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Which is the right rifle for shooting foxes and stalking deer?
The 125-grain load is quite frangible and will cause more meat damage than the traditional 150- to 165-grain bullet weight for deer.
By Steve Bowers
Saturday, 09 February 2008
I require a rifle to shoot foxes and to stalk deer. I want to buy a moderated .308 because of the ammunition choice, but have been told by friends that this calibre would be overkill for foxes. I can only afford one rifle. Can you make any suggestions?
A: .308 is overkill for foxes, but dead is dead and loaded with the 125 Nosler ballistic tip cartridge it is a lethal load in windy and long-range conditions.
The 125-grain load is quite frangible and will cause more meat damage than the traditional 150- to 165-grain bullet weight for deer.
This is also true for the .243 round which is a good cartridge for both foxes and deer. You can have 55-grain to 75-grain light, fast bullet weights, while 75-grain to 100-grain bullets are suitable for deer.
The deciding factor may be the land over which you shoot. Your local police may decide that a .243 may be safer or more suited to your needs than a .308. If it was a 50/50 fox and deer split then I would recommend a .243, but if you intend to shoot more deer than foxes the .308 would be my choice.
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