221 rem fireball

[sk330lc]

Does anyone have a pet load for their 221 contender carbines?

[LaOtto222]

Every gun is a thing unto itself. What works in one gun, will not work in another. You need to work a load up your self, from a low charge to a point that gives you satisfactory results accuracy wise with out exceeding SAAMI pressure limits. I am reluctant to put into print what I load to because of the previous statements. I personally, am very wary of loads that are not published by one of the bigger houses that have done extensive testing with pressure equipment.  With that said I have had very good results and I keep coming back to this load in all my 221 Fire Ball guns (I have 3 of them). Remington 221 FB cases, 16.6 grains of IMR 4198. Remington 7 1/2 primers, 50 grain V MAX bullets and seated .020 off the lands (in my 23" Contender barrel). I get acceptable results with 50 grain Mid South bullets as well. I have tried Lil' Gun with very erratic results, RL 7 seems to be one that wants to shoot well, but I keep coming back to the load mentioned. It is straight out of Hornady's 6th edition, exactly except for OAL. While it is a maximum charge in this manual, it is well below max in every other book I have. It is even very well below an old Hornady 3rd edition I have. I feel it is a safe load that has good results. I am not mentioning any names here, but I know a fellow that is using 17.0 grains of Lil' Gun under a 40 grain Moly Nosler. He has a match chamber that he neck turns brass for. He swears it shoots fine in his gun and he gets 3600 fps. I believe him, but quite frankly this load scares the H*** out of me. While I would love to get 3600 fps, I just do not see how that can happen with out far exceeding standard pressure limits. Good Luck and Good Shooting.

[skb2706]

I shoot a 16 1/2" Bullberry .221 and find that a max dose of RL-7, CCI BR-4 and a 40 gr. Vmax to be the perfect combo in my gun. I don't get anywhere near 3600 fps tho. More like 3250-3270 fps, but in the short barrel that is still excellent and very accurate.

[steve4102]

  I have a CZ 527 in 221 Fireball.  It shoots just about any thing I feed it well and I have tried a lot of powders and bullets.  I settled on 2400 for my powder of choice.  Not only does 2400 give me outstanding accuracy and velocity, my barrel stays cool much much longer than with other powders.   Accurate, fast and cool, can't beat that.

[sk330lc]

I guess when a said (Pet loads) I was after powder type and bullet type.  Not really an exact load.
I have IMR 4198 and 2400 and about every new loading manual by Hornady, Nosler, Speer, and Sierra.
Now that I know what your having luck with I can work from there.

Thanks for the help!

[LaOtto222]

I might try some 2400 myself. I have a small amount of it on hand. What worries me the most about it is, some of my manuals show it with good results, but some of them do not mention it at all in their loadings. In the past, I interpreted this to mean it is a marginal powder in this application. IMR 4198 is mentioned in every manual I have as is RL 7. One states that IMR 4198 got them best results, another mentioned RL 7 as best (with 50 grain bullets any way). I have all of those books you mentioned + a bunch of older ones too. I have had very good luck with the IMR 4198, but RL 7 shows higher velocity in just about every manual (at safe pressures). Hmmm...should I go with known accuracy or keep going for more velocity (that is safe). Decisions, decisions

[steve4102]

 This what my 12 year old can do with the CZ 527 and 2400 five shots at 100 yards.

[221fireball]

i like imr 4198 also, i have used it for years with good results. I like a powder at near max charge, case is almost full. i have loaded bullets from 35gr up to 50gr. It seems i always come back to the 50gr. i got a 10'' and 23''bl on old contender frame, both shoots the same load fine.       

[sk330lc]

Steve4102, Looks like your boy is a Fine shot..

 When I get time hopefully soon. I'll load some diff combinations up and let ya all know how it goes.
 I've noticed almost everybody is using Rem 71/2 primers.  Do you all think that WSR Primer will shoot as well?
I realize I'll have to start low and work up.  Just a thought, I have the WSR primers on hand.

[steve4102]

  Last summer I ran a test using 2400, 40gr BTs a five different primers.  I don't have the complete details at hand, but I do know that WSR primers took top honors in velocity and accuracy over 7 1/2, 6 1/2, BR4, 205M.  The Fed 205M primers came in last.  This rather surprized me as I really like the 210M and 215M large rifle primers.

[LaOtto222]

As far as primers go...Look at the top of this forum. There is a link to primer cup thickness under tips for new and old reloaders. Read the whole article, it is very informative about small rifle primers. The 221 FB is a high pressure round. I have found less primer problems with BR4 and Remington 7 1/2 primers than any other primers I have tried in my 222 family of cartridges (221 FB, 222 Rem and 223 Rem). When you look at reloading manuals, you will see Remington 7 1/2 is the most popular primers for the small rifle pocket (except Speer of course). I personally like the Remington 7 1/2 because of this...I have found that they shoot well, are generally cheaper than the CCI primers and they give me no primer related problems; but as in any load development, you have to try different things to find out what works best. If you have Winchester primers on hand, that is what I would try. If you do not get satisfactory results, like blown primers or pierced primer, when you have not reached full pressure loads or you get fliers and erratic results, then you can purchase and try other primers. If they give you satisfactory results, be happy and do not change a thing. I am not even inferring that you push the pressure limits of this fine cartridge, it just that some times even with out pushing the pressure limits the thinner primer cups can pierce, flatten severely or give you erratic results. Some have found that the thicker primer cups do not reliably fire, they switch to a thinner cupped primer and they have no ignition problems. I have not found this in any of my guns, but some have. One more thought - the CCI BR4, Remington 7 1/2  and Fed 205M are bench rest primers and specially constructed for consistency not only from primer to primer, but lot to lot.  Good Luck and Good Shooting.

[221fireball]

LaOtto222 i have been using cci400 sr i haven't been able to find 71/2 rem. I don't want to order them because of hazmat charge. most shops have 61/2 rem what is the diff between 61/2 and 71/2 rem besides 1# ha ha.

[LaOtto222]

The primer cup thickness for the Remington 7 1/2 is .025"; for the Remington 6 1/2 and CCI 400 it is .020" is one difference. So the Rem 7 1/2 will take higher pressure with out flattening as much or be as prone to piercing. They are supposed to be more consistent from primer to primer and lot to lot. If you are getting good results with the CCI 400 primers, I would not change a thing. You (at least I can't) can not argue with good results. I started using Remington 7 1/2 years ago, because they were available, relatively cheap, most of my reloading manuals called for them, I was shooting BLC2 in a 222 Rem and have gotten very good results with them. They were copper plated back then, now they are plain brass (no nickel plating). I presently have 2K of the Rem 7 1/2, 1500 BR4, 300 6 1/2 SR Win (yep, I have had these a while), 300 Fed 200's (old too), 80 Fed 205 and 400 Rem 6 1/2 on hand. This is so I can try different types, but you can see what I shoot the most by far is the Remington 7 1/2 and BR4 primers. I am not a fan of the newer Federal packaging, so I have not used them very much. But that is a personal thing. If you order in high enough quantities, you can pay for the hazmat charges with saving over buying it local. Get a with a friend or two and throw in together to get a higher order and split the hazmat charges. I think that Mid South will combine primers and powder in an order and only charge 1 hazmat fee, instead of two. Call them and see. Good Luck and Good Shooting.

[221fireball]

thanks for the reply LaOtto222