A friend uses the 35gr VMax bullet to keep the Red Fox away from his wife's chickens. She would now like to have one of the "victims" made into a full-body mount, but the VMax causes such a massive, softball-sized exit would that his taxidermist doesn't want to handle the mounting in that condition. Any suggestions for a 35-80 yard bullet that would make them DRT, but either disintegrate internally or have a small exit wound? A solid would save the pelt, but their property adjoins the heavy cover of a lowlands tract. Barnes has a new 45gr TSX, but might be too long for the Hornet. Single-feeding is not an objection, however.

I shot a red fox and a 2 bobcats with a factory 46 grain Winchester Hollowpoint (22 Hornet). This bullet doesn't exit.....at least it didn't on these three.

I would recommend some kind of hollow point bullet for your intended task.

Try to get hold of some W-W 46Hp projectiles. They are sold in plastic bags and are uber accurate in my .218Bee. I've never had one exit on Fox or feral cats at 3,000fps from the Bee.

The HP 'hole' is large enough to expand substantially. On Rabbits they are very destructive.

If you can't get the HP's then I'd suggest a 40 or 45 grain Sierra SMP 'Hornet' projectile. Sometimes the conventional projectiles achive results that latest marketed super-duper plastic premiums can't.

Thanks guys....sounds like a plan.

Jon,

I have used the 45 X bullet in my old spotlighting days--works very good in a bee. I've shot it out of a hornet too. Not an issue being too long. It would load in my anschultz, and kimber.

Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
...Any suggestions for a 35-80 yard bullet that would make them DRT, but either disintegrate internally or have a small exit wound? ...

Actually, a 22LR does just fine on them. I prefer the CCI SGBs(Small Game Bullet) which are amazingly accurate in my Marlin M880. But I think I used a Remington SubSonic on the last Fox I Killed.

quote:

in my old spotlighting days-

Ed, you make it sound like your poaching days are behind you? (Just kiddin!)

Berger's 30 gr bullet is perfect for foxes, I've been using a Winchester Low Wall with a 1:12" twist.

We use 46 gr. RWS HP J/M (Jagd/Match), W-W HP's & 35 gr. V-Max's in the Hornet (they also work REALLY good in a .221, .222, or .223 Remington, too).

Of course they have the B.C. of a Ping-Pong Ball but we don't need 'em to go too awful far; just Fox killing distances.

With all 3 of those bullets Foxes normally just slosh alot on the insides when you pick 'em up - which @ 95% of the time exactly where they took the hit, almost never get an exit wound.

Try the Barnes 30 grain varmint grenade made for the hornet. At 3000 - 3300 fps they shouldn't exit. DW

Thanks all. Kind of a cute story. My friend and I have hunted all over for years. He recently married a sweet woman, who happens to be a veterinary's assistant. I'm sure she is (was!) an animal lover. The fox started to kill her chickens, and my friend taught her about fox and coyote, showed her how to use a predator call, and how to shoot his 22 Hornet. Now she's unstoppable! She has 7 or 8 so far. He'll be sound asleep and get woken up by a gunshot. He'll find her in a nightie, hanging out the bedroom window, taking a crack at a fox she heard at 3:00 AM. He awakened the predator in her, for sure!

Great story! Occasionally reality does run head-to-head with the PETA types. Good to see a convert.

They are a little pricey, and for a one time deal for a mount might not be worth the cost, but I had excellent results on javelina with the 50 grain Barnes "X" Flat Base out to 125 yards with a Ruger Model 77 22 Hornet.

Don't underestimate the hornets ability to stabilize long and heavy bullets. My standard load is a 55gr spirepoint in my 1-in-16 twist Anschutz. It also shoots 60gr spire points just fine. No good for your purposes though as these have a little too much penetration. They kill feral goats pretty good! (My loads are a little warmer than usual using a somewhat unusual loading technique).

1:16" should have been retired a long time ago, with modern powders and bullets it should be standard to use 1:12" and sometimes 1:14"... some habits die hard I guess

at those ranges about any 55 grain bullet would give plenty enough accuracy and not open up near as fast as a 35vmax.

I have used the 50 gr VMax with good success on a Jackal and a Steenbok. Bullet went through and did not blow up.

She smoked another one last night, with a 45gr Remington load I gave her.