"Classic Hunter" and "Target" Bullets from Fox

Exotic at First Glance, but High Quality

The Classic Hunter from Slovenian ammunition manufacturer Fox is a series of monolithic lead-free bullets made from a copper and zinc alloy, available in calibers from .223 to .413, covering the needs of most hunters. If you don't reload, you can also choose from the most popular calibers in the form of factory ammunition. For instance, you can buy a .308 Win cartridge in practically the same configuration that I reloaded for the tests, optimized for standard barrel lengths of 558 mm, at a price of 69 Kč per piece, with the advantage of slightly higher performance.

In any case, the bullet features a polymer ballistic tip set in a hollow point and isintended for medium and large game. The base is slightly beveled (BT), and the body has several prominent grooves that help reduce friction when the bullet passes through the barrel, which is particularly important for long monoliths that, thanks to this, can also boast high sectional density and ballistic coefficient. Reloading is relatively trouble-free; the bullet performs best with a high percentage of case fill with powder and a "jump" – the distance between the rifling and the bullet surface – of at least 1.5 mm. Although this can vary, and to achieve maximum potential, you need to "tune" it a bit. On the range, even in this caliber, it proved to bean exceptionally accurate bullet. The quality is evident during reloading on the bullets themselves, and their weighing confirms excellent uniformity, which is a basic prerequisite for accurate shooting.

In this case, I tuned the cartridge for a relatively short 457 mm barrel. I used Lovex D073-04 powder with a charge of 37 gr, an overall cartridge length of 69.6 mm, and a measured muzzle velocity of 758 m/s. The performance could behigher, but this configuration proved to be the most accurate of the several tested and absolutely sufficient for the intended shooting distances.

There is no risk of accidentally taking Target bullets for hunting. The bullets are easily distinguishable by the color of the tip.

"Target Bullets" in the Service of Hunters

The Target bullets are essentially the same as Classic Hunter, but instead of a hollow point with a ballistic tip, it's a solid mass of the same shape. This makes the bullet significantly less prone to deformation. This can be useful for hunting small game, where we also want to avoid damaging the fur. Conversely, it is also a valid option for hunting extra heavy and tough game, where maximum energy must go into penetration, even though the Target is not primarily intended for this. After all, we don't have many buffaloes and elephants grazing in our fields, but the bullet is an interesting option even if you don't leave the Czech Republic and don't shoot small game. It is a cheaper alternative to Classic Hunter for training purposes. If you don't shoot your game just at short distances of a few dozen meters, then range training should be a regular part of your hunting preparation, and then bullets costing 23 Kč each (.308/165 gr) can get quite expensive. In contrast, the Target with the same parameters as the Hunter costs significantly 5 Kč less.

The manufacturer claims that Target and Classic Hunter have identical ballistics, so Target at the range and Hunter for hunting, right? Experienced reloaders, however, know that "identical ballistics" is a bold claim. In practice, it usually requires quite a bit of time tuning the powder charge and seating depth, and even then it may not be perfect. I decided to test this inpractice. I took a Target of the same weight and reloaded it almost the same as the Hunter bullet. The difference was in the cartridge length being a third of a millimeter shorter due to slightly different placement of the grooves on the surface of the bullets and two-tenths of a grain less powder charge to compensate for the slightly smaller combustion space in the cartridge case. It wasn't any major tuning. Besides, I am sure that the cartridge length and powder charge could be unified if I started optimizing with the Targets and not the other way around.

Back to Hunting

If we return to the hunting Hunters, for .308 Win everything applies without exception, as I found out in the 6.5 Creedmoor test. The bullet is a bit harder, which means shooting weaker game through the shoulder so it has something to properly deform against. The chest wall alone, especially if it fails to hit a rib, may not be enough. The manufacturer states that the bullet deforms adequately even at lower impact velocities around 500 m/s. At the same time, as with all monoliths, it behaves better at higher velocities, so it is advisable not to fear lighter bullets and stronger powder charges. The Hunter convincingly brings down medium game in its tracks or nearby "within a stone's throw," and in my experience so far, without any mysterious escapes or other undesirable phenomena. The impact usually reveals a negligible entry wound, an exit hole the size of a dime, and exemplary damage to vital organs. The bruise on the side where the bullet exited would be rated as average insize, nothing particularly devastating. I have also not noticed anythrough-shots without fragments in the game meat. Overall, I have little to complain about. While using the Classic Hunter does have a handful of basic rules, apart from that, it is a top bullet for hunting, whereas the Target is a top bullet for the range with the advantage of almost identical ballistics.