Accuracy potential of the 221 Fireball.

[GlennGTR1]

How accurate does this little cartridge get? What is your favorite accuracy load? I have heard amazing things about the 20 VarTarg so I was wondering if the 221 Fireball parent case is as accurate.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

I have a Cooper that will shoot 1/4 inch groups with 15 grain of Lil'L Gun and 40 grain V-Max. Honest!

 

[NorCalMikie]

I was hitting steel at 440 yards out of an XP 100 pistol in .221 Fireball at 3000 FPS with a 10" barrel. ;D
Converted my XP into a rifle and can get 1/4" groups or less on a regular basis. Real easy on brass and barrels.
I don't run hot loads and accuracy is super. Lil Gun or just about anything will get you great accuracy. Never had a problem with Remington brass like some others have.
20+ loadings with no problems. And this target is a 5 shot group at 100 yards from the bench so the potential is there.

 

[Preacher]

The few that I have like RL-7 and the 40 grain Ballistic Tips, especially in the 16 twist Pac-Nor I put together.. Real easy to get one of them to shoot about anything, just like Mikie mentioned....

 

[bheadboy]

I have a 40x hart bbl 14x twist that shoots 50gr Sierra bk and blitz into .200 using 4198 at 2950fps also with 15.0 gr of 4227,

pd's hate it out to 300+, easyon brass, 7 1/2 primers aremy choice.

Bob

 

[areaone]

Have 2 Rem 700 with 22 in factory SS barrels. 15 gr lil gun, rem brass, fed match primer and 50 gr. hornady. .25 with no problem, love it on Prairie Dogs, foxes, or coyotes. Quiet, no recoil, and very easy to load. Lil gun will produce pressure problems pretty quickly, work up to 15 gr. pressure shows at 15.2-15.3. Have a 204, 222, 223 and like the 221 better than the others.

 

[superlight93]

If you go up a little to the 222 then you have excellent choices for brass. That would be for me the only downfall of the 221 fireball.

 

[jonbearman]

A friend has the cooper in .221 fireball and it shoots holes at 100 yds. This is not a brag fact but a fact.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

I keep hearing abut the brass issue with the 221 Fireball. All the people that own them say they shoot light out. This brass is no issue in my mind. If it shoots, who care who makes the brass. My Cooper will shoot 1/4 inch 5 shot groups all day long if I do my part. Plain old Remington brass. 40 grain V-Max. I have heard this over and over from other people how these things shoot. There is just something magic about the 221 Fireball that no one can explain. DO NOT LET THE BRASS ISSUE STOP YOU FROM GETTING A FIREBALL.

 

[CatShooter]

I have owned three .221 Fireballs. I still have two of them.

Each one was outstanding in accuracy... even with "you know who's" brass.

If the brass maker offends you, then make your .221 FireBall cases out of .223 Lapua.

 

[bheadboy]

The only case i would prefer to to the 221 today, is a wildcat that saw great success in the 70's, it was a 222m case, with a 222 neck called the 222 1/2.

In bench rest it was a consistant winner, higher velocity than the 222 with thelonger neck of the 222 on a 222m case. case length was left the same as the 222mag.

theloads were about the same as the 223 today and much more accurete than the223.

So ifyou want to try today, take the204,open to 224 dia then run into a 222 sizing die to achieve the neck set back.

i dont knowif anyone has the reamers, but i think R W hart would.

Bob

 

[BobLeeSwagger223]

I'm a Fireball owner too. I have a Cooper with a Swarovski 6-24x50 on it. It is an honest 1/2" rifle as others have mentioned. I like RL7, 40 v-max and 205m primers. On a nice calm day it is a ton of fun to shoot!

 

[dlong]

My cooper VE in 221 FB is wicked accurate. Remington brass is not a problem. AA1680 and sierra 40gr bk's. 5 shot half inch groups at 100 yards all day with a few 1/4 inch groups in between.

 

[boltman223]

I have remington lvsf in 221 fireball and i love it, one of my favorite guns. With 17.8 gr of IMR 4198, 40gr nosler BT and CCI primers I get groups of .5's to .6's. It has a 22 inch sporter barrel so the groups open up a little bit as it warms up, but still keeps them well under an inch.

 

[WillinDenver]

I have two of the Remington Lt Varmint in SS, using 15 gr Lit Gun and 35 Vmax its prairie dogs go to prairie dog town in the sky. I usually keep the range under 250 yds, if it gets longer, I move the truck. Most everything else I shoot I use muzzle breaks, not the 221 Fireball, easy shooter.

Will