Want to know about 221 fireball

[fredster22]

 Have a chance to trade for a 221 fireball. Know something about it but would appreciate comments on it as far as being a good caliber
 ease of loading for in comparison to 22 hornet & capability. Thanks in advance.  Fred

[Alaska Dave]

Loading for it is easy. But if you have to ask that question i'd advise you to hook up with an experienced reloader or start reading up on it before you start out. Been playing with the 221 for a spell now. Mostly in a pistol but got a rifle barrel last year I use to use the 35 grain bullet but have moved up to the 40 grain instead. you'll have fun with it and remember this, thats a cute round.

[frankkj]

The 221 Fireball is a fun round. I have both the original XP-100 and a 700 Classic in that caliber. To be totally honest, I have never been able to get the XP to shoot like I want, but the Classic is a blast. I load 50 gn. V-Max bullets over Reloader 7. Out to 250 yards, I am confident of making an excellant shot.

Frank

[Hopalong7]

      If you've ever shot a .223Rem out of a 10" barrel you'll appreciate the idea behind the .221.  Designed to give .223-like performance out of a 10" pistol with a little less thunder and lightening. 
     frankkj: I've also got an original (space cadet) model XP-100 and the Classic 700....same results here....my Contender with either of two barrels outdoes the XP, but the classic is one sweet little rifle(one of the few bolt guns left in my collection).
     Yep...I'll agree a FUN round.  And, it fills that gaping hole  between the .218Bee and .222Rem .

[skb2706]

I have a Bullberry 16 1/2" .221 fireball Contender barrel. Sweet shooting gun it whatever configuration you put it together. Mine is instant death to prairie dogs out to about 250-275 yds. Easy to load for, I like RL7 and a 40 gr. Vmax. Gets abot 3150 fps in my gun.

[Ladobe]

The 221 case itself is a great little package.   Until I started seriously selling off my firearms about a year ago I had 5 221Fireballs and 3 17MachIV's.   No doubt the 17's quickly replaced the 22's as my go-to choice on this case when I started shooting them many years ago, but they were all good.   

In the 221FB, I still have my very early XP-100 (in a Fajen Victory stock and it is a really good shooter even with the factory 10"  barrel), Just shipped the CZ 527 with exhibition wood a few weeks ago, and sold 3 TC Contender barrels over the last year... a 10" factory octagon and 2 custom Bullberry 12" stainless bulls (still have 2 of the M4's too, both NIB custom Bullberry Contender barrels -15" & 20").   So, I guess you could say I liked the case for both predator and varmint hunting - alot.   I also had 5 22 Hornets and 3 17 Ackley Hornets, one 218 Bee and 2 17 Ackley Bee's, and this case does step it up over all of them a few notches.   

I'm not sure what you mean by ease of reloading verses the Hornet.   If you mean in finding a good load for, I never had any trouble finding them for any of my Hornets although I know some folks do, nor any problem finding them for anything I shot this case in either.  The 221 is no different than loading for a 222/223 except for less powder.

L.

[fredster22]

  Ladobe,
            Thanks for your interest, what I was referring to as ease of loading is the hornet takes a lot more care in case preparation
as in sizing, thin walls and possible neck crushing while seating and overall case life . It seems as if the Fireball would be an easier
case to work with. At this point I have decided to ream a 22 hornet to this caliber in a Handi bbl if I can't find a used one.  Fred

[BigAl52]

Fredster
I guess I don't see what the problem is with the 22 Hornet. I have one and I am thinking about getting a fireball also. But loading for the 22 hornet is simple. With the bullets from Nosler and Hornady being a boat tail design they seat with ease even into the thin brass of the Hornet neck. I read where some guys didn't like the 35gr Hornadys but I just chamfer the case mouth slightly and even that flat base bullet goes in with ease. I use the preparations for any of my other calibers that I load for also. Good Luck Al

[David D.]

Same as some of the above, I have both the Hornet and the Fireball. The Hornet being 16-1/4" F.R.O. barrel shooting 40gr. pills over Lil-Gun has been no problems loading. My 24" MGM Fireball likes 45gr pills over RL7. Loading is no different than any other 24Cal. bottle neck cartridge. Accuracy is excellent from this MGM barrel as all my MGM barrels are. I have really been considering having this barrel cut to 14".

[russ69]

I have a Fireball, it's my least accurate barrel. I'm still working on the load but it was shooting around an inch and a half, not that good for me. Fred (Bullberry) told be to try heavier bullets, so I'm still testing. To tell the truth I think the Fireball sounds better on paper than in real life. I think I'd rather have a 218 Bee.

Thanx, Russ

[David D.]

I have a Fireball, it's my least accurate barrel. I'm still working on the load but it was shooting around an inch and a half, not that good for me. Fred (Bullberry) told be to try heavier bullets, so I'm still testing. To tell the truth I think the Fireball sounds better on paper than in real life. I think I'd rather have a 218 Bee.

Thanx, Russ

Judging from my experience and others I have heard from shooting the 221 Fireball I would suspect somethings wrong other than the 221 Fireball round being the problem with the poor accuracy. Could there be a possible problem with the barrel, bad chamber, bad crown, etc. ? Even the best of barrel makers sometimes turns one out that just want shoot!