Foxing package

[Chappo]

Kotaw.
Don’t read too much into it, I’m sure you could also kill foxes with a rock but the 223 sounds to me like the perfect caliber for you as I’m sure you already know. Rounds are cheap and extremely varied. Forums are a great place to pick apart the intricate and often insignificant details on any subject.
For what it’s worth I’m gunna add another vote for the Howa. Once you’ve got the rifle it sounds like you’ll be pointing it at foxes quite regularly so don’t forget to post a few pics!
Cheers mate and let us know what you buy

[bigfellascott]

22wmr prices are dumb. 223 ammo can be cheap, 17hmr can be cheaper. 17hmr will cover 95% of your shots within reasonable distances - and heck I don’t know too many old farmers practically taking shots past 150m.

Don’t get me wrong I’ve never met a shooter who regrets picking up a solid 223. And yes I’m being pedantic with my argument - but sometimes cost of ammo is a real factor for the struggling farmer. Magnum rimfire should at least be seriously considered is the point I’m trying to push.

I don't know many farmers who go out shooting anything, to be honest, most of em get me to do it for em most of them have better things to do than spend their days or nights out chasing ferals which is fine by me as I don't mind doing it.

[bigfellascott]

Guys I'm in Vic, I do a lot of work on horse properties and I'm seeing foxes and scat just about every day. I sat out on a client property a few weeks ago and spotted 9 foxes in a 3 hour period. This guy has sheep as well and lost quite a few lambs this year as well as a coop full of chooks. Most of my clients are very cautious about allowing shooters on their land. I see sign of foxes most morning on our arena, it seem the buggers are everywhere around here. I'm keen on the 223 as it is reasonably quiet, comparatively, cheap and still has the knock down power.

Not sure I would want to be shooting anything around horsey people, they are an unusual type of person that's for sure. It might be better to buy a few cage traps and catch em and dispatch em somewhere else with a 22?

Horses can be flighty buggers at times (which no doubt you know already working around them).

[in2anity]

22wmr prices are dumb. 223 ammo can be cheap, 17hmr can be cheaper. 17hmr will cover 95% of your shots within reasonable distances - and heck I don’t know too many old farmers practically taking shots past 150m.

Don’t get me wrong I’ve never met a shooter who regrets picking up a solid 223. And yes I’m being pedantic with my argument - but sometimes cost of ammo is a real factor for the struggling farmer. Magnum rimfire should at least be seriously considered is the point I’m trying to push.

I don't know many farmers who go out shooting anything, to be honest, most of em get me to do it for em most of them have better things to do than spend their days or nights out chasing ferals which is fine by me as I don't mind doing it.

With due respect, yu don’t know enough farmers then BF. I come from generations of farmers from both sides (and grew up on a big one myself), and my entire extended family are regular shooters (on their own farms). As are all of my school friends. Don’t know what farmers you know, but where I’m from, farming and hunting go hand in hand. Anyways we digress - I’m not trying to start s***t with yu mate - just a difference of opinion.

[bigrich]

i realise the OP isn't into reloading at this stage , but the 'ole 22 hornet is a nice quiet round that can very accurately shoot a 40- 45 gn closer in to houses, and the other great walk around general purpose cartridge, the 222 . yeh, the 223 is cheaper and all , i just reckon the 222 is better designed , naturally accurate , and sounds cooler when ya say it go the triple deuce

[bigfellascott]

22wmr prices are dumb. 223 ammo can be cheap, 17hmr can be cheaper. 17hmr will cover 95% of your shots within reasonable distances - and heck I don’t know too many old farmers practically taking shots past 150m.

Don’t get me wrong I’ve never met a shooter who regrets picking up a solid 223. And yes I’m being pedantic with my argument - but sometimes cost of ammo is a real factor for the struggling farmer. Magnum rimfire should at least be seriously considered is the point I’m trying to push.

I don't know many farmers who go out shooting anything, to be honest, most of em get me to do it for em most of them have better things to do than spend their days or nights out chasing ferals which is fine by me as I don't mind doing it.

With due respect, yu don’t know enough farmers then BF. I come from generations of farmers from both sides (and grew up on a big one myself), and my entire extended family are regular shooters (on their own farms). As are all of my school friends. Don’t know what farmers you know, but where I’m from, farming and hunting go hand in hand. Anyways we digress - I’m not trying to start s***t with yu mate - just a difference of opinion.

I know plenty of em mate, I live in the bush too, I can honestly say the majority don't bother with much shooting (older farmers and some women who run farms etc) most are happy for me or others to sort any of their feral problems out, '

And no offence taken mate, I can only relay how it works for me

[GQshayne]

If memory serves me correctly, people on this forum have had good results using Trailboss in the .223. I know you are not looking to reload at this point, however it is worth remembering for the future. In close quarters a nice accurate handload that resembles a Hornet load could be handy.

[Diamond Jim]

I have a .223 from CZ, my brother has Howa. Both equally accurate. Howa half or a third the price. That leaves a lot to spend on a scope, rings, ammo etc. I love my CZ and I'd buy it again but on a "bang for your buck" basis it's hard for me to ignore Howa.

[Kotaw]

How many foxes do ya reckon he's going to shoot each time out? most seem to see 1 or 2 during the day and say 6 on average at night spotlighting so can't see it getting overly expensive and the 17HMR isn't exactly cheap either, the good part about CF cals is they can be reloaded so keeping the cases is a good idea whether you just start out with factory ammo - more than likely you will reload for it one day.

Where there are foxes, there are wabbits Anyways I've made my point. I like the little 17hmr - plenty good enough for grasshoppers and goats, and ammo can be well under 30c a pop. It's a good agricultural calibre for the Central West NSW (where there aren't a whole lot of pigs yet) - I know plenty who use them as their goto truck-gun.

You wouldn't believe the rabbits around here, I have access to a .22 air rifle that is great on them.

[bigfellascott]

How many foxes do ya reckon he's going to shoot each time out? most seem to see 1 or 2 during the day and say 6 on average at night spotlighting so can't see it getting overly expensive and the 17HMR isn't exactly cheap either, the good part about CF cals is they can be reloaded so keeping the cases is a good idea whether you just start out with factory ammo - more than likely you will reload for it one day.

Where there are foxes, there are wabbits Anyways I've made my point. I like the little 17hmr - plenty good enough for grasshoppers and goats, and ammo can be well under 30c a pop. It's a good agricultural calibre for the Central West NSW (where there aren't a whole lot of pigs yet) - I know plenty who use them as their goto truck-gun.

You wouldn't believe the rabbits around here, I have access to a .22 air rifle that is great on them.

I'm not seeing many around my area at the moment sadly, I'd like to make a few more rabbit dishes when they start up again. I used to get after em with my Weihrauch HW80 as a kid, it certainly rolled em well back then, I should take it out next time I go looking for em.

I wish you luck mate and definitely have a look at the Howa Rifles, I own 3 of em and they are the rifle I go hunting with the most as they are reliable, very very accurate and just get the job done (all mine sit in Boyds Stocks) I'm not really a fan of their Hogue stocks so I just buy their barrelled actions and put them in my own stock.

[in2anity]

I know plenty of em mate, I live in the bush too, I can honestly say the majority don't bother with much shooting (older farmers and some women who run farms etc)

lol well I think testosterone might have something to do with it...

[bigfellascott]

I know plenty of em mate, I live in the bush too, I can honestly say the majority don't bother with much shooting (older farmers and some women who run farms etc)

lol well I think testosterone might have something to do with it...

Nah I think it's more they have better things to do with their time than chase after a few ferals.

[Stix]

I know plenty of em mate, I live in the bush too, I can honestly say the majority don't bother with much shooting (older farmers and some women who run farms etc)

lol well I think testosterone might have something to do with it...

Nah I think it's more they have better things to do with their time than chase after a few ferals.

My experience is more along the lines of Scott's...
Farmers i know like to be in doors at night...sometimes they csnt even be bothered throwing the rifle in the car, & others just dont shoot despite having a safe full of sticks.

Of the ones that do get out, its mostly due to necessity &/or driving for a shooter to cull when numbers are up &/or (for example) lambing/calving time.
Sometimes it may be for social reasons if a shooter mate comes for a visit.

It makes sense to me..i gather vermin are an annoying chore for the farmers i know, & tending to an annoying chore late at night is not veiwed as "fun" to them...
.im a carpenter & the last thing i want to be doing at 10pm at night is to be outside in the cold sweeping sawdust up off of pavers...

[in2anity]

My experience is more along the lines of Scott's...
Farmers i know like to be in doors at night...sometimes they csnt even be bothered throwing the rifle in the car, & others just dont shoot despite having a safe full of sticks.

Of the ones that do get out, its mostly due to necessity &/or driving for a shooter to cull when numbers are up &/or (for example) lambing/calving time.
Sometimes it may be for social reasons if a shooter mate comes for a visit.

It makes sense to me..i gather vermin are an annoying chore for the farmers i know, & tending to an annoying chore late at night is not veiwed as "fun" to them...
.im a carpenter & the last thing i want to be doing at 10pm at night is to be outside in the cold sweeping sawdust up off of pavers...

It's an age thing I reckon - the old boys have "been there, done that", and have given up the fight against the hordes. A lot of my younger cousins who are the next generation farmers still enjoy the novelty of it but, plus also think they can still make a difference against the pests - idealistic I suppose. Nevertheless both my pops regularly shot on their own places right up until the day they died - whether that's classified as "hunting" or "working" I suppose that's a grey area...

[bigfellascott]

My experience is more along the lines of Scott's...
Farmers i know like to be in doors at night...sometimes they csnt even be bothered throwing the rifle in the car, & others just dont shoot despite having a safe full of sticks.

Of the ones that do get out, its mostly due to necessity &/or driving for a shooter to cull when numbers are up &/or (for example) lambing/calving time.
Sometimes it may be for social reasons if a shooter mate comes for a visit.

It makes sense to me..i gather vermin are an annoying chore for the farmers i know, & tending to an annoying chore late at night is not veiwed as "fun" to them...
.im a carpenter & the last thing i want to be doing at 10pm at night is to be outside in the cold sweeping sawdust up off of pavers...

It's an age thing I reckon - the old boys have "been there, done that", and have given up the fight against the hordes. A lot of my younger cousins who are the next generation farmers still enjoy the novelty of it but, plus also think they can still make a difference against the pests - idealistic I suppose. Nevertheless both my pops regularly shot on their own places right up until the day they died - whether that's classified as "hunting" or "working" I suppose that's a grey area...

Yep the older I get the less interest I have in chasing after ferals, in my younger days I loved getting out at every opportunity to hunt stuff, now I have SFA interest in doing it, partly due to poor health but honestly it just doesn't do it for me anymore, that may change later on who knows (I ebb and flow when it comes to killing stuff) same thing happened when I was younger and into fishing, loved it and was at it all the time, these days I do SFA of that too, I guess one's interests change and ebb and flow too.