fox rifle

[GriMo]

Hey mate, when were you going out shooting foxes for skins and selling them for $40-$45???? What year?

Back in the 80's mate as I recall the prices peaked around 1986-88

Well that just proves my point. A lot has changed since the late 80's hasn't it. Pelts aren't worth a buck, properties harder to gain access to, a lot more shooters around etc etc etc... This is what I meant HiWall and Grimo, you know by my " A lot has changed comment".

Okay, i apologise if i was talking to fast. The OP mentions he shoots for skins, but doesnt mention anything about selling them. So im not sure why you insist on falling back on "the price of skins has changed." Its perfectly irrelevant to the discussion at hand. We are not debating the price of skins, simply as to what is the best catridge to cause minimal damage to them.

So, to re-inforce the obvious, if you want to keep skins, the smaller caliber with less energy is always going to be a better choice then the bigger harder hitting one, providing it allows for a humane kill. For keeping skins the .204 is nowhere near the same league as the .17rem, fireball etc. A smaller hole, with no exit wound, is better then a bigger hole with a massive exit wound, if you want to keep skins.

The price of skins may have changed, but people wanting skins to keep for themselves hasnt...

[mitchellchandler_au]

I thought I might elaborate on my original post. Mostly me and a mate have been shooting foxes to get skins for a rug he wants to make. But every now and then we find an exeptional skin, being that I normally shoot with my HB .22 and can land the pill through an eye there is no damage to the skin. and then the odd fox wont come any closer then 200 yards the 222 just blows the heads to pieces so I reckon a 17 cal. for these ones further away might be the ticket. And if we can get a few dollars for some of the better skins it helps go towards paying for the trip.

[Stalker]

Righto. I get it. Sorry. For some reason I thought the OP was doing it for the dough.
If you want perfect pelts....Trap em.

[feralbuster]

Yeah it has, quite a lot.

17rem pretty much matches ballistic performance of the 204 anyways so whats the difference really?

Really don't like the 204 do you Keith?! maybe if you were able to shoot one for 12 months you might realise that it isn't such a bad cartridge after all...

[andrewk]

>age does not = >intelligence
Nor are you old enough to be senile!

true

but age does give seniority or senility - take your pick

mate I have trouble remembering what I ate for breakfast- while I'm still actually eating breakfast

I'm not that far off it

P

ogre, do you remember anything about that 223 barrel?

[Trev]

Im with Ogre

Just start reloading your 222, drop down the proj weight and away ya go, If that dont work, whats wrong with a cheap Savage or CZ 17 hmr, fox out to 150 is in big trouble.

[kjd]

Yeah it has, quite a lot.

17rem pretty much matches ballistic performance of the 204 anyways so whats the difference really?

Really don't like the 204 do you Keith?! maybe if you were able to shoot one for 12 months you might realise that it isn't such a bad cartridge after all...

hi mate I'm sure it's a good cartridge it just doesn't offer anything new over other varmint cartridges! I don't like how it's over-hyped!

[andrewk]

204 really fills a spot between the 17's and 22's.

give us a new toy to play with and rave on about so to speak.

[trevort]

Keith, the point 204 owners try to make to you is...... its not hype, it does everything its advertising claims say it does. Just buy one ffs

[kjd]

Keith, the point 204 owners try to make to you is...... its not hype, it does everything its advertising claims say it does. Just buy one ffs

It is hype people are just wound up in it as its the latest and greatest thing even though other cartridges are around that equal or better its performance.

[feralbuster]

Keith, you are right, it is over hyped. HOWEVER (of course there was going to be a 'however'), after owning a 243, 22-250 & 22-250AI, and having shot enough 222's/223's in my time, and if asked for a recommendation for a PURE varmint cartridge from someone who wanted to buy a new rifle, I am (for now) going to suggest the 204 every time. It isn't the flattest, it isn't the fastest, but its easy to shoot (noise & recoil), and easy to reload, and while not as speccy as my '250AI, it sure kills varmint dead.
I used to knock I-pods for the same reason you can the 204, after all, CD's still play music, but then my brother gave me one (an IPod) for my birthday a couple of years ago. Now it for me it is "CD player, whats a CD player?"

[andrewk]

and so advances mankind in leaps and in bounds.

i still don't have an i-pod though but i do have a 204.

but in answer with this thread i'd go with a 17 cal, ackley hornet, fireball, mach4, tactical, practical or remington doesn't matter. 17hmr as i found works when things sit still and conditions are perfect. 204 punches fist size hole in things, so does 222's and 223's. they have too much energy but the 17 centers fit the bill.

[Rinso]

feralbuster,

I am old, I know and it shows when I use my 25.06 for near everything and only use the 223 when I am bored, but whats an I-Pod?????? and what the hell is a 204????? sounds like its somekind of new fangled wiz bang gadget that may solve all mankinds problems or is just a new breakfast cereal ??????? ......

[ogre6br]

ogre, do you remember anything about that 223 barrel?

Sorry fat man ititis- will get on it in the morning

P

Im with Ogre

Just start reloading your 222, drop down the proj weight and away ya go, If that dont work, whats wrong with a cheap Savage or CZ 17 hmr, fox out to 150 is in big trouble.

Now I'm afraid- somebody has agreed with me
downloading even jsut a couple hundred FPS in a 222 with a 50 varmint projectile makes a big difference in damage done- but not that much drop in overall range

I shot with a bloke who used to load his 222 to 22 Hornet 40 grain warm load speeds but with 50 grain slugs and it worked a treat

P
edit to add
there was an old time Hornady pill that really used to fragment- pre V-max days- and he used to use them- does anyone know the projectiles name??
skin was perfect but insides were mush- like a mini grenade had gone off in there
and he was shooting for skins to sell

[Whitty]

there was an old time Hornady pill that really used to fragment- pre V-max days- and he used to use them- does anyone know the projectiles name??
skin was perfect but insides were mush- like a mini grenade had gone off in there
and he was shooting for skins to sell

Would that be the Hornady 50gr SX ? They are a great projectile, but will shread a fox if your not careful. Speer 40gr SPs were popular as well.

I half agree with you Ogre.There was a fox fur industry long before the arrival of the 17rem in the 1970's and cartridges like the 222 and 22 hornet were used to good effect. From my own experience I know the 222 is capable of the task. The thing is, the 17 cals are a huge improvement on the 222 and would be my first choice in a rifle for taking fox skins.