Ive shot a few arctic fox using .222 with 55 gr sierra fmj with good result for pelt!
Also use 90gr lapua fmj in ,243 win on fox with great result!

Regards

55 gr FMJ, lower velocity will also help out quite a bit

a 223 loaded to 2600 fps will be plenty for 200 yds on a small animal like a ground squirrel.. it will be fine for larger like coyote or fox , or bob cat.



It should even work on politicians! ( Just kidding)

Twenty five or so years ago, a good Montana coyote would bring $100 to $150 and a prime red fox would make you $75 (if the buyer wasn't to much of a crook). So you wanted to make sure they were dead, and not running off with a little fmj bullet hole in them. I found that a 52 gr hp match bullet would open up enough to put them down without comming completly apart like a more thin skinned "varmint" type bullet would. Hope this helps. Matt

Went Fox shooting Friday night and shot about 8 in an hour, wanted to keep the Furs but the 55gn V-Max had blown the fur to @#$%! I expected there might be an exit wound but never could have guessed that the entry wound would have been that bad..I had one fox that was just about cut in half! Most shots were from about 170-250 meters so i thought the sting would have ran out a bit at that range and not hit so hard. Just wondering if anyone could help me out with a less destructive Bullet? Maybe just a lighter V-Max would do? or another brand would be better? I just love the accuracy of the V-Max in my Rifle but i want the Furs too.
Happy Hunting and thanks in advance for any help.
Mick..

If you will mention the cartridge and load are you using, it will help the folks answer your question.

I think the last few Fox I shot with a centerfire was with a 223Rem using the BIG HOLLOW POINTED 52gr Speer Flat Base(Part# 1035). I only kept some of the tails to use on Flies and I'm not positive all those bullets stayed inside. Hard to say what the "optimum" Impact Velocity is when the Game is so small.

I carry a Marlin 22LR M880SS a good bit and use the Remington SubSonic cartridges in it. Have killed maybe a dozen Fox and Fox size animals with it. Rarely got Exits, but when they are close and small, sometimes it still happens.

In the .223, you best bet will be something on the order of the 55 grain Sierra BTSP GameKing and keeping the MV down to around 28-2900 fps or so. It will still shoot plenty flat but will only make a .22 caliber entrance, and the exit should be about quarter-sized unless the shoulder bone is hit. Then, secondary bone fragments will figure into the equation, and a large exit may be the result.

You might want to try the A-max or match versions. The V-max are somewhat explosive on the varmints. Great for exploding prarie dogs but rough on fur bearers. The A-max and match are generally target bullets that sometimes act like FMJ even though they may have hollow points. These types might suit your needs better and maintain fine accuracy. You could always use FMJ too as foxes are not that tough to down and the pelt is not damaged as much. Perhaps not as accurate but a lot cheaper to shoot.

Go back, read what Bobby said....proceed from there.

I used the 40gr v max in my 222rem. The first fox I shot at 175yards had a large exit wound but no entry wound. On skinning it became apparent that what I had thought was the exit was in fact the entry wound. Never had one exit on a fox. Very fragile and explosive bullet.

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How big was the entry Wound made by the 40gn V-Max?