221 fireball

[milltownhunter]

i just pick up a 221 fireball xp-100 has anyone tryed useing the reading dies to convert 223 to 221? also has anyone ever shoot cast out of a xp-100 how will do they work?

[Ben_51004]

With all due respect, Fireball brass is not too hard to find. Unless you just like to frustrate yourself with shortening, annealing, and thinning case necks, you might just want to find some factory stuff. Loaded ammo creates perfectly good brass, too! I bought 5 boxes of 221 to shoot out of my fireball which I bought new in the '70's, and I still have most of it left. It will last a LONG time if you show it a little respect. At least that has been my experience; your mileage may vary!! Whatever you decide, good luck. Fireball is a great little handgun cartridge. California jackrabbits just sort of came apart at the seams when hit. Not much left for the coyotes. ~Ben~

[stubshaft]

I campaigned one in the early 80's for my production gun in sillywett. It was also the very first gun I ever shot cast out of, kinda like my guinea pig gun. I ended up using the 225415 with the old RCBS green lube and 3.5grs of PB powder. It gave me about 1 1/2" on a good day, and taught me alot about casting, alloys and the need to weigh and cull .22's within 1/10th grain!

[donnis]

Ben is right. I formed around a 100 rounds of 221 from 223. Not difficult, but tedious and time consuming. Annealing, forming, trimming, outside neck turning. I'll be buying any other 221 I need.