Fox with .22

alan123

Ok, I know its been done and usually ends in conflicting heated debate.... in any case.... I was out at the week end and I saw a fox across the other side of the field. I called it with a blade of grass and it ran toward me, stopping about 30 yards from me. "Nice", I hear you say???

The problem was I was looking at him through the scope of my .22 and further more I was using sub sonic ammo. The question is: should I have shot? Would the bullet penetrate the foxes skull or just injured his face? Should I have taken him? He will be there the next day!!!!!!

sprinkles

Red rag meet Bull

johngalway

Let me qualify what I'm going to say by saying this first. I do not think a .22lr is a dedicated foxing calibre, I don't think people should go out after foxes armed with a rimfire. Possibly excepting .22WMR.

That said.

I have brain shot foxes with Eley Subs out to 80 yards in ideal conditions. They drop, quite dead, on the spot. This is not meant as bragging, it's what happend. By ideal conditions I mean the following, no wind whatsoever, a rock solid rest, and shooting within my abilities as proven on paper with the same rifle and the same ammo.

The same fox I handed in for a study that was being done at NUIG. I had shot uphill, with a safe backstop. The subsonic hollow point penetrated his jaw, travelled through his brain destroying between 10% and 30% of it and exited his skull the opposite side. This was at 80 yards.

Personally I would not consider shooting them farther out than that. I can group one inch (edited to add @ 100 yards)with my rifle and that ammunition on paper, again under ideal conditions, but I don't believe out hunting I can replicate that as all things are not equal, meaning I don't always get to choose the ideal weather, ideal rest etc. while hunting as I would when going zeroing or target shooting.

Anyway that's my two cents on it.

Jonty

johngalway wrote: »

Let me qualify what I'm going to say by saying this first. I do not think a .22lr is a dedicated foxing calibre, I don't think people should go out after foxes armed with a rimfire. Possibly excepting .22WMR.

That said.

I have brain shot foxes with Eley Subs out to 80 yards in ideal conditions. They drop, quite dead, on the spot. This is not meant as bragging, it's what happend. By ideal conditions I mean the following, no wind whatsoever, a rock solid rest, and shooting within my abilities as proven on paper with the same rifle and the same ammo.

The same fox I handed in for a study that was being done at NUIG. I had shot uphill, with a safe backstop. The subsonic hollow point penetrated his jaw, travelled through his brain destroying between 10% and 30% of it and exited his skull the opposite side. This was at 80 yards.

Personally I would not consider shooting them farther out than that. I can group one inch with my rifle and that ammunition on paper, again under ideal conditions, but I don't believe out hunting I can replicate that as all things are not equal, meaning I don't always get to choose the ideal weather, ideal rest etc. while hunting as I would when going zeroing or target shooting.

Anyway that's my two cents on it.

+1

CJhaughey

Thats exactly why I carry 2 mags with me one with the usual Winchester Subs and the other with CCI Minimags, the POI is different but as long as you know what the rounds will do it's fine.

cavan shooter

I had a 22lr and have successfully shot foxes out to 80 yards with cci stingers and velocitors. I shot a fox with subs when out after rabbits it was a head shot. (Know your limits and that of the gun)

I stepped up two years ago and now use 22 WMR and have successfully shot foxes upto 120 yrds (I do not take a shot unless I am comfortable with it). Most foxes I shoot are at 100 yards or less.

That being said as people who have read my threads before know I am thinking of going up to a higher caliber.

The Hornet is the recommended minimum caliber for foxes, I read somewhere (Open to correction here) that to kill a fox you should look to 100 lb/foot energy minimum.

I have spent the last while looking at the lands I shoot over and I honestly believe the good old hornet could be suitable. However the 22 WMR I am using bagged 41 foxes since last october. As most shots are well within the 200 yrds I am leaning towards a 22 hornet/222

johngalway

cavan shooter wrote: »

The Hornet is the recommended minimum caliber for foxes

If moving up in calibre I would got for a more popular calibre than the Hornet. You will have more ammo choice.

cavan shooter

Yep I know, you don't have the same choice as with 223 but hornet is readily available around me in Winchester, remington and Hornady. There is still alot of hornet shooters out there. Triple deuce available in winchester, remington, hornady and federal.

Hornet same price as 222. (hand loading )

scuttlebutt

Is it possible to shoot foxes with a .17 HMR or would this be unwise

It wasn't me!

Completely possible, as long as you keep shots within the limitations of your own abilities and those of your gun. A hundred yards would be as far as most people should attempt.