What has your experience been with the .221 Fireball?

KDX

KDX

New member
From what I've read so far this seems like an interesting calibre. I'm curious as to what people's real world experiences have been.
 
I put a Adams & Bennett .221 Fireball 26" varmint weight barrel on a Stevens 200. After shooting it for a while I had it cut and crowned at 20" It shot really well at 26" with alot of .600 groups. After cutting it to 20" it shoots even better. Went to the range last week and shot six five shot groups and five of them were one hole groups. I tryed four different 22 hornets and never did find one that would shoot under an inch consistently.
 
Been shooting a FB for a long time. Mine is a beautiful Cooper Custom Classic. There are many PD's in PD Heaven due to this rifle.

Some years back, got playing with the FB step children....the 20VT (my "go-to" rifle) and the 17FB. They have been lots of fun.

I have a buddy that shoots a 221FB and can consistently erase PD's at distnaces "over" the horizon.
 
love my fireball, people are amazed at how nasty the little thing is. Everyone ive owned has been shooters no recoil low noise report sweetheart of a round for sure Ron
 
I have a pair of Coopers in 221FB, I love them! It makes about the best little PD round out there. Its efficient only 14 grains of powder to get a 40gr bullet going 3400fps. Barrel life would be forever in a hunting type rifle and a long time as a PD rifle. Almost no recoil and its terminal performance on little critters is awesome. It will suck'em right out of the hole on closer shots (100 yards or so) for longer ranges, I will shoot it out to 275 or so, much farther and its nice to have something with a bit more get up an go. I have wacked a few 300 yarders with it though.

I made up my mind last night, I am getting just one more this next year. Its going to be a Dakota Predator in a 17FB
 
The 221 Fireball was designed as a handgun cartridge but is an excellent round in a rifle. It makes a perfect coyote round in urban areas too.

I do not have a FB yet, but it is on my short list.

JD338
 
I have the CZ FB and it is a sweet round. I have mine setup as my go to nighttime rig when I am by myself because of its lightweight with the Lightforce mounted on the scope.For some reason whenever I am out with this gun feral hogs and bobcats are attracted to it so that is what I have shot more than anything with it. But I do get a few coyotes every now and then and even a coon sometime.
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The Fireball was my first small bore. I chose it becasue of the robustness of the cartridge case and it is simple to hand load. I like 40 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips or 40 grain Sierra BlitzKing bullets over a 1.3cc Lee Dipper Cup of RE #7. Mild (bench rest) primers are the best for this cartridge.

Mine is a Rem 700 LVSF that I replaced the synthetic stock with a Boyd's Thumbhole Laminate. It sports a Zeiss 4.5 - 14 44mm scope. It's capable of great accuracy and I've never heard anyone who owns one say it is a piece of crap. Here's a couple of picks. The ground hog was taken at about 90 yards off-hand. The turkey was taken at about 180 yards layng on the ground. It's absolutely devastating on crows. I cut a skunk almost in half from about 150 yards.

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Here's a cartridge comparison photo. The Fireball is on the left, center 218 Bee, right 22 Hornet.

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I love mine to death.......death for the crows that is!!! Hate to be a broken record here, but like stated above, very little recoil and noise. Accuracy is outstanding. Couldn't be happier.
 
Pretty good on fox and bobcat. Of course proper bullet selection and shot placement count, but I never had one totally trashed. 221FB is my favorite all around cartridge for where I am living now.
 
i just recently got mine....a cz 527. out of the box, with factory ammo....i couldn't be happier. very accurate and fun to shoot. finding ammo and brass right now is a little tough, however.......
 
Love the Furball! My little 527 CZ has become my darling for a handy little ground squirrel and prairie dog gun.

Pushing along a 40 grain Vmax or Ballistic Tip at better than 3300 is no sweat either. And when they go right on top of each other at 100 yards that is better yet. Last June I took as many praire pooches with my Furball as I did my .223 and my 220 Swift put together I believe. Any dog out to around 300 yards was toast, plain and simple.

I do indeed love mine. I only wish that I had bought one sooner!
 
Yes I the last three were all around 50yds the longest has been about 80yds. I shot one at 20yds but used the .17 Fireball on it that was a couple of years ago no exit with it either.
 


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