I need HELP!! Keep blowing up foxes

J

jbo225

New member
I need someone to tell me a 223 round that's easy on fox and bobcat I blew yet another fox out last night I'm tired of it I have a 223 1:9 22" bolt. Unfortunately I don't relaod has to be a round out there thats fur friendly on fox Ive been using vmax thanks
 
I have killed fox with a 55gr vmax with only a nickel sized exit. BUT, if you hit bone, like a shoulder you will blow them up every time.
 
I've shot a few with 45gr TSX without fur damage. Nickle sized exit, instant death.

Agree on shoulders/legs. If you hit big bones with most bullets, the bone/tissue fragments will make a nasty exit on their way out. Fox skin is very thin around the armpits.

Also foxes are small. Ours aren't much bigger than a 2-liter coke bottle with legs and a tail. Good shot placement with a smaller caliber is critical. 223 and 204 are often too much, maybe 50/50. I've done it and seen it over and over.

17 HMR works with careful shot placement but results in runners on lesser shots. 17 WSM might be just right but I haven't tried it. Otherwise a 12g with 3-inch #2 lead shot from an x-full choke is the best I've found with easy kills to 50 yards.

12g 3" #2 lead.
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All 17gr Vmax 17HMR.
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12g 3" #2 lead including the coyote. One or two might have been 17gr Vmax HMR.
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45gr TSX.
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12g 3" #2 lead.
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I watched my buddy shoot one with a 55gr ttsx. .22 sized hole in, dime sized out. You are always going to get an exit with the tsx or ttsx.
 
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have you tried hornady custom with 55gn soft point? the frontier version may be a cheaper alternative. it is very effective on coyotes but likely to have an exit wound on fox.

I haven't tried Vmax on a fox but I would think a lighter bullet such as the 40 vmax would do less damage. Fiocchi is cheap and shoots well, they are loaded with vmax.
 
I've shot a bunch with 223 40gr Vmax from my 26" rifle and it's too much more often than not. It normally blows open the stomach fur from the blast, like stepping on a banana. 69 SMK did the same thing.

40gr Vmax perform BETTER from my 16" AR with slower velocity, but it is still right there on the cusp of too much. A good vitals shot or front upper chest shot will NEARLY blow out every time, but hit bone and you're done.

40gr Vmax 223 throat shot, nearly busted at the armpit seams.
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Another 40gr Vmax 223. Didn't blow out an exit but sure did try! Insides are a mess.
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I don't know how it would work, but I was thinking about loading a 35gr NTX or LFBT with something like 10-13gr of blue dot for a load between 2500fps and 3000fps in a .223? Has anyone tried the 38gr Lehigh defense coppers?
 
I stopped experimenting with 40gr Vmax because I transitioned to lead free. It might be fine if you slow it down even more, maybe below 3000fps.
 
Whatever 223 you chose, make sure a vitals shot goes straight thru the ribs on entry/exit. Avoid an angle where the bullet would exit the far shoulder/leg because the force will likely push the shoulder or bone frags out through the skin. It doesn't end well.
 
Originally Posted By: jbo225Anybody use the 55gr Barnes tsx?

Not specifically that one, but the Barnes are the best fur bullets out there. I switched over the 80gr TTSX in 243 last year and shot a good bit of foxes and didn’t blow a single one up with that bullet and that’s a 6mm which usually blows a fox up bad. Pic the TSX, TTSX, or LRX that you want and run it, you won’t be disappointed.
 
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