire with a shot out barrel

Ah thanks

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