Looking for a new foxing rifle?

[dawncapel]

I live and shoot vermin across 1800 acres of hill, moor and forest here in the North Wales hills.

We have a problem with foxes and I need to sort out which calibre I am going to apply for on my FAC, so would like to ask fox shooters what they use and why?

This new rifle will primarily be for foxes and perhaps crows around lambing. There are no rabbits here to speak of though I have seen the odd Hare. In any case I have the .22LR for rabbits in the lower fields and the .177 springer for short range bunnies around the village. My police authority will not certify 17HMR for foxes.

I will mostly be shooting foxes up on the hill, away from the village, but at times within earshot of remote cottages. It can be very windy here and one particular pasture where we lose a lot of lambs is on the other side of a steep valley, a 200-400 yard shot and into a big hill backstop. If you walk the meadow in question you never see old Charlie, but on the other side of the valley he comes out bold as brass, hence my interest in being able to take that long shot where he wont hear it coming! I also have permission for foxes in a 1000 acre conifer plantation.

I can take the 4x4 to some places, but a lot of hill walking will be involved no doubt. I am only likely to send about 5 rounds a night, so presumably a sporter barrel would be up to the job or would I gain anything from a Varmint barrel. I mostly shoot prone off the bipod, or my ruck and with a rear bag. I carry my present rifle in a biathlon sling as I find that more comfortable than a sling over the shoulder so rifle weight is not as critical.

I shoot alone, so have also to investigate some on rifle night vision. The new digital day night sights from Scott Country look interesting and I could ask them for a loaner and see if this would give me the range I need and also the balance. Just out of interest which one is flavour of the month with you guys?

I asked North Wales Police if they would certify my 308 for foxing reloaded with the lighter frangible heads, but the lack of a reply, leaves me to conclude that they are not keen, so one of the .22 centre fire calibres seems the way to go, but which one? 204, 222, 223, 22-250 or 243?

Do you have a favourite load for foxes in your chosen calibre?

Many thanks, look forward to reading your replies.

[dromia]

For general foxing my 22 CF calibre of choice would be the 222 especially of you handload and are able to get the superb accuracy this round can deliver.

For long shots on charlie then my calibre of choice would be the .270", it is also a very effective deer round.

[DL.]

Just to throw another point into the mix. I leave foxes in forestry because they control voles, rabbits & hares which cause real damage to trees. If there was a boundary that had livestock issues with foxes, I would hammer them though.

Calibres are as with everything else - bullet construction is the important factor - something thin jacketed is the crucial point, I use nosler ballistic tips / hornady v-max, but there are some good hollow points out there like bergers or speer TNTs. Availability is the main issue with bullets for reloading though, don't develop a load for a 53gn A-max and then find that hornady have suspended production for the immediate future!

[dawncapel]

Thank you to dromia and DL for your replies.
Why a .222 and not a .223? Are there advantages going .222 and if so what?
The forest I shoot is above 1500 feet above sea level and is a plantation surrounded by fields of sheep with lambs. It is regularly combed by the hunt with hounds once a month, but still there is an abundance of foxes.
Yes the H V-Max was one of the factory loads I thought I would try.
Reloading might be a good plan as it can be easier to source components and have them to hand and assemble as required.