.221 fireball loads?

veteran · November 27, 2004, 01:34 PM

Anyone have any good loads for the .221 fireball in the XP-100?
I use the 50gr. Sierra soft point.
I want to get some input before I start.

steveno · November 27, 2004, 03:18 PM

I used 16 grains of WW-680 in my 10 inch TC but that powder is no longer available except for the 3 lbs that I have. I would look for a powder with that burning rate. I think that Hodgdon Lil gun would be fairly close. H-4198 might work but it is a little slower than WW-680 or Lil gun.

LSUBOY · November 28, 2004, 09:32 PM

I shoot it in a savage 24 inch heavy barrel and have not gotten pass RELOADER 7.

It usually shoots in the 2's, 3's and 4's with four combos:

Hornady 50 grain V-Max / Federal match sr primer / Weaver 6-24

16.9 grains of RL7 2808 Standard Deviation of 16

17.2 grains 2874 SD 08

17.5 grains 2920 SD 06

17.8 grains 2955 SD 22

They say that if you are adding the same amount of powder to a load and you start off low, then as you work-up you should see an almost equal amount of speed gain for each increase in powder.

Max for my 24 inch gun is 3100 with a 50 grain and RL 7 and I find it interesting that even thou I got the same good groups with 17.8 grains, I was beginning to see a decline in speed even tho I was adding the same amount of powder as I was working up.

Sure enough, when I went to 18.1 grains, my groups open up to around .500 to .600 and I popped to just over 3000 fps. I'll probably shoot the 16.9 load cause it's just so easy on the barrel along with the fact that last summer I fired 65 straight rounds thru that mother and the barrel was just warm to tha touch.

How Do I like my Fireball? It's a downer for me because it's so easy to find a good load with that caliber and after that, unless you shoot small game with it, it's no fun pulling it out of the safe because you know what it's gone do before you pull tha trigger.....SHOOT SUB 1/2 INCH GROUPS ALL DAY LONG!

Leftoverdj · November 29, 2004, 12:41 PM

WW 680 is still available (sorta) as AA-1680 and as surplus WC 680. www.gibrass has the surplus version. I say sorta, because of lot to lot variation. My batch of WC 680 seems to be just slightly faster than the WW 680 I usta shoot. Takes half a grain to a grain less to give the same results.

I don't shoot a Fireball, so I can't help out there, but WC 680 has worked very well in all the small cased rifle cartridges I have tried it in.

encore · December 19, 2004, 12:25 PM

try 17 grains of imr4198 with a 50 grain bullet

swifter... · December 20, 2004, 11:24 PM

H-4227

Tom

November 27, 2004, 01:34 PM	#1
veteran Junior Member Join Date: November 27, 2004 Location: SE Penna Posts: 8	.221 fireball loads? Anyone have any good loads for the .221 fireball in the XP-100? I use the 50gr. Sierra soft point. I want to get some input before I start.

December 19, 2004, 12:25 PM	#5
encore Junior Member Join Date: December 4, 2004 Posts: 10	221 fireball loads try 17 grains of imr4198 with a 50 grain bullet

December 20, 2004, 11:24 PM	#6
swifter... Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 1999 Location: So. CA Mountains Posts: 540	H-4227 Tom __________________ There are damn few situations so screwed up that adding government to them will not make 'em worse... The best homeland security is an armed & informed citizenery! Molon Labe!

November 27, 2004, 03:18 PM	#2
steveno Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2004 Location: Minden , Nebraska Posts: 1,407	I used 16 grains of WW-680 in my 10 inch TC but that powder is no longer available except for the 3 lbs that I have. I would look for a powder with that burning rate. I think that Hodgdon Lil gun would be fairly close. H-4198 might work but it is a little slower than WW-680 or Lil gun.

November 28, 2004, 09:32 PM	#3
LSUBOY Member Join Date: November 27, 2004 Posts: 36	I shoot it in a savage 24 inch heavy barrel and have not gotten pass RELOADER 7. It usually shoots in the 2's, 3's and 4's with four combos: Hornady 50 grain V-Max / Federal match sr primer / Weaver 6-24 16.9 grains of RL7 2808 Standard Deviation of 16 17.2 grains 2874 SD 08 17.5 grains 2920 SD 06 17.8 grains 2955 SD 22 They say that if you are adding the same amount of powder to a load and you start off low, then as you work-up you should see an almost equal amount of speed gain for each increase in powder. Max for my 24 inch gun is 3100 with a 50 grain and RL 7 and I find it interesting that even thou I got the same good groups with 17.8 grains, I was beginning to see a decline in speed even tho I was adding the same amount of powder as I was working up. Sure enough, when I went to 18.1 grains, my groups open up to around .500 to .600 and I popped to just over 3000 fps. I'll probably shoot the 16.9 load cause it's just so easy on the barrel along with the fact that last summer I fired 65 straight rounds thru that mother and the barrel was just warm to tha touch. How Do I like my Fireball? It's a downer for me because it's so easy to find a good load with that caliber and after that, unless you shoot small game with it, it's no fun pulling it out of the safe because you know what it's gone do before you pull tha trigger.....SHOOT SUB 1/2 INCH GROUPS ALL DAY LONG!

November 29, 2004, 12:41 PM	#4
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	WW 680 is still available (sorta) as AA-1680 and as surplus WC 680. www.gibrass has the surplus version. I say sorta, because of lot to lot variation. My batch of WC 680 seems to be just slightly faster than the WW 680 I usta shoot. Takes half a grain to a grain less to give the same results. I don't shoot a Fireball, so I can't help out there, but WC 680 has worked very well in all the small cased rifle cartridges I have tried it in.