3rd gun, 223 or something else (fox+ maybe goat OR rabbit))

[Permie]

I have a .308W for deer, I have a .22LR (currently fully paid for but held up until vic PTA’s start again) for rabbits and quieter shooting on my small acreage, and with a flock of ducks growing up and about to be free ranging I am going to need something to dispatch some of the many local foxes very soon.
For many reasons I am a fan of the common and cheaper popular rounds which do the job well (rather than something ‘exotic’) hence the .308 and .22 for their purposes, and it seems the .223 would seem to fit in perfectly to this pattern and would be more than enough for foxes.

The thing is I am primarily interested in hunting to eat, it is something that fits well with me, and I would take no pleasure in killing things like foxes, and Ideally I would like this fox gun to be able to do double duty (fox and food species) and if so, it would allow me to try to budget for something a bit nicer...

Aside from deer and rabbit (available on my land and friends land where I can shoot) the only other game in Vic I am currently tempted to make an actual dedicated hunting trip for would probably be goat (we love eating it). I’d like pig as well as I love to make salami and other cured meats, but they seem a bit harder to find down here and I suppose I should probably be happy to use the .308 for that, or a 223 with care?
On the other end of the spectrum I do very much like 17hmr for rabbits, and I could certainly get use for that purpose, but I am fairly adamant about having enough gun for a clean kill and though I have herd they work well enough on foxes with the right shot placement , I am kinda reluctant and would like a bit more in reserve for less than perfect shots. Also it seems ammo price isn’t much cheaper than the .223?

I don’t reload, and may not have the need. I don’t want to use the .308 for foxes here for a few reasons and .22 on fox is not OK with me.

So, a 17hmr for fox and an extra rabbit gun for longer range, or as I suspect is the case a .223 for fox while opening up the possibility of goats and maybe pigs? Or something else?
My preference is generally for a pretty classic looking wooden stock blued metal thing btw.

I’m leaning heavy to the .223, just thought I should check it against people who know way more than me about guns in case I should change direction.
Cheers.

[TassieTiger]

Reckon .223 range (inc 222, etc) is prob most popular Centrefire Australia...for good reason.

[AussieCapitalist]

if you get a 223 then all you need is a shotgun mate and you will have it all. 22,223,308,12GA are my fav rounds too. Nice and basic, nothing fancy or weird.

[Farmerpete]

223 is cheap to feed so if you want a centrefire for plinking it's a no brainer but if you wanted it more for hunting check out the 243 can be used on anything from rabbit to pigs

[AZZA'S HJ47]

As ive said to a few mates if you want to have a small stash of rifles grab yourself a 223 and a 308 as they are the most readily and cheapest calibres.

However i do also own a 17hmr and will use this for foxes, rabits and all other small games as it is a versatile quiet round. (HEADSHOTS ONLY)

I also have a 222 that i use for hunting that is my go to 200m hunting rifle. Very accurate and little recoil and it has a slighter lower charge of powder. A little quieter than a 223 and myslef personally much a little more well mannered. (I shot my first red deer with a 222 at around 150-175 with a well placed head shot. Some people didn't like the fact that i shot a animal of that size with a 222. However after recovering the animal the skull had been completely destroyed and the animal didn't move from where it stood.)

243 Winchester is another round that is great i have also used these for foxes, pigs and the projectile varieties are great also.

I once had the same thought process in regards to calibre options and rifles and thought that the 243 would be enough for me that didnt last to long and ended up with 13 and a odd way of justified rifle purchases.

[Stix]

The 22-250 might be worth a thought...
A nice balance between the 223 & 243...
With that little bit more velocity they really do hit hard & shoot flatter.
They're more than emphatic on foxes, & you'll take deer with them even at good ranges if you can place shots in the brain box...
Goats being relatively thin skinned & light will fall over pretty easy if you're sensible too.

22-250 is worth considering for sure...!!

But nothing will beat the price of 223 ammo.

[Ziege]

223 will do everything you need and can be reloaded well for next to nothing if you're not scared to buy bulk. Factory ammo is also cheap as chips if but bulk and modest in price if buying in small quantities, personally I like Hornady frontier ammo cheap at $595 for 1000 rounds at my local.

[SCJ429]

You appear to have a big gap in your caliber selection. There is nothing in the 40 to 50 cal range. This is where you need to direct your energy.

The 450 Rigby is a good start.

[Oldbloke]

Reckon .223 range (inc 222, etc) is prob most popular Centrefire Australia...for good reason.

Yep, +1

[Raband]

Was in the exact same situation as you - .308 and 22lr
.223 was the next and a no brainer

.223 is an absolute pleasure and blast to shoot all day and cheap as chips to run.

I feel for you with the PTA - Mine (for a 12G and a 45-70) arrived in the mail the day after they stopped accepting unpaid for ones and expired on the 28th.

[snag]

Aussie capitalist has good advice. Every farmers basic tools - .22lr, .223, .308, 12g. covers every rural contingency.

[bigrich]

Aussie capitalist has good advice. Every farmers basic tools - .22lr, .223, .308, 12g. covers every rural contingency.

that's the bottom line , really. . but it's boring to someone like myself who's a bit of a collector . at the moment my go to rifles are 22lr , 222 , 6.5x55 . it covers what i do , but i've also got a 64A 30-30 winchester , and just got back my rebarreled model 70 in 358 win ....just because . if the OP likes reloading a 22-250 as stix suggests would have some reach , if the noise of it isn't a problem . from practical terms a 223 would fill the OP's gap nicely but . decisions , decisions

[Ziege]

I would love a 378 Weatherby in a Mark V, but I don't think I can be arsed going through SAT to get one. Likewise I would love a 338rum but again, having to challenge them at a tribunal over it just salts the taste.

[snag]

Yeah, I hear ya bigrich, my own toolbox has swelled considerably over the years. In small stuff alone I've added 22 Hornet, 218 Bee, 222, 219 Zipper and 255 Dean. More will come undoubtedly. I kinda like those 204 Rugers.....

[Stix]

Yeah, I hear ya bigrich, my own toolbox has swelled considerably over the years. In small stuff alone I've added 22 Hornet, 218 Bee, 222, 219 Zipper and 255 Dean. More will come undoubtedly. I kinda like those 204 Rugers.....

Well ive got a couple Snag..along with an old 222Rimmed martini....
And seeing you list has got me all excited...I could see myself enjoying a few days & evenings sharing shots of rifles on furry hoppy runny lamb chewy chewy critters...

[bigrich]

Yeah, I hear ya bigrich, my own toolbox has swelled considerably over the years. In small stuff alone I've added 22 Hornet, 218 Bee, 222, 219 Zipper and 255 Dean. More will come undoubtedly. I kinda like those 204 Rugers.....

i do beleive my old mate stix has a 204 . and i think he loves it that much he sleeps with it unloaded of coarse

that's quite a collection of small calibers snag . the rabbits and foxes must be nervous round your way i had a 22 hornet for a while , a bull barreled krico that was super accurate with a awsome trigger . but in southern queensland , not much use . my 222 is more flexable with that bit more reach the hornet didn't have .

i did have to buy a synthetic stocked 223 sauer 100 in 223 . real good rifle for the money . i didn't want be left out of the "tacticool" club

[Permie]

Thanks for the posts everyone, they’ve all been very helpful and affirmed my direction. Pretty confident it will be a .223, seems to tick the most boxes for me.
I would like to try reloading one day just for the experience but I doubt I will ever shoot enough volume of rounds at our current place to justify it on monetary terms. maybe later at some point.
Cheers,