Herman:
I do not have the exact load data handy, but I have more reloading experience with the .221 than with any other cartridge. The reason for the experience is that I had a hard time finding a really good load for it. My recommendation to you is to use Speer 50 grain TNT bullets and IMR 4198 powder. Not Hodgdon 4198. They are different in the 221. If you can't find the IMR, I would try the Hodgdon. Upon reviewing the Hodgdon/IMR web site, I see they recommend 16.5 grains of 4198 as maximum with the 50 grain Nosler BT. I believe I use 16 grains.
With IMR 4198 and Speer TNT's I get 1" groups at 100 yards from a 10" T/C Factory Contender barrel with 7x scope. This is good prairie dog ammo. I load mine below maximum. The velocity I expected was around 2400fps, but I only get around 2200fps. That's adequate for 250 yard shots. Nobody has much praise for Speer bullets, but every one I've ever tried has worked exceptionally well, and at very good prices.
I tried several other suitable powders and the groups were 2 to 2.5" at 100 yards. This is the only case in my acquaintance where a powder selection made such a big difference.
One thing to DEFINITELY AVOID is the plastic tipped 50 grain bullets. I tried several of these and got keyholing due to bullet instability. This is because the bullets are relatively long for their weight, and the 1:14 rifling twist of the T/C barrels is too slow. The cartridge is really at its best with 1:10 twist, as it was with the original Remington XP100. I found this out the hard, expensive way.
You may also want to consider trying the 40 grain Nosler ballistic tip bullet. I have not tried them in the .221 yet, but I think they would be an excellent bullet for it. I've used them with .223 and they are very good. The attractive thing is that they have a ballistic coefficient about as high as a conventional 50 grain bullet, but we can expect higher velocity -- perhaps 2500 to 2600 fps.
To me, the attraction of the 50 grain bullet is that it's adequate for everything from prairie dogs to coyotes. Much of what I have read regarding the 221 favored 40 grain bullets instead on grounds of accuracy and velocity.
If you try the 40 grain Noslers, let me know how it worked for you. I'd like to know.
