221 Fireball

[Jim,In]

Has anybody here work with the 221 Fireball cast in a 1/12 barrel 10" long. Jim

[Jim,In]

No body here shoot the 221 Fireball with cast bullet

[Rocky Raab]

I shoot the Fireball, but I don't cast anything smaller than .30-cal.

[Dale53]

I have had excellent results with the Lyman 225415 cast of linotype, use a gas check, and use 4.0 grs of Unique for an excellent edible small game load. Off a rest, my Contender will shoot ½" groups at 50 yards with this combination.

I have both the Contender in .221 and a Ruger #3 with custom wood that has the original Hornet barrel rechambered to .221 Fireball. The Fireball in a rifle is an excellent rifle caliber. It is somewhat more powerful than the Hornet but has the distinct advantage of EXCELLENT brass. Hornet brass is borderline from the "get go". The .221 Brass has almost unlimited life whether used with full loads or light cast loads.

Dale53

[armed_partisan]

I've got a .221 Fireball Contender Hex Barrel that's 10" and a Lyman 224415 DC mold, but I have yet to get a sizing die and top punch, so I haven't shot cast with it. I have a bunch of J-words in .224 that I was stock piling for the Zombie Apocalypse to shoot out of my ARs when everyone else was buying regular ammo, so I haven't needed to make any for my Contender.

[Leadmelter]

I have made 22 cal boolits in the past for my TC 221 FB but I don't remember what the load was.
I plan on making some more once the weather gets to 40 in like April. I need to feed the FB and 22 Hornet.
I used the RCBS 22 Cal boolit.
Stay Warm!!!

Gerry
MI

[AZ-Stew]

I have both a Contender barrel in .221 FB and a Remington 700 Classic in .221. I'm using the RCBS .22-55gr GCFP. I started with the book loads from the RCBS Cast Bullet manual and two powders, Unique and 4198. The Unique loads were pathetically slow. They hit about 10 inches below point of aim and took a very discernible length of time to get to the target. They were FAR slower than a .22LR. I was shooting them from the rifle, so it may be that the powder charge just wasn't enough for the longer barrel. When I changed to 4198, things immediately improved. Impact came up to point of aim at 100 yards and groups appeared, where the Unique loads had produced patterns. As I increased the charge, the groups tightened further.

I used linotype straight, 50-50 Alox/Beeswax lube and Hornady GCs, Remington brass and Rem. 7-1/2 primers.

I haven't worked with it any since the first go-around, but there is certainly potential for excellent accuracy. The last groups, with the highest powder charges I loaded (still below book max.) were closing in quickly on 1 inch. I plan to work with the rifle some more over the holidays. If I find the magic load, I'll post it.

Regards,

Stew

[Bullshop]

Check out the 22 only postal match on the get together and competition forum.

[NHlever]

There was a short spell when Remington made a variety of rifles chambered for the .221 Fireball, and I wanted to get one, but they stopped suddenly, and the supply just dried up. I was really hoping that the 6.8 SPC would really catch on too since that would have meant that there would be a bunch of rifle actions around that would have been suitable for the .25 Remington, and 30 Remington, the rimless equivalants to the 30-30, and 25-35. No such luck though. Sometimes it is too bad that many Americans just have to have the biggest, and fastest cartridges. The small, and modest ones can be so much fun!

[Jim,In]

NHleve, I'm with you small and modest. I was on a Varmint hunting board and you can't believe how bad I was put down for shooting cast in my hornet. What a waste of time to than

[NHlever]

I did a lot of shooting with a Hornet, and cast boolits last fall, and winter. It looked like way too much fun to another club member, and he bought the rifle from me....... guess I need another one, but I've been playing with my .223 in the meantime.