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221 Fire Ball accuracy potential

Lucky Shooter

Gold $$ Contributor
I've enjoyed burning lots if FB rounds in the dog towns but have never tried to work for the smallest groups------"good enough" for hunting was my stopping point.

Can the FB be competitive with the 222 at 100 yds-----using a BR setup with a good barrel ?

Any thoughts ? Thanks for any opinions.

A. Weldy
 
Yes i shoot a xp100 I can get half inch and smaller at 100yd.and have a Remington model 722 in 222 that will do the same.and I just have a standard barrel.steve
 
After a lifetime of rat shooting, I've come to the conclusion that the small FB case may be the optimum for this purpose. My 221FB and 20VT are two of the most accurate rifles I own, both shoot under 1/4" with their pet loads.

Not BR accuracy by any stretch, but my little Cooper M38 is pure rat launch material in the rat patch!



I suppose there's rifles out there that shoot better, but this accuracy is "good enough" for me. :)
 
At one time I owned an XP100 for about 10 years. That .221 FB is one of the most accurate cartridges I have ever shot. I can only imagine it is just as good in a rifle.

The preferred bullet at that time was the 53 gr Sierra match.
 
Rick in Oregon said:
After a lifetime of rat shooting, I've come to the conclusion that the small FB case may be the optimum for this purpose. My 221FB and 20VT are two of the most accurate rifles I own, both shoot under 1/4" with their pet loads.

Not BR accuracy by any stretch, but my little Cooper M38 is pure rat launch material in the rat patch!



I suppose there's rifles out there that shoot better, but this accuracy is "good enough" for me. :)
Click to expand...
Looks like MOH hiding in the alfalfa at 200yds to me..... winner. :)

Once I started rat shooting 27+ years ago, I was ruined for life. Raptor Feeding Program for the PC win.
 
A gun builder close to here built a F.B for his daughter several years back. She kicked ass with it, she outshot most everybody with that rifle.
 
LOVE my XP 100 converted to a rifle with a 22" Shilen in .221 Fireball. Best 5 shot group, from the bench at 100 yards measured .110" without too much work. :cool::cool:
Got the Vartarg but still like my .221 Fireball better. ;)
Just need another XP action or pistol in .221 or .223 as a donor to build another rifle for my "20 TCM" wildcat. :D
 
Seemed like lots of folks had issues with the Remington factory brass in .221 Fireball. I never did. Always loaded mid range "accurate" rounds. No issues and after 5,6,7+ firings, the brass got turned into the 20 Vartarg.
joed49 said:
At one time I owned an XP100 for about 10 years. That .221 FB is one of the most accurate cartridges I have ever shot. I can only imagine it is just as good in a rifle.
Click to expand...
And fastest too. 3000 FPS out of a 10" pistol barrel?:eek::cool: The name said it all. The "Fireball" is just that. Bullets in the 40 grain and up are deadly accurate. Never found bullets that lite that wouldn't group bug holes.:)
 
Rick in Oregon said:
Yep, Eastern Orygun Raptor Feeding Society....



Teaching rodents to fly, one rat at a time! :D
Click to expand...
Looks like you're a seasoned professional feeder!

Paisley.....
i-pTcG4Kb-L.jpg

Brogan and Brothers in the past. Paisley population has been drying up and they started deep tine plowing or poisoning last year, our 20+ year team is looking to go back to Brogan, Lakeview or?
 
Hi NorCalMikie,

could you please explain the reason for "No issues and after 5,6,7+ firings, the brass got turned into the 20 Vartarg"?

Kindest regards,

M
 
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2,3 and 4 times fired Remington .221 Fireball brass, lots of it. Just a matter of annealing, necking down and resizing to the Vartarg (VT).
Lots of folks didn't like the Remington factory brass. Like I said, I had no issues with mine. Long life as Vartarg brass after being a .221 Fireball.
If you go Vartarg (VT), go .234 neck so you don't have to turn necks.
New Remington Fireball brass turned into Vartarg (VT) is pretty consistent but fired and resized can be all over the place as far as neck size SO, the .234 necks saves the day. Just a matter of knowing what you want and planning ahead.
 
Hi NorCalMikie,

thank you for the reply, but I think that I did not express my question correctly. What I wanted to understand was, why are you turning .221 Fireball to .20 VarTarg after the 2-4+ number of firing, instead of again reloading it for .221 Fireball?

Kindest regards,

M
 
Just figured they had enough firings on them, had more new RP Fireball brass to start using and figured I'd start forming the VT from the fired Fireball.
To my knowledge, at the time I got into the VT, they didn't make VT brass so you had to make your own. Tried making it from .223 but didn't like the finished product. Found out about the neck clearance problem by trial and error so, I had a reamer cut to keep from turning necks. Any more questions? Just ask.:);)
 
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