Groundhogs with 221 Fireball

[ARW]

Looking for bullet recommendations for groundhogs, out to around 200yds., in a 221 fireball with a 12 twist.

I'm leaning towards the 40gr. and hope to be around 3200-3300 fps.

Anyone using the Berger 40 gr. varmint bullets on them?

Thanks!
Alan

 

[bheadboy]

my best results were with the 50gr sierra blitzking, velocity was in the 3000 range, don't know your rifle, bbl, etc but this combo in a 40x hart bbl 22" rig was superb out to 250-300, then the wind took over.

Bob

 

[ARW]

Thanks Bob. That's really good velocity for a 50gr. in the 221.

I am using the 80gr. Blitzkings in my 6AI now, very accurate.

I have not heard any bad things about the Blitzkings at all.

Alan

 

[stacy]

YES SIR THAT ALL I SHOOT 40GR BERGERS HP AND H-4227 205M PRIMERS HAD BEEN DEADLY ON GROUND GRIZZLY'S FOR ME,I GET ABOUT 3250FPS OUT A 24'' BARREL

 

[ARW]

That's good to hear Stacy and the velocity is right in line with what I was hoping for.

Do the Bergers exit the adult groundhogs?

Thanks,
Alan

 

[Bangs OH]

40 gr. Nosler BTs. (RL-7, 7 1/2 primers), out of a 24" barrel were fast enough to kill DRT @ 265 yards one of the biggest 'hogs I ever shot. 50 SBKs seem to be working well out if my 22" LVSF, too. The speed and energy of the .221, combined with about any plastic-tipped bullet, seem to hit a sweet spot that turns groundhog insides to jelly. Plastic or soft-nosed bullets rarely exit; the only "crawlers" I ever got with a Fireball were with Berger hollow points and some may have penciled through(?!)

 

[ARW]

40 gr. Nosler BTs. (RL-7, 7 1/2 primers), out of a 24" barrel were fast enough to kill DRT @ 265 yards one of the biggest 'hogs I ever shot. 50 SBKs seem to be working well out if my 22" LVSF, too. The speed and energy of the .221, combined with about any plastic-tipped bullet, seem to hit a sweet spot that turns groundhog insides to jelly. Plastic or soft-nosed bullets rarely exit; the only "crawlers" I ever got with a Fireball were with Berger hollow points and some may have penciled through(?!)

I have a good supply of RL-7 and some Lil-Gun also. Both seem to be very popular with the 221FB shooters.

The Bergers that passed thru, were they the Varmint bullets or the Match bullets?

Thanks,
Alan

 

[Bangs OH]

Those Bergers were called their "Match Varmint". ??? They do also offer a straight match bullet in 40 and 52 grain, but I don't remember those I used as being quite that pointed.

 

[varmintshooter]

I was using lilgun and 40 vmax @ 3600 but started to get flyers, 6"-8" out @ 100 yds. When I changed to H4198 with rem 7.5's and 40 vmax @ 3200 groups were better and no flyers. With this load I killed several groundhogs with the longest kill @ about 380 yds. Picked up a lb. of rl7 to try but don't know what to expect. These results were with a cooper classic 22" barrel.

 

[ARW]

There are several powders that seem to work well in the 221FB, from what I gather RL-7 is a very good one.

Alan

 

[bheadboy]

rl 7 was very accurate, but seemed to be limited by pressure as to the velocity I got, max around 2925 with the 50bk, so I went to h4198 and less pressure/temp concern got around 3000 with the same pill

bob

 

[ARW]

rl 7 was very accurate, but seemed to be limited by pressure as to the velocity I got, max around 2925 with the 50bk, so I went to h4198 and less pressure/temp concern got around 3000 with the same pill

bob

I have IMR4198 but no H4198.

Are these two fairly close to one another?

Alan

 

[varmintshooter]

I don't know if imr4198 would in a 221 or not, but it is not listed as one of the recommended powders , H4198 is listed.

 

[stacy]

ARW
I'VE NEVER HAD ONE TO EXIT BUT A MASSIVE WOUND CHANNEL GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR FIREBALL YOU'LL LOVE TI!!!!!

 

[bheadboy]

ARW,

Hodgden shows IMR 4198 as a faster pressure curve than H4198, they do not recommend the imr

I have found H4198 to be a bit slower burn rate and less peek pressure than the IMR.

they are not equal
I grew up in the late 60's on yellow can DuPont 4198 and it was great in all the 222 cases, then the fire and rebuild of the plant, result the red can, not the same, and many more changes for imr.

Bob

 

[ARW]

ARW
I'VE NEVER HAD ONE TO EXIT BUT A MASSIVE WOUND CHANNEL GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR FIREBALL YOU'LL LOVE TI!!!!!

Thanks for the feedback Stacy, your information was exactly what I was hoping for.

Alan

 

[ARW]

Thanks for the info. Bob, I will try the RL-7 and Lil-Gun.

One of those I feel confident should shoot well.

Alan

 

[tenring]

40 grain Berger and 19 gr RL7 shoots bugholes in mine.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

I've got two 221FB's, a Cooper M38 Phoenix, and a CZ 527 American. Both shoot very well with the Nosler 40 VG, BT and the SBK. Powders of choice for both are RL-7 and A2200. I've shot beaucoup rockchucks and ground squirrels with both, no exit on chucks with any of the bullets listed. The Cooper gets used from the bench on ground squirrels mostly, and works well on these little buggers out to just past 350 yards.

Just for reference, here's some targets to better illustrate:



More of the same from the Cooper:



Speed for the above runs right at a tad over 3,100 fps. With that degree of accuracy, I didn't feel the need for more speed. Here's the Cooper FB in the field on the bench rat shooting here:



Here's a range day with my CZ 527 American. Keep in mind that this rifle wears a sporter contour barrel, and not a varmint weight tube. If I'm doing a lot of walking, this rifle gets packed, especially when in the higher country looking for those big fat chucks sunning themselves on a flat rock on the mountain slope:



Plenty accurate enough for a walkabout rifle, and has made life miserable for many a chuck around here. If you want more speed and still very good accuracy in the Fireball, give A1680 a try, as it also is a favored juice for some good Fireball shootin' friends who take this stuff just as seriously as we do.

 

[ARW]

40 grain Berger and 19 gr RL7 shoots bugholes in mine.

Have you shot groundhogs with these?

Alan