Shotgun cartridges for foxes: update

[provarmint 25]

Long range shots with shotguns and patterning.

 

I saw two instructors, Simon Ward was one of them, and they were shooting clays and breaking 3 out of 10 at 100 yards - it was an experiment using the high tower and taking 5 paces back after each group of shots. They were back at 100 yards, PLUS the height and shooting with over 40 feet of lead - standard high pheasant game cartiridges. I think Simon was best off with no 5s. Tried various loads.

 

I saw a certain world champion kill a fox on a partridge shoot (with permission - it was during a drive) at well over 60 yards, using his partridge cartridge. One shot and it dropped. We paced it afterwards. I couldn't believe he hit it, let alone killled it!

 

Using bigger shot, the pattern will remain together for more efective shooting if OPEN chokes are used. Interarms did a load of testing with OO and SSG loads for military use (short range perimiter protection, building clearance - in the 1st War they were classed as inhumane for trench clearance.) Best choke with 3" 50g SSG is TRUE CYLINDER. Tighter chokes create balling and the pattern goes off on its own idea of a trajectory path. I use big shot fairly frequently for my wild boar trips and battue in France - SSG are lethal on wild boar from true cylinder and improved cylinder, out to 50 yards.

 

Have a try of big loads in more open chokes. I think you might surprise yourselves. As a result of Interarms and my French experiences I now use True and Imp for my goosse shoting too, with better results than I was getting from tighter chokes. Never use anything over 3 notches now.

 

 

I agree, I experimented with 50g BB's on clays, imp cyl out of a Beretta semi, suprised myself.

[remi700 99]

RC 40s or 50s if im feelin really plush. I,ve accounted for countless foxes with them, i'll use nothin else now. Usually in 5s, always through a full choke. I never take it out. Anythin else is for little girls!! :laugh:

[Beagle 87 7]

if you have the balls and the brass you should try some real big cartridges i recently shot a fox at about 30m with a remington 3 1/2" 00 buckshot 65g now they kick like f**k and when i went up the slope where the fox was sitting i thought id missed but my son found the fox at the bottom of the slope under a bush with no front legs and 1 hell of a whole in its chest probably not the best cartridge for fox with there only being 18 pellets in there but it only needs 1 for mr fox

 

I also use them cartridges in my semi auto,like you said there a bit rough on fox but the whole point is to take it down and not be peppered by some 30g 6. Expensive cartridges though

[12gauge 2]

i use ssg or 00buck for foxes 32gm 12g they drop them ok and great in cover or 28gm bb alphamax in 20g with my hushpower

[nasher1 258]

I carry a few 36g BB Buffalo get em as close as possible under 25 yards, I want em dead not peppered

[28xxgeo 28]

Hi guys just thought id add my opinion on here. before i got my rifle license i use to use not sure well cant remember weight either 36g or 42g SG believe me there the dogs only nine pellets in a cartridge and all nine group well enough at 40 yrds easy and i mainly use to drop the foxes at this distance sometimes have a pop at 50 but 40 was a sure instant kill ps also quite likes the triple A good for geese aswell ;-)

[Born Hunter 17,622]

I'd love to see the tape measures some of you are using! I'm sure some of you are confusing yards and feet.....

 

[trentotter 158]

les is right,the cheddite 100 metri carts are lethal on foxes at 75- METRE'S . they are double wadded so the come out of the gun as a single projectile.the wad's begin to separate at around the 70 METRE mark and at 100 METRE'S the patern is as a standard cartridge at 30 METRE'S..... boooosh dead fox at 90-100 METRE'S!!!!!!

[Born Hunter 17,622]

It wasn't aimed at you no. There's always plenty of bullshit spouted when talking about fox cartridges, this threads no different.

 

Interesting cartridges all the same.

[toby63 1,236]

3 1/2 inch remmies 2 1/4 ounce loads

[shotforthepot 4]

I've just read through this thread with great interest because i've recently been trying different fox loads. I read reviews online and gamebore buffalo AAA's came out top of one of them, so I bought a box but after testing in my gun the Lyvale express AAA's gave a better pattern at 40 yards. Yesterday, I tried a Eley Alphamax AAA at the same distance and that was just as good as the lyvale express if not slightly more pellets in the target (It was too close to say). My dad shot a fox in between me and him last year which the lab had put up, it was running out of sight of me and when i heard just the one shot i presumed it was coming back to me and out of sight of my dad "But nothing appeared"! I asked him on the cb if he'd had it to which he replied "YES" and he asked me to pace it out for him when i brought it up to him. From the fox to the fence was 70 yards and he was 4 yards the other side of the fence when he shot. This was paced out by myself and i'm 6ft the gun used was an Alex Martin side by side the cartidge Lyvale express AAA. Over the years I've seen some miraculous shots pulled off, normally if the fox is a long way off i myself wouldn't have shot but when hunting was allowed if the fox got through the guns then the hounds would break out and that might be the last you'd see of them for the rest of the day, so because of this long range shots were always favoured as it might well turn the fox if it didn't stop it, so as I said I've seen 100 yards shots taken and sometimes to full effect. I love the video on youtube with Our own world champ shooting clays at 130 yards and like he says, he sticks to the cartridge he feels confident with. Nuff said IMO.

[remi700 99]

Anyone seen the Andre Georgescu huntin down under dvds? Think it was the 2nd one he was shootin them with a marlin goose gun and AAAs at staggering range. Its all about getin the address right!

 

Ps If anyone has them and would copy them for me please pm me. I lent mine to a boy a couple a years ago and never got them back. Thanks mark

[toby63 1,236]

i normally use 3inch bbs or 31/2 remmies 21/2 ounce load