Powder for 221 Fireball - 10" barrel

[Belaw]

I just picked up a 10" Contender barrel in 221 Fireball and I'm about to start working up a load with 40 gr. bullets. I looked at Hodgdon's site and notice that they list seven different powders for 40 gr. loads in the rifle section but only two in the pistol section (H110 and 4227). The only powder I have that is even close to appropriate for this round is H335 and with current powder prices I'd like some recommendations buying more! I'm more interested in accuracy that speed.

While I'm open to any powder suggestions I do want to specifically ask about Lil'gun - I see recommended a lot for rifles, but does anyone have any experience with it in pistol length barrel? It's right next to H110 on the burn rate chart and a couple of steps faster than IMR 4227.

 

[JayHHI6818]

Here is Sierra’s load data for 10 inch XP100. They list and accuracy load for each bullet weight

 

[jwv2001]

You won't be disappointed with Lilgun in your Fireball. I use it with 40 gr. bullets in my XP100.

 

[ggshoots]

In that burn rate I really Like Vit N110. I get more speed before hitting pressure with a 40gr Vmax in a couple of Wildcats running between 13 and 16gr range. I actually ran Lilgun but hit pressure sooner.

 

[Ramblerman]

1680 all day.

 

[Belaw]

This is useful information and is greatly appreciated - it's interesting to note that all of powders mentioned are clustered together on the burn rate chart.

 

[6brdx]

benchmak work well in a 20" bbl

 

[LCazador]

LilGun and 1680 both work very well in my XP100 10 inch barrel.

 

[243winxb]

IMR4198 in the 1970

 

[Bottom Fodder]

With the contender you will most likely need to use softer pistol primers

 

[Belaw]

With the contender you will most likely need to use softer pistol primers

I learned (the hard way) that my usual CCI primers aren’t a good idea with Contenders. I use Federal small primers and I really like Fiocchi for large primers.

 

[Oso]

My concern around Lilgun is its temperature inversion where its burn rate increases as temperature gets colder. This is the opposite reaction of almost every other powder. I’m in the South where weather is typically warm to hot 9mos out of year. I test my peak loads in August (+95F) to ensure safe pressure at this temperature, which means this load is good all year round. Having to remember to think the opposite for 1 powder… Nope. For me there are a number of quality powders (VV N110 or H110/W296 or CFEBLK or … ) that work just as good or better without the hassle.

 

[NorCalMikie]

I have found that any powder that works well in a .223 works well in the .221 fireball, just back off a bit.
Have gone thru POUNDS of AA2230C before Accurate quit making it. Switched over to AA 2230 with no issues. Bug holes were/are the norm. Tried a few different powders but always come back to accurate Arms. Good stuff IMHO.
And when I mentioned using AA 2230C, it was going for about $65.00 or $70.00 for an 8 pound jug. And an M1A and Mini 14 will eat up lots of powder.
Lots of folks will jump from one powder to another just because someone has had good luck with it. Try working a powder till you can't work it anymore then, work it again!!
I wonder how many half empty cans of powder are still sitting on the shelf cause they didn't get worked to their max.

And I'll add, loading for .221 Fireball, 20VT, 20VT "short" wildcat, .223, .308, 30.06, 20BR, 22BR, 6BR, 6.8 SPC, 6.8BR Wildcat. And to my surprise, every one will produce bug holes without too much work. 5 shot groups, from the bench at 100 yards that can be covered with a dime makes loading and shooting worth ever minute of work.
Did try and still have a can of Lil Gun from way back. Didn't care for working with flaked powder. Tried Varget but didn't like the idea of cutting kernels of the stick powder when measuring and didn't like the smell, even tho it was deadly accurate if the "outside temp" was right. Very heat sensitive!!

 

[Bottom Fodder]

I have found that any powder that works well in a .223 works well in the .221 fireball, just back off a bit.
Have gone thru POUNDS of AA2230C before Accurate quit making it. Switched over to AA 2230 with no issues. Bug holes were/are the norm. Tried a few different powders but always come back to accurate Arms. Good stuff IMHO.
And when I mentioned using AA 2230C, it was going for about $65.00 or $70.00 for an 8 pound jug. And an M1A and Mini 14 will eat up lots of powder.
Lots of folks will jump from one powder to another just because someone has had good luck with it. Try working a powder till you can't work it anymore then, work it again!!
I wonder how many half empty cans of powder are still sitting on the shelf cause they didn't get worked to their max.

Very good post all should read, more than one way to skin a cat and sometimes you have to skin it twice.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

In my “ The Complete Reloading Manual for the Contender” powders listed are 2400, H4227 and IMR-4198 for the Fireball

 

[Belaw]

I appreciate all of the answers. The Fireball is an interesting cartridge in that it started life as a pistol round but most of the published loads using newer powders are developed around rifles. That was sort of the basis for my original question; I was wondering if a 10" barrel would like different powders than a rifle tube, specifically whether Lil'Gun - which appears to be the go to powder in rifles - would work well in a pistol barrel.

After more reading I've settled on two powders: Lil'Gun for CFE BLK based on this article: Hodgdon CFE BLK: Best Varmint Cartridge Loads. Anyone have first hand experience with CFE BLK in a pistol? Is it as good as Layne Simpson says?