Lets see your Guns.

[Peter 1955]

I don't have guns now, but I started with a .22 Win Mag rifle, hoping it would be cheap to run, and big enough for foxes. Ammunition wasn't widely stocked, which made it a pain. It was accurate, and would stop small things at over a hundred yards easily, in fact it had the same energy at a hundred yards as a .22lr had just leaving the barrel. 

It stopped every fox I hit with it, but it just wasn't powerful enough for that.  The .223 which I added to the arsenal solved that problem.  

[Paul in the woods]

3 hours ago, Rich Rule said:

After a bit of searching go it would appear it isn’t illegal but not necessary ethical.

 

Seems to change depending on the area or the FAO.

 

The current guidance states you can be granted 17HMR for fox. I know some forces may be reluctant but you could argue your case...

 

2 hours ago, GarethM said:

22lr or 223 personally, hornet is going to be expensive to feed as it's an oddball and you won't be gaining much especially when you can get surplus 223 cheap.

 

Can you still get cheap .223 milsurp? Down here it isn't cheap any more, and I wouldnt use it on foxes.

Edited Sunday at 20:24 by Paul in the woods

[GarethM]

You argue for 17 mostly as it's a close quarter calibre and fragments easily so ricochet is less of an issue.

 

Personally it's more the lack of size of the entry and your relying on fragmentation and placement.

 

Providing your not after match quality, you can pickup millsurp or cheap 223/556 for less than £1.50 each.

 

Countryman derby is £17 per 30 or £44 for 50

[AHPP]

This is the bloke. He made a nicer one, with no gap between the barrels. Maybe a double falling block.

 

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/760101804/m/3761057511

 

https://airgunforums.co.uk/threads/took-the-double-rifle-for-a-spin.50850/

Edited Sunday at 21:25 by AHPP

[BillQ]

3 hours ago, Stubby said:

Ruger .22 250 Me thinks is the tool .

Barrel burner, I liked the .223 & .222 but if you need a do-it-all, 6mm in some form is a good calibre. 

[BillQ]

36 minutes ago, GarethM said:

Providing your not after match quality,

I think that is the minimum for live targets, it was a major factor for me.

In fact I much preferred rolling my own for paper and live shooting 

Edited Sunday at 21:17 by BillQ

[Johnsond]

4 hours ago, Stubby said:

Ruger .22 250 Me thinks is the tool .

I shoot with a guy who swears by that  calibre Stubby, he’s out nearly every weekend and at least once during the week all year round . He’s had no trouble with excess or premature  barrel wear, mind you he does load his own. I tend not to take too much notice of the “barrel burner” stuff, possibly if you are banging out rapid fire strings at comps but for pest work etc 🤷‍♂️.

[Stubby]

7 hours ago, Johnsond said:

I shoot with a guy who swears by that  calibre Stubby, he’s out nearly every weekend and at least once during the week all year round . He’s had no trouble with excess or premature  barrel wear, mind you he does load his own. I tend not to take too much notice of the “barrel burner” stuff, possibly if you are banging out rapid fire strings at comps but for pest work etc 🤷‍♂️.

Fast and flat ! .

[Mike Hill]

Different strokes for different folks.

 

.22 Hornet is as quiet as anything if moderated ,very cheap to reload for and bloody accurate. You cant really compare it to a 223,that would be like comparing a mini cooper to a Ford Mustang.

 

If you want somthing even more obscure,try a 218 Bee or 219 Donaldson wasp. I had a .218 in a Martini Cadet action,cool little gun.I had it chambered in .218 because it was originally .222 rimmed and it ran out of barrel threads after cutting the chamber off. If you reload ,then you may as well get something fun. Brass lasts for ever and everthing else is the same as .22 hornet.

[BillQ]

1 hour ago, Stubby said:

Fast and flat ! .

Sure is but with good optics is it necessary? It will be less affected by a cross wind but not by that much but is using a lot more powder compared with a 223 or 222, both of which are good accurate rounds. I'm not sure if 22 250 is fussy regarding bullet weights and twist rate my old triple didn't like 55gn and above but was fine on fox, crows and roe out to 200- 300yds with the right bullet.