221.fireball

[cattail]

can any one tell me how a .221 FIREBALL PREFORMES on a red fox and coyotes and how bad is the fur damage with this caliber. and or the .204 cal

[Jerry Lester]

I just bought me a new 221 a couple months ago, so I'm in the same boat with you.

I've killed a pile of foxes with a lot of calibers from 22 LR to 223, and 357 magnum(light loads). I'm in the heavy bullet crowd as far as centerfire rifles go. The light weight bullets blow up a good hide way to often for my tastes. I've shot dozens of foxes with the 22 Hornet, loaded with Sierra 50g SMPs at around 2400-2500 fps, and that combination is fairly fur friendly, although it'll still blow a hole if the range is close, and the angle is wrong.

I'm working towards a 221 load that'll consist of 55g Sierra SPs(a very hard bullet for slower loads), and my target velocity will be around 2500 fps. My 223 loads with these bullets running 2700-2800 fps are pretty fur friendly if I choose my shots carefully, and avoid the shoulders of a fox. I'm figuring from past experience that those bullets at 2500 fps from my 221 should be just the ticket. If not, it'll be back to the 22 Hornet for me.

[deathray]

I have a 221 in a 527 CZ American, an have taken 5 coyotes and 2 fox with it. It is my favorite gun for calling its light, very accurate and not very loud. The first year I used 50 Gr. SX Horn. shot 2 Coyotes both dropped and never moved, no fur damage. The next year I shot 3 yotes and 2 fox using 40 Nosler BTs the foxs dropped where they stood no fur damage 2 of the yotes got up and tried to run had to finish both with another shot still no fur damage. I did not like the results I got with the 40Gr. Noslers . This year I will try 50 Gr. Spire Points for better penatration. I hope this helps.    Good Shooting Deathray

[Catfish]

I`ll address the .204 part of your question.
   I just got a CZ 527 in .204 acouple months back. The most accurate bullets in it are the 32 gn. Serrias, hands down. They make a great groundhog bullet. I got 1 groundhog with them, big sow at 165 to167 yrds.,lazered, bullet did not penitrate. I`ve also hit 4 coyotes with them, and the bullets did not penatrate here eather. I knocked 1 down hard twice at less than 70 yrds. and he still got away. The Serria bulletsare way to thin skinned for coyote, but great for groundhogs. The jacket on the Serria bullets is .009 thick. The jacket on the Hornady V-max is .014 thick. The .32 Serria should be a great fox bullet also as it will stay in, MY GUESS, especially if you shoulder shoot.