243 Win , ?? What load for not wreckin a fox pelt

gumboot458

gumboot458

New member
Thats what I,m after , anyone with experience with the 243 win and what load if any won,t ruin a fox's pelt ????? Also does anyone know any FMJ .243 bullets , or machined solids in the 90 gr range ??
 
I've owned and shot a couple of different .243's since 1976, and I've yet to try a load that wouldn't blow up a fox.

I noticed a while back that Hodgdon's website lists a low velocity load using a 100 grain bullet and Trail Boss. If I remember right, you can load it between about 1000-1600 fps. That one likely won't blow up a fox.

But I've tried most others, and the .243 isn't generally known as a fur-friendly fox cartridge. Heck, it isn't known as a fur friendly coyote cartridge, and foxes are a lot lighter and thinner skinned.

For saving fox fur, you'd likely be better off with a .22 LR loaded wtih good high velocity ammo.

Daryl
 
The foxes in your location maybe slightly bigger than they are here in the lower 48, but not that much bigger. A .243??

Your best bet is a smaller caliber, such as the 17 Fireball or such, maybe a Wildcat version of the 17.
 
I,m going to try a load a friend sent me , 18gr of Blue Dot with a 75 gr hp and also with the 80 gr hornady FMJ ....2000 fps shouldn,t be too bad , I hope ... The reason is , I can only pack 1 rifle at a time , and if there is any possibility of calling in or seeing a wolf I want to have a wolf rifle with me ......... The LEE loading manual also lists loads for the 223 with 4831 . 26 gr. with a 55 gr bullet should equal around 2400 fps . That should be good also from my 223 using a 55 gr fmjbt . As long as it hits windage wise in line I can adjust for drop by using the duplex post .. ect. The thing is foxes bring in a little money but coyotes don,t ... Coyotes kill foxes . The more coyotes I kill the better the pup survival rate should be .. Plus a pack of coyotes will kill a new born moose or caribou calf ....... the 223 and 243 are fine for coyotes . but if I call in a coyote that hangs up @ 2-400 yards I will have the next round down , and all subsiquent rounds in the mag , full power loads ........
 
I had been hopeing someone would report that the 243 is easy on fox .. It seems not !!! Did you try the Barnes solids or Hornady fmj s ????? Thanks for the replies
 
i shoot a factory Ruger M77 mkII stainless with a polished trigger in .243 Win. I've been shooting the factory Hornady 58gr. V-max molly coated bullet for 3 yrs now and have had good results on coyotes and deer. i've got a dozen good kills from 65-200 yds. every shot so far has had small entry and no exit wound. very fur friendly so far on the yotes. all shots on coyotes and whitetails have been stone killers, dead right there. lost my first coyote with this round last week. shot one at 30-35 yds running away. big blood trail for 200yds or so. never found him. first run off i've had. think i may have hit him too far back.

don't know how this round will perform on fox. i've been concerned about pelt damage on fox and bobcat, that's why i started using this bullet to start with. but all my fox have been shotgun kills, and i'm still looking for Mr. TomBob. If you find a bullet that works well on fox, please let us know about it. Good luck.
 
tt2.gif
 
Last edited:
I would try Barnes TTSX 80 gr. They barely expand when they go thru a deer, unless you hit the shoulder bone. If the hydralic shock doesn't blow them apart at the seams, the exit hole shouldn't be too large. That with LV loads should be as fur friendly as you can hope for in a 243.
 
Originally Posted By: gumboot458 I had been hopeing someone would report that the 243 is easy on fox .. It seems not !!! Did you try the Barnes solids or Hornady fmj s ????? Thanks for the replies

if you do a search on fox calibers you will find that anything much bigger than a 22mag is going to ruin fur.
 
T A , thats awesome !!!!!! .Sand Hills , I loaded a bunch of 52 gr Speer HP .224 bullets for the my 223 with 26.8 gr RL 22 . I,m hopeing for 2400 fps or so . Like duplicating a 22 Hornet ... These have a pretty big hollow point so I hope they will stay in the animal .... All other rounds in the mag are 53 gr TSX FB . loaded to around 3200 fps with IMR 4895 ...... I have some 75 gr Sierra .243 HPs . If I can get a load around 2000 -2400 fps , it might not destroy alot , but I,m also going to try the solids @ the same low velocity ..... Then I will have solids @ 2900-3300 fps in the mag .... Lots to learn ... Thanks for the replies all ......
 
Last edited:
I shot a few reds last winter with 60gr Sierra HPs at max velocity, and it didn't wreck 'em too bad. Nothing a lil sewing didn't fix up.

But, if I know I'm going to be running into fox and possibly bobcats I usually pack a 22 magnum and/or a 223 or 12 gauge into each stand.

 
Last edited:
I am working on a few 223 loads at reduced velocities as well, will be checking them out over the next few weeks on critters as well.
 
I've shot a bunch of fox with a .243. I have yet to not blow one up. Big 7 or 8 inch exit wounds. I think a .223 is still too much gun for fox. I personally favor the hornet, but have no experience with a 17 rem or fireball, so I can't comment on them, but they seem great.
IMG_3364.jpg

IMG_3390.jpg
Shotguns work well too.
IMG_3396.jpg

fox008.jpg

fox003.jpg
 
Here is a picture from last years reds that I shot. The one I shot between the eyes, and it didn't wreck much of anything, the other required some sewing but not much.

I'm not saying the 243 isn't going to wreck them, I've actually had better luck with my 243 on them than my 223s.

DSC01500.jpg
 
Back
Top