aguyindallas
Member
6.8spc
Need help choosing a caliber to shoot fox or white tail.
- Thread starter Plank Road Farm
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woof
Member
These questions just bring out everyone's caliber bias so here's mine: I think the .260 Rem is the most versatile of the .308 family and would be perfect for what you describe. And it is available in some great short action rifles.
Shawnee
member
No doubt - it's the .243 Winchester, hands down.
Use bullets from 80gr. to 90gr., preferably Hornady.
Good Luck !
Use bullets from 80gr. to 90gr., preferably Hornady.
Good Luck !
Orr89rocz
Member
accelerators are inaccurate but most importantly blow up anything it hits. Vaporizes ground hogs within 50-100 yards or so. way to much damage for fox
Although it's a good choice, I'm not big 243 fan. 7mm08 is a good choice but will likely destroy pelts at anything but long range. I'm kind of intrigued with the new 25 WSSM. Pretty flat even with 120 grain bullets.
Going with something more mundane I'd pick a 25-06 with 100 grain Nosler Partitions. Nosler may even sell loaded ammo for it.
www.nosler.com
This is a tough question as there are so many possibilities. It would be a lot easier if we were talking 2 guns. 22-250 & 308
Going with something more mundane I'd pick a 25-06 with 100 grain Nosler Partitions. Nosler may even sell loaded ammo for it.
www.nosler.com
This is a tough question as there are so many possibilities. It would be a lot easier if we were talking 2 guns. 22-250 & 308
Plank Road Farm
Member
Thanks for all the suggestions. I had in mind between .243 & 30-06 when I asked the question.
I don't plan to reload or keep the hides. My uncle lets me hunt on his farm with the promise to shoot cayotes & foxes if I see one. He says they eat his wild turkeys and quail.
I have to admit I am don't know much about the 25-06 or 7mm-08 calibers mentioned. Is a bolt action better than an automatic?
I don't plan to reload or keep the hides. My uncle lets me hunt on his farm with the promise to shoot cayotes & foxes if I see one. He says they eat his wild turkeys and quail.
I have to admit I am don't know much about the 25-06 or 7mm-08 calibers mentioned. Is a bolt action better than an automatic?
JWF III
Member
Be sure to check your local regs. Here in Georgia it is illegal to shoot fox and bobcat with any firearm larger than a .22 caliber bullet. (Centerfire .22s are legal.)
If that's no problem, I agree with all those who answered with .243 Win. (or 6mm Rem. for that matter).
If that's no problem, I agree with all those who answered with .243 Win. (or 6mm Rem. for that matter).
Dan360
Member
Its hard to find a dual purpose cartridge. You'd probably end up getting something that is mediocre at any one thing instead of being really good at any one thing. It gives you an excuse to get two guns
I'm not a big 243 or 6mm Remington fan as a dual-purpose cartridge because I like to have more margin of error on deer. If you're not a reloader, I'd also stick with something that is common as dirt. I also don't believe in "dual purpose" cartridges. 243 and 6mm Remington have too much recoil to watch hits through a scope. I use a Remington Model 7 CDL in 223 as my coyote gun. Quick to point, very accurate, light to carry.
For deer/antelope only cartridges, the 25-06 Remington, 6.5x55, 260 Remington, 7x57, 7mm-08 Remington, 270 Winchester, 280 Remington, and other such cartridges would be perfect. Lots of choices. If I weren't a reloader, I'd stick to the common cartridges such as 25-06 Remington, 270 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington and to a lesser extent, the 280 Remington. I would lean hard toward the 7mm-08 Remington or 270 Winchester as they are the most common and offer a good range of bullet weights.
If you must be a one-rifle man, I would choose the 25-06 over any 6mm (243) cartridge. If I didn't care about the pelt, I would choose the 7mm-08 if I wanted a shorter, lighter rifle for sub 300 yard shots. If I wanted to stretch my shots, I'd buy a 270 Winchester.
I'm not a big 243 or 6mm Remington fan as a dual-purpose cartridge because I like to have more margin of error on deer. If you're not a reloader, I'd also stick with something that is common as dirt. I also don't believe in "dual purpose" cartridges. 243 and 6mm Remington have too much recoil to watch hits through a scope. I use a Remington Model 7 CDL in 223 as my coyote gun. Quick to point, very accurate, light to carry.
For deer/antelope only cartridges, the 25-06 Remington, 6.5x55, 260 Remington, 7x57, 7mm-08 Remington, 270 Winchester, 280 Remington, and other such cartridges would be perfect. Lots of choices. If I weren't a reloader, I'd stick to the common cartridges such as 25-06 Remington, 270 Winchester, 7mm-08 Remington and to a lesser extent, the 280 Remington. I would lean hard toward the 7mm-08 Remington or 270 Winchester as they are the most common and offer a good range of bullet weights.
If you must be a one-rifle man, I would choose the 25-06 over any 6mm (243) cartridge. If I didn't care about the pelt, I would choose the 7mm-08 if I wanted a shorter, lighter rifle for sub 300 yard shots. If I wanted to stretch my shots, I'd buy a 270 Winchester.
TimboKhan
Member
Sad, but true. There are commercial loads available and easily found for the 6.5x55, but MCgunner is exactly right when he uses the word "variety". I honestly think that if there were more variety, it would be my favorite round. Perhaps when I start reloading one day, it will be.
Plank Road Farm
Member
I am in North Carolina. Not sure about the law on automatics. Need to know before I purchase, good question.
K.L.O.sako
Member
my personal favorite for average deer and small game is 25-06. laser flat, has some punch to it, and low recoil. lots of bullit weights also.
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
.243 or .30-06 are both excellent options. Since you plan to hunt fox, though, I'd give the nod to the .243.
casio02478
Member
- Joined
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+1 on the .243 Win
Kimber1911_06238
Member
.30-06 remington accelerator .224 caliber 55 grain bullets for small stuff....
150 or 180 grainers for the big stuff.
.243 would be very good if you handload....download for small stuff and use big bullets for the big stuff
150 or 180 grainers for the big stuff.
.243 would be very good if you handload....download for small stuff and use big bullets for the big stuff
Tarvis
Member
Honestly, .223 remington is sufficient to kill a deer (fact) up to 200 yards (opinion). Maybe it has enough energy for further, but I'd have tho check the numbers. I'm sure many of you are currently scoffing, but the fact remains that .223 will kill a deer. Do you need to use the correct bullets? Of course, but this is the same for everything. Is shot placement crucial? Not a whole lot more than anything esle; gut shoot a deer with a .300 win mag and its still gonna run. Albeit not as far, but run it shall.
.243 is an excelent caliber. A hard hitting varmint caliber up to the "ideal" deer caliber. Also in this category is the 25-06 which has been said to have enough poop to bring down and elk, however bullet choices are very limited for the 25-06 on game this size. But you're not shooting elk (yet), so no worries.
In all honesty, I would probably get a 30-06 if I were you. Yes, I hear the scoffing again, but look at it this way: you can never have too many guns, ammo choices, including surplus, are very broad, AND the 30-06 will kill anything furry and good with bbq sauce in the United States.
25-06 is a 30-06 necked down. 7mm-08 is .308 necked down to .284 (correct me if im wrong). Generally, the smaller the bullet, the faster muzzle velocity and flatter trajectory, decreased energy. I wouldnt worry about energy for yoties or deer at 300 yards. As far as automatic vs. bolt, the difference is in how the action grips the cartridge and holds it in the chamber. Generally speaking, bolt action rifles are more acurate than autoloaders. Some semi auto rifles can be very very acurate, but this drives the cost up. IMHO a semi auto is not needed unless what youre shooting at is running, or you tend to miss on the first shot and need to make a fast second shot before your prey is gone. However, I know some that swear by single shot rifles (falling block) due to thier accuracy. Besides, who needs more than one shot if you dont miss the first time.
Whatever you choose, shoot it a lot. Practice for deer on yoties, foxes, stumps, old freezers, birds, cans, targets, house cats, whatever you can find. The more you shoot your rifle, the better you will be at it.
.243 is an excelent caliber. A hard hitting varmint caliber up to the "ideal" deer caliber. Also in this category is the 25-06 which has been said to have enough poop to bring down and elk, however bullet choices are very limited for the 25-06 on game this size. But you're not shooting elk (yet), so no worries.
In all honesty, I would probably get a 30-06 if I were you. Yes, I hear the scoffing again, but look at it this way: you can never have too many guns, ammo choices, including surplus, are very broad, AND the 30-06 will kill anything furry and good with bbq sauce in the United States.
25-06 is a 30-06 necked down. 7mm-08 is .308 necked down to .284 (correct me if im wrong). Generally, the smaller the bullet, the faster muzzle velocity and flatter trajectory, decreased energy. I wouldnt worry about energy for yoties or deer at 300 yards. As far as automatic vs. bolt, the difference is in how the action grips the cartridge and holds it in the chamber. Generally speaking, bolt action rifles are more acurate than autoloaders. Some semi auto rifles can be very very acurate, but this drives the cost up. IMHO a semi auto is not needed unless what youre shooting at is running, or you tend to miss on the first shot and need to make a fast second shot before your prey is gone. However, I know some that swear by single shot rifles (falling block) due to thier accuracy. Besides, who needs more than one shot if you dont miss the first time
. Whatever you choose, shoot it a lot. Practice for deer on yoties, foxes, stumps, old freezers, birds, cans, targets, house cats, whatever you can find. The more you shoot your rifle, the better you will be at it.
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