Accurate load for .221 Fireball??

[NorCalMikie]

I've got Lil Gun, AA2230, AA2460 and Varget.
Not enough concentration on loads. Too busy working with the bug hole makers in 22 and 6 Br.
I need to work on the Fireball. I've got them down in to .03s but not consistant. What's your most accurate load for the .221 Fireball on a rifle platform? 40 or 45 grain bullets?

 

[pwdrbrn]

18.5 aa1680 w/40 vmax. 4197 scot, 4198 imr too slow, great for 50 blitz @17.5 tho. 22" bbl.. only thing better is 6 br past 250 yds. (personal opinion, of course) good luck,tom.

 

[JerryMay]

I use Vhit. N130 in my Remington LVSF 221 Fireball, my load is 19-1/2 grains, Hornady 40g V Max, cci small rifle primers and R+P brass. I have to use a drop tube to get much powder in the case. Rifle shoots .4"/.5" all day, which I think ain't bad for a factory rifle......oow...forgot!!!! I have changed the trigger for a Basix and the stock for a HS Precision.

Jerry (UK)

 

[NorCalMikie]

It's taken some time, lots of concentration and leaving everything else at home. Just the Fireball and lots of different loaded ammo. I think I found my load ;D. 5 shot group, 100 yards, maybe 55 to 60 degrees, no wind, 40 grain Nosler, neck sized brass and 18.8 grains of AA2230. Now to work on the 55s.

 

[Ackman]

It's taken some time, lots of concentration and leaving everything else at home. Just the Fireball and lots of different loaded ammo. I think I found my load ;D. 5 shot group, 100 yards, maybe 55 to 60 degrees, no wind, 40 grain Nosler, neck sized brass and 18.8 grains of AA2230. Now to work on the 55s.

That powder was accurate in my .221 but it's too slow for that case, except for shooting at less than Hornet speeds. With 19.8gr and a 42 the velocity in my rifle was only 2873. At 18.8gr it's probably doing 2750 or so. Faster and better in the Fireball are 2200 and Reloder7.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Now that I've found an accurate load, I'll get out the Chrony and see how fast it's going. A little hotter load made the groups open up so I'll work on it a little more.
If I leave everything else at home and concentrate on one rifle at a time, I get more done.

 

[SmokinJoe]

If you really want screamin' performance in the 221 FB & smaller cases with 40 grain bullets, it's hard to beat Lil'Gun. I had pretty good luck with N-120, too.

 

[NorCalMikie]

I've tried "some" Lil Gun but working with the flake powder is sure different than ball powder. I just need to work with it a bit more.

 

[areaone]

I have 2 Rem lvss. Try 15 gr Lil Gun, Rem 71/2 and a 50 grain Hornady V Max or SX. I can get mine into .3 all day. What a sweet cartridge. Chrony at 3180-3210 fps. Just watch you pressure with incremental increase in the Lil Gun.

 

[tenring]

50 gr. Hornady SX and 17.5 grs. H322

 

[Hyde]

Guys keep bringing the load data....I bought two LVSF's in 221 fireball today. I have a mint 1969 XP-100 in 221 fireball also. I know the pistol load is certainly different than the rifle...So any help you can give is great.

 

[DonM]

Well, maybe I am the oddball with my Fireballs.
I worked up several different loads on Quick Load, and since I had a case of RL 7, I settled on RL 7 Powder. I use around 18 Grains of RL 7,
& a Sierra 40 Grain Blitz King Bullet, 7 /12 Primer,
becasue I have several thousand, and it is a BOMB on Prairie Dogs. As with any load start
with a lower charge of powder & work up very slowly. I have a local shooting Friend that is shooting more RL 7 in his Fireball, but I refuse to
tell anyone how much. It is hot, hot, hot. And, his brass is holding up good. We have been shooting 18 grains of RL 7 in a fireforming load on
PD's for some time now. For you fellows with a chrony, try a few rounds across your chrony & you are going to be shocked at the velocity, and it is a very accurate load. In my mind the
Fireball should be shot with no heavier than a 40 grain bullet. Most shooters do not understand that the PPC & the Fireball are perhaps the most efficient cases todate. Some years ago when several of the major bullet manufacturers came out with a .224 40 grain bullet it built "fire & brimstone" into many of the smaller .224 case rounds, more particularly the .221 Fireball. I love the little round. Yes, I like velocity. Can you jsut imagine how many round one could shoot in a .221 Fireball (@ 18 grains) from 48 pounds of RL 7 ?

 

[jbrauning]

I use 15.5g of little gun and 40g v-max- Super Velocity compared to other powders.
I use moly coated bullets but have had no problems with pressure signs. I tried RL7 no luck in my gun. N120 or 130 shoot great but not nearly the velocity of little gun.
N120 be causious can get high pressure issues quick...

 

[Geronimo Jim]

Another vote for Lil'l Gun and 40 grain V-Max.

 

[Hyde]

Guys any more news on the loads? I finally got to shoot mine yesterday and had great luck with 15.5 gr of Lil Gun and a 40gr V-Max. The gun shot .27 three shot group at 100yds.

John

 

[NorCalMikie]

Never seen a target or critter that squawked about the bullet speed that killed it. Don't bother with my Chrony anymore.
Used it once or twice, put it back in the box and havn't looked at in maybe 10/15 +years. I let my target tell my if my load is accurate. 5 shots that can be covered with a dime works for me.
And I don't jump from one powder to another just because someone says they got killer results from "X powder".
AA 2230 works for EVERYTHING I load and shoot. AA pistol powder for my handguns. From a 20VT "short" on up to and including my 6.8 SPC. 20BR, 22BR, 6mmBR ,6.8BR and a few in-between. Everything I load for will shoot bug holes!!
You jump around from one powder to another and all you end up with is a bunch of partial jugs of powder that never "REALLY" got a workout. Work it till you can't work it anymore THEN go back and work it again.
Think I've got a pound of Lil Gun but never cared for crushing the flakes, so it doesn't get used. And some stick powders have issues. I hate crushing sticks, they're temp sensitive and they STINK when they burn.
One brand of primer and one powder. Work it till you can't work it anymore then go back and work it again.
NEVER had any issues with CCI primers. Have fired over 5K + and only one primer gave me problems and it was because it laid in the wet grass overnight and fizzed when fired.
CCI Mil Spec in my gas guns. BRs in all of my bolt guns.

 

[lawman29]

Never seen a target or critter that squawked about the bullet speed that killed it. Don't bother with my Chrony anymore.
Used it once or twice, put it back in the box and havn't looked at in maybe 10/15 +years. I let my target tell my if my load is accurate. 5 shots that can be covered with a dime works for me.
And I don't jump from one powder to another just because someone says they got killer results from "X powder".
AA 2230 works for EVERYTHING I load and shoot. AA pistol powder for my handguns. From a 20VT "short" on up to and including my 6.8 SPC. 20BR, 22BR, 6mmBR ,6.8BR and a few in-between. Everything I load for will shoot bug holes!!
You jump around from one powder to another and all you end up with is a bunch of partial jugs of powder that never "REALLY" got a workout. Work it till you can't work it anymore THEN go back and work it again.
Think I've got a pound of Lil Gun but never cared for crushing the flakes, so it doesn't get used. And some stick powders have issues. I hate crushing sticks, they're temp sensitive and they STINK when they burn.
One brand of primer and one powder. Work it till you can't work it anymore then go back and work it again.
NEVER had any issues with CCI primers. Have fired over 5K + and only one primer gave me problems and it was because it laid in the wet grass overnight and fizzed when fired.
CCI Mil Spec in my gas guns. BRs in all of my bolt guns.

 

[NorCalMikie]

View attachment 1587071

Are those Walmart shoppers???

 

[WayneShaw]

I tried 1680, RL7, 2230, H4198. My gun prefers 52 grain bullets, and H4198 does the best.

 

[Lucky Shooter]

Many shooters have recommended every powder mentioned
before this but RL-7 seems to have been the gold standard for the FB.

I shot RL-7 for a long time but CFE BLK was mentioned on this forum.

I tried it and for me it gave good accuracy and burned cleaner.

I've never heard of anyone shooting any of the faster V V powders,
such as N120 or N130 but wonder if there might be something better
in the V V line. How about 2015 BR ?

Gotta love them FB's.

A. Weldy