Rifle selection

[beagle1812 0]

Hi Everyone,

 

I need your help and advice on rifle selection.

 

I have land to shoot on with my air rifle but I’m looking in to getting something a bit more powerful so I can shoot rabbits and foxes. I know I will need my FAC first, I ideally want something not too noisy and bullets with minimal ricochet.

 

Any advice will be welcome.

 

(p.s. I don’t want to spend a fortune!).

 

Thanks.

[the Verminator 0]

.22lr or .17hmr

[SportingShooter 0]

.22lr or .17hmr

What he said.

 

.22LR if mainly Rabbits, HMR if mainly other Varmints.

[RicW 67]

22lr is the ideal rabbit calibre, marginal for fox. You can pick up a decent S/H cz rifle for £200, use your air rifle 'scope.With a moderator it'll be as quiet as your air rifle, 5-6p/round. 17 HMR's a lot more powerful, a lot noisier and three times the price for ammo, well up to fox out to 150yds.

As it's your first FAC you may well not get your certificate conditioned for fox anyway!

[salukiwhippet 6]

As has been said, .22lr for rabbits, HMR for crows or rabbits at longer range.

 

An HMR is certainly not a 'fox calibre', yes it will kill them, but in my opinion, and that of most others, completely unsuitable past 100 yards absolute maximum. I am currently mentoring a chap for .22 centrefire as he has shot 2 foxes with his HMR, both headshots, both slightly outside the brain, both at under 100 yards, and both needed a second shot to finish them. He has (rightly) given up the HMR for foxing, and is in the process of applying for a suitable calibre.

 

I personally wouldn't touch an HMR, I use a .22 hornet, quieter, same ammo price (I homeload) and three times the energy. Much more capable in a wind as well.

 

Try to have a go with both!

 

James

[RicW 67]

Agreed HMR is not really a fox calibre. But will Beagle get a centrefire on his first FAC? Best bet might be to go for 22lr to start then put in for a variation for a CF in a year or two.

Ric

lr does ricochet though

Edited July 19, 2009 by RicW

[langouroux 14]

Agreed HMR is not really a fox calibre. But will Beagle get a centrefire on his first FAC? Best bet might be to go for 22lr to start then put in for a variation for a CF in a year or two.

Ric

lr does ricochet though

 

i got .308 on my first ticket a year ago, but with a condition to only be used with " an experienced centre fire user" but make sure that you have the relevant quarry put on your ticket as weel mate, my ticket actually states fox, deer, vermin.

[beagle1812 0]

As has been said, .22lr for rabbits, HMR for crows or rabbits at longer range.

 

An HMR is certainly not a 'fox calibre', yes it will kill them, but in my opinion, and that of most others, completely unsuitable past 100 yards absolute maximum. I am currently mentoring a chap for .22 centrefire as he has shot 2 foxes with his HMR, both headshots, both slightly outside the brain, both at under 100 yards, and both needed a second shot to finish them. He has (rightly) given up the HMR for foxing, and is in the process of applying for a suitable calibre.

 

I personally wouldn't touch an HMR, I use a .22 hornet, quieter, same ammo price (I homeload) and three times the energy. Much more capable in a wind as well.

 

Try to have a go with both!

 

James

 

Thanks James, and everyone else. I think I'll stick with the rabbits then (I'd feel bad if I shot a fox and didn't kill it). really appreciate all your help and advice.