Rifle for foxes

mallards

Lads I would like this year to get a rifle to cull the foxes on my shoot. I live in the North and have a shotgun licence. I want to know what exactly I need to obtain a permit for a rifle from the PSNI and secondly can you recommend me a rifle and scope and possibly lamp for the job. It will be just a tool so I don't need anything fancy! The ground I will be working looks mostly like this:

The land is my uncles and Grandfathers so should'nt have any trouble with signatures etc. Please advise.
Cheers
Keith

Trojan911

mallards wrote:

can you recommend me a rifle and scope and possibly lamp for the job. It will be just a tool so I don't need anything fancy!

Keith,

Not up to date on the application process up there however I have a CZ 527 .223 and find it excellent and very accurate. It is mounted on a 9-13" Harris non swivel bipod and the scope I use is a 10-40 X 50 Atlas Night Predetor.

The scope would be your own choice. It is zeroed for 250yds and I use Sako 55gr SP ammunituon. I paid €800 for the rifle new and all the additions were extra i.e. scope, bipod, strap etc.

I use a scope mounted Night Force 1million candle watt lamp which is powered from the car but can have a battery pack which you wear.

Hope that helps...

TJ911...

mallards

Nice but the Money is a little steep! A guy I know on another shoot paid about £180 for a second hand .17 hornet??? So I want really to spend little on the gun and more on the sight etc. Thanks anyway for the info cause I have'nt a breeze about what I should be looking for. But I am willing to learn. :rolleyes:

Umiq88

For a cheap fox gun i'd either go with a .22hornet or a .22/250

THe .22hornet is a lower powered rifle than the .223 and the .22/250 is higher since the .223 has becomer so popular and the .22/250 is frowned apon for deer use they have been neglected and alot sold off so you should pick one up for small money.

Personally id go with a .22/250 but a .22hornet might be easier to licence and a little better on the pocket for ammo.

Your friend was talking about a .17hmr which you'd pick up for €400 which is more a rabbit gun but fine for fox's under 100yards

mallards

Thanks psittacosis, that sounds more up my alley. Just gotta chew the cud with a local dealer now and find out what hoops I have to jump through for the Firearms officer! Any further thought on a cheap quality scope????

Remmy

The swift range of scopes are a very underated range of scopes .They have very high quality glass in them even compared to a schmidt and bender .
The N.C star is another nice scope .Ive one myself on a .22 but Im unsure if they'll handle a fullbore cailbre .They go for not too much money .Either one would serve you well and they would'nt hurt the wallet too bad !

Umiq88

If you can stretch your budget theres a hungarian S&B on ebay which on top of a good .22/250 ould make an excellent set up

CLICKY

If your shooting in low light conditions or under a lamp then thats the scope id go for if its all day light shooting its not as important and as was said swift do a great range of scopes im going to stick a plug in for mueller optics they're relitivly new on the american market and make a great range of scopes talk to josh (jake?) in trolln' motors and he'll send you one

Bit of info on the calibres both are centrefire rounds the .22hornet's make range is about 250yards while the .22/250's is well for hunting keep it to 300 but effectivly could be used to 400. The main difference is the power behind each bullet and the tradjectory the hornet ill be curvy i think now im not sure it will be dropping about 12inches at 250 depending on zero while with a .22/250 is will be on zero at 250 with it sighted at 75 and will only rise 1.5inces in between. The .22/250 doesnt drop 12inches till it starts approaching 400yards.

This makes the .22/250 very easy to shoot and perfect for shooting where the range is hard to determine (lamping/dawn/dusk). The .22hornet will take more getting used to and alot of practice.

J.R.

This photo may be helpful in giving people an idea of what the various calibres available look like.

mallards

I bought a Krico 301 .22 Hornet. Just awaiting the last of the paperwork. Anyone had any experience of these???


Mallards.

cavan shooter

Congrats on the new buy. A friend of mine has a krico hornet 2 step trigger and he finds it an excellent weapon. He wouldn't dream of changing it even when i showed hime 222 223 204 etc.... Last year he looked at getting a new Hornet.

Best of luck with your lamping, I personally don't bother with a scope mounted lamp, as I always has someone with me, I have a clulite lamp for walking and a night force that runs on car . Watch the nightforce lamps the conxn in the handle is forever breaking on mine..

sounder

.223 can't go wrong cheer sounder