Best Calibre To Go For As All Round Rifle For Rabbit And Fox

[walshie 2,804]

No doubt about it, a 22lr is perfectly acceptable for dealing with charlie at sensible distances in the right hands, but I still don't think it's the "best choice" for rabbits AND fox for a relative newcomer to rifles.

[shovel leaner 7,648]

No doubt about it, a 22lr is perfectly acceptable for dealing with charlie at sensible distances in the right hands, but I still don't think it's the "best choice" for rabbits AND fox for a relative newcomer to rifles.

 

Police like you to start off with a 17hmr , because they don't ricochet like a 22 . Something worth remembering especially in this dry weather with rock hard ground. A mate got hold of some 22lr tracers, we shot some off at night. It was scary, I mean they go all over the place . If any of you 22 boys get hold of any try it , it will make you think a bit about what is behind and off to the side of your target .

[Alsone 789]

 

No doubt about it, a 22lr is perfectly acceptable for dealing with charlie at sensible distances in the right hands, but I still don't think it's the "best choice" for rabbits AND fox for a relative newcomer to rifles.

Police like you to start off with a 17hmr , because they don't ricochet like a 22 . Something worth remembering especially in this dry weather with rock hard ground. A mate got hold of some 22lr tracers, we shot some off at night. It was scary, I mean they go all over the place . If any of you 22 boys get hold of any try it , it will make you think a bit about what is behind and off to the side of your target .

 

 

I hate .22LR for that very reason. My friend once took a shot he shouldn't have - I was down range and out of sight albeit he knew I'd gone ahead and so shouldn't have been shooting. He shot a rabbit on a stoney path. I'm walking back up a field to the left out of sight over a low hedge when I hear the windrush from a deformed bullet coming towards me, that promptly flew over my shoulder maybe only 12 inches away (very hard to say exactly but it was way too close). My mate got a lashing on safety but it also reinforced to me how dangerous .22LR can be. We too have shot tracers and they do ricochet, a lot! Trouble with .22LR is it has insufficient energy to fragment and so unless the ground is soft, tends to bounce off it in a deformed state. As I was 50yds out, I can tell you with authority that some of the ricochets from .22LR do travel a long way. I reckon the one that missed me probably went yds before it seemed to ground once more.

 

That's why I'm not a great fan. On the one hand, an iconic calibre as in the old days, before all this H&S / PC guff about boys not being brought up being taught to shoot, every boy shot .22LR with their fathers, in school rifle ranges, at ATC clubs, and at fairgrounds (percussion caps), and pretty much every boy started shooting with .22LR. That's why it's iconic. The issue though is from a H&S pov, (a sensible one), it ricochets and is really best suited to rabbits due to it's low energy although it is a good silent fox gun with subs if you keep ranges to around 40-50yds or below (bit more for HV's). The issue as you point out with .22LR and range, is it will kill at range too, any gun will, but as the range pulls out, so do the numbers of woundings unless in very skilled hands. As a bunny gun with a good backstop and a good safety margin of land behind, it's hard to beat for low cost and silence (subs + mod). For anything else, there are better if more specialised choices. Just my 2 cents.

[johnny.w 316]

Your mate would have got a good bollock kicking off me. Whether 22lr ricochets or not WTF was he doing shooting when you were downrange?

 

Typical example of blaming a calibre when the idiot behind the gun is far more dangerous.

Edited June 24, 2017 by johnny.w

[Deker 3,450]

 

 

No doubt about it, a 22lr is perfectly acceptable for dealing with charlie at sensible distances in the right hands, but I still don't think it's the "best choice" for rabbits AND fox for a relative newcomer to rifles.

Police like you to start off with a 17hmr , because they don't ricochet like a 22 . Something worth remembering especially in this dry weather with rock hard ground. A mate got hold of some 22lr tracers, we shot some off at night. It was scary, I mean they go all over the place . If any of you 22 boys get hold of any try it , it will make you think a bit about what is behind and off to the side of your target .

 

 

I hate .22LR for that very reason. My friend once took a shot he shouldn't have - I was down range and out of sight albeit he knew I'd gone ahead and so shouldn't have been shooting. He shot a rabbit on a stoney path. I'm walking back up a field to the left out of sight over a low hedge when I hear the windrush from a deformed bullet coming towards me, that promptly flew over my shoulder maybe only 12 inches away (very hard to say exactly but it was way too close). My mate got a lashing on safety but it also reinforced to me how dangerous .22LR can be. We too have shot tracers and they do ricochet, a lot! Trouble with .22LR is it has insufficient energy to fragment and so unless the ground is soft, tends to bounce off it in a deformed state. As I was 50yds out, I can tell you with authority that some of the ricochets from .22LR do travel a long way. I reckon the one that missed me probably went yds before it seemed to ground once more.

 

That's why I'm not a great fan. On the one hand, an iconic calibre as in the old days, before all this H&S / PC guff about boys not being brought up being taught to shoot, every boy shot .22LR with their fathers, in school rifle ranges, at ATC clubs, and at fairgrounds (percussion caps), and pretty much every boy started shooting with .22LR. That's why it's iconic. The issue though is from a H&S pov, (a sensible one), it ricochets and is really best suited to rabbits due to it's low energy although it is a good silent fox gun with subs if you keep ranges to around 40-50yds or below (bit more for HV's). The issue as you point out with .22LR and range, is it will kill at range too, any gun will, but as the range pulls out, so do the numbers of woundings unless in very skilled hands. As a bunny gun with a good backstop and a good safety margin of land behind, it's hard to beat for low cost and silence (subs + mod). For anything else, there are better if more specialised choices. Just my 2 cents.

 

 

Good grief...don't blame any calibre for stupidity.

 

The .22lr is the most popular civil calibre in the world, it is versatile and relatively inexpensive.

 

Any numb nuts of a police region that promotes HMR over .22lr because .22lr ricochets is an idiot.

 

ANY AND EVERY calibre has the ability to ricochet, the .22lr tends to be slightly more prone to it than others, so, as always with every calibre, use it with caution, and hitting your quarry will go a long way to avoiding ricochets.

[Underdog 2,337]

 

 

 

 

 

No doubt about it, a 22lr is perfectly acceptable for dealing with charlie at sensible distances in the right hands, but I still don't think it's the "best choice" for rabbits AND fox for a relative newcomer to rifles.

Police like you to start off with a 17hmr , because they don't ricochet like a 22 . Something worth remembering especially in this dry weather with rock hard ground. A mate got hold of some 22lr tracers, we shot some off at night. It was scary, I mean they go all over the place . If any of you 22 boys get hold of any try it , it will make you think a bit about what is behind and off to the side of your target .

I hate .22LR for that very reason. My friend once took a shot he shouldn't have - I was down range and out of sight albeit he knew I'd gone ahead and so shouldn't have been shooting. He shot a rabbit on a stoney path. I'm walking back up a field to the left out of sight over a low hedge when I hear the windrush from a deformed bullet coming towards me, that promptly flew over my shoulder maybe only 12 inches away (very hard to say exactly but it was way too close). My mate got a lashing on safety but it also reinforced to me how dangerous .22LR can be. We too have shot tracers and they do ricochet, a lot! Trouble with .22LR is it has insufficient energy to fragment and so unless the ground is soft, tends to bounce off it in a deformed state. As I was 50yds out, I can tell you with authority that some of the ricochets from .22LR do travel a long way. I reckon the one that missed me probably went yds before it seemed to ground once more.

 

That's why I'm not a great fan. On the one hand, an iconic calibre as in the old days, before all this H&S / PC guff about boys not being brought up being taught to shoot, every boy shot .22LR with their fathers, in school rifle ranges, at ATC clubs, and at fairgrounds (percussion caps), and pretty much every boy started shooting with .22LR. That's why it's iconic. The issue though is from a H&S pov, (a sensible one), it ricochets and is really best suited to rabbits due to it's low energy although it is a good silent fox gun with subs if you keep ranges to around 40-50yds or below (bit more for HV's). The issue as you point out with .22LR and range, is it will kill at range too, any gun will, but as the range pulls out, so do the numbers of woundings unless in very skilled hands. As a bunny gun with a good backstop and a good safety margin of land behind, it's hard to beat for low cost and silence (subs + mod). For anything else, there are better if more specialised choices. Just my 2 cents.

Good grief...don't blame any calibre for stupidity.

 

The .22lr is the most popular civil calibre in the world, it is versatile and relatively inexpensive.

 

Any numb nuts of a police region that promotes HMR over .22lr because .22lr ricochets is an idiot.

 

ANY AND EVERY calibre has the ability to ricochet, the .22lr tends to be slightly more prone to it than others, so, as always with every calibre, use it with caution, and hitting your quarry will go a long way to avoiding ricochets.

Absolutely ?

[shovel leaner 7,648]

 

 

 

 

No doubt about it, a 22lr is perfectly acceptable for dealing with charlie at sensible distances in the right hands, but I still don't think it's the "best choice" for rabbits AND fox for a relative newcomer to rifles.

Police like you to start off with a 17hmr , because they don't ricochet like a 22 . Something worth remembering especially in this dry weather with rock hard ground. A mate got hold of some 22lr tracers, we shot some off at night. It was scary, I mean they go all over the place . If any of you 22 boys get hold of any try it , it will make you think a bit about what is behind and off to the side of your target .

I hate .22LR for that very reason. My friend once took a shot he shouldn't have - I was down range and out of sight albeit he knew I'd gone ahead and so shouldn't have been shooting. He shot a rabbit on a stoney path. I'm walking back up a field to the left out of sight over a low hedge when I hear the windrush from a deformed bullet coming towards me, that promptly flew over my shoulder maybe only 12 inches away (very hard to say exactly but it was way too close). My mate got a lashing on safety but it also reinforced to me how dangerous .22LR can be. We too have shot tracers and they do ricochet, a lot! Trouble with .22LR is it has insufficient energy to fragment and so unless the ground is soft, tends to bounce off it in a deformed state. As I was 50yds out, I can tell you with authority that some of the ricochets from .22LR do travel a long way. I reckon the one that missed me probably went yds before it seemed to ground once more.

That's why I'm not a great fan. On the one hand, an iconic calibre as in the old days, before all this H&S / PC guff about boys not being brought up being taught to shoot, every boy shot .22LR with their fathers, in school rifle ranges, at ATC clubs, and at fairgrounds (percussion caps), and pretty much every boy started shooting with .22LR. That's why it's iconic. The issue though is from a H&S pov, (a sensible one), it ricochets and is really best suited to rabbits due to it's low energy although it is a good silent fox gun with subs if you keep ranges to around 40-50yds or below (bit more for HV's). The issue as you point out with .22LR and range, is it will kill at range too, any gun will, but as the range pulls out, so do the numbers of woundings unless in very skilled hands. As a bunny gun with a good backstop and a good safety margin of land behind, it's hard to beat for low cost and silence (subs + mod). For anything else, there are better if more specialised choices. Just my 2 cents.

Good grief...don't blame any calibre for stupidity.

 

The .22lr is the most popular civil calibre in the world, it is versatile and relatively inexpensive.

 

Any numb nuts of a police region that promotes HMR over .22lr because .22lr ricochets is an idiot.

 

ANY AND EVERY calibre has the ability to ricochet, the .22lr tends to be slightly more prone to it than others, so, as always with every calibre, use it with caution, and hitting your quarry will go a long way to avoiding ricochets.

Absolutely

Are the Police numb nuts - idiots ? I think we all know the answer to that . However there is a widely help belief within the firearms licensing bodies that a 17hmr because of its high velocity , ricochets less than a 22lr and therefore in their eyes is a safer bet . Should someone be downrange of someone shooting ? Of course not . Do we all hit everything we shoot at ? You might , I however live in the real world .

[Alsone 789]

Your mate would have got a good bollock kicking off me. Whether 22lr ricochets or not WTF was he doing shooting when you were downrange?

 

Typical example of blaming a calibre when the idiot behind the gun is far more dangerous.

 

I don't disagree and he is experienced. He holds .22LR, .223, .30-06 and numerous shotguns. Never known him do anything like that before. He said he thought I was in the next field down but the answer is simple, if you don't know for sure it is safe, then don't shoot. I guess the rabbit proved too much temptation but it also nearly proved why you don't shoot where you can't see.

 

Good grief...don't blame any calibre for stupidity.

 

The .22lr is the most popular civil calibre in the world, it is versatile and relatively inexpensive.

 

Any numb nuts of a police region that promotes HMR over .22lr because .22lr ricochets is an idiot.

 

ANY AND EVERY calibre has the ability to ricochet, the .22lr tends to be slightly more prone to it than others, so, as always with every calibre, use it with caution, and hitting your quarry will go a long way to avoiding ricochets.

 

 

Yes, every calibre has the ability to ricochet. However, .22LR is more prone because it doesn't have the energy to fragment. I don't understand why people make excuses for it. If this was HMR being prone to cracking cases, it would get a lashing, yet because it's .22LR, it's untouchable in some eyes. Every calibre has strengths and weaknesses, but .22LR isn't as safe a learner calibre as the police generally accept it is. This isn't a .22LR bashing post just one that recognises that .22LR has some safety concerns when it comes to ricochets. That said, you're also quite right, in my case, the guy should never have taken the shot.

Edited June 24, 2017 by Alsone

[philpot 4,925]

A very interesting thread.

I had been toying with moving onto a .17HMR or .22 whilst still using my FAC air rifle for most bunnies but in all honesty, I think there are so many options with their advantages and disadvantages that I will just stick with my FAC air for the time being until such time that I am quite sure what to go for.

 

Phil

[shovel leaner 7,648]

A very interesting thread.

I had been toying with moving onto a .17HMR or .22 whilst still using my FAC air rifle for most bunnies but in all honesty, I think there are so many options with their advantages and disadvantages that I will just stick with my FAC air for the time being until such time that I am quite sure what to go for.

 

Phil

keep the air rifle for Rabbits and get a centrefire for foxes , or go for a 243 then you can do foxes and most deer apart from Reds .

[Deker 3,450]

 

A very interesting thread.

I had been toying with moving onto a .17HMR or .22 whilst still using my FAC air rifle for most bunnies but in all honesty, I think there are so many options with their advantages and disadvantages that I will just stick with my FAC air for the time being until such time that I am quite sure what to go for.

 

Phil

 

keep the air rifle for Rabbits and get a centrefire for foxes , or go for a 243 then you can do foxes and most deer apart from Reds .

 

 

I'm not quite following that!

 

I have 12ftlb, FAC Air and an assortment of rimfires, centrefires, shotguns and pistols.

 

First off, everyones situation and circumstances and land are different, so only the individual can really make the decision as to what works best for them.

 

A .243 is a centrefire, so I'm not with your comment, and as for Reds, the LAW says a .240, with energy/weight/etc minimum spec (slightly different in England/Wales and Scotland). but whichever way you want to look at it a .243 is more than capable of stopping a Red!

 

If you are not comfortable with a .243 on Reds then fine, that is your choice, but I have no issue with it and the only real reason I have a .308 on top of my .243 is for Boar and Target work, I have never needed it for Reds!

 

[shovel leaner 7,648]

 

 

A very interesting thread.

I had been toying with moving onto a .17HMR or .22 whilst still using my FAC air rifle for most bunnies but in all honesty, I think there are so many options with their advantages and disadvantages that I will just stick with my FAC air for the time being until such time that I am quite sure what to go for.

 

Phil

 

keep the air rifle for Rabbits and get a centrefire for foxes , or go for a 243 then you can do foxes and most deer apart from Reds .

I'm not quite following that!

 

I have 12ftlb, FAC Air and an assortment of rimfires, centrefires, shotguns and pistols.

 

First off, everyones situation and circumstances and land are different, so only the individual can really make the decision as to what works best for them.

 

A .243 is a centrefire, so I'm not with your comment, and as for Reds, the LAW says a .240, with energy/weight/etc minimum spec (slightly different in England/Wales and Scotland). but whichever way you want to look at it a .243 is more than capable of stopping a Red!

 

If you are not comfortable with a .243 on Reds then fine, that is your choice, but I have no issue with it and the only real reason I have a .308 on top of my .243 is for Boar and Target work, I have never needed it for Reds!

 

you are absolutely right , and if you have an estate that is fine for you to shoot their reds with a 243. Then that's ok . But a lot of estates are of the opinion that a 243 doesn't have the knock down power needed for Reds and wouldn't let you near their deer . 308, 270 , or 30.06 is what most recommend .

[Underdog 2,337]

 

 

 

A very interesting thread.

I had been toying with moving onto a .17HMR or .22 whilst still using my FAC air rifle for most bunnies but in all honesty, I think there are so many options with their advantages and disadvantages that I will just stick with my FAC air for the time being until such time that I am quite sure what to go for.

 

Phil

 

keep the air rifle for Rabbits and get a centrefire for foxes , or go for a 243 then you can do foxes and most deer apart from Reds .

I'm not quite following that!

 

I have 12ftlb, FAC Air and an assortment of rimfires, centrefires, shotguns and pistols.

 

First off, everyones situation and circumstances and land are different, so only the individual can really make the decision as to what works best for them.

 

A .243 is a centrefire, so I'm not with your comment, and as for Reds, the LAW says a .240, with energy/weight/etc minimum spec (slightly different in England/Wales and Scotland). but whichever way you want to look at it a .243 is more than capable of stopping a Red!

 

If you are not comfortable with a .243 on Reds then fine, that is your choice, but I have no issue with it and the only real reason I have a .308 on top of my .243 is for Boar and Target work, I have never needed it for Reds!

 

you are absolutely right , and if you have an estate that is fine for you to shoot their reds with a 243. Then that's ok . But a lot of estates are of the opinion that a 243 doesn't have the knock down power needed for Reds and wouldn't let you near their deer . 308, 270 , or 30.06 is what most recommend .

30/30 & and 243 worked just fine on reds for me.

Just saying.