221 fireball

Chad · #1 01-13-2012, 02:25 AM

I'm kicking around the idea of getting a CZ 527 in 221 Fireball as a light and quiet coyote/plinking rifle.

The only place I could find load data was Hodgdon's site and it seems like I've heard much higher velocities posted that the site showed. I will form brass from 223 or 222 if I go this route.

So, what can I expect out of 40 and 50 grain bullets out of the 22" barrel?

pwdrbrn · #2 01-13-2012, 03:23 AM

My experience showed 4198 w/50 grn. very accurate (vmax and blitz (not king)) 40 grn had to go to 1680 to get clean burn, vmaxs'. 33-3500 respectively 17.5 4198--18.5 1680 22" bbl. a neat pd popper. Tom.

andy221 · #3 01-13-2012, 04:56 AM

i have a rem 700 lvsf with a 22" barrel. I am getting 3150 fps with 18 gr IMR 4198.

Chad · #4 01-13-2012, 11:12 AM

Whoops, didn't mean to put this in the "project gun" forum.

Andy- what grain bullet are you shooting?

thanks

Mulerider · #5 01-13-2012, 11:54 AM

For the 40gr pills, AA1680 is the recipe to go with. 3500+fps out of my LVSF and a re-chambered Rem 788.
Others have reported similar results using LilGun.

I don't shoot the 50's much, but Benchmark is the choice when I do.
20+ yrs of shooting the 221, it's an overachiever.

Greg

andy221 · #6 01-13-2012, 05:21 PM

chad-

I told you the wrong velocity I'm averaging 3250 not 3150 and that's with the 40gr ballistic tip. Also the groups are in the .5's, every once in a while I'll get a group a little bigger in the .7's. I always shoot 3 shot groups.

I think with a little tinkering I can get my group size down. I really haven't messed with my load much.

FreshWilliams · #7 01-13-2012, 07:23 PM

Chad,

I had the exact rifle you are contemplating, for the 40g Nosler ballistic tips I used Vit N120, giving me 3440 fps.
I cant recall the powder charge weight, (but can check if it helps at all) but remember being happy with the velocity and accuracy.
It now wears a Pacnor tube and has been chambered in .20 Vartarg

HTH Steve

17varminter · #8 01-14-2012, 04:03 AM

not exctly the caliber for hot-rodding but a wonderful all-around caliber nonentheless. Its one of my all-time faves... Hornady, Sierra, Hodgdon, Barnes all have plenty of load data for it.

crazyhorse · #9 01-14-2012, 12:53 PM

instead of forming 222s into something else, why not just shoot a straight up duece?

open the lapua box, prime, charge, seat your fav. 22cal bullet, shoot

perhaps looking for more of a challenge

although it might be cool to have a 221/vartarg switchbarrel

Matt

moorepower · #10 01-14-2012, 01:55 PM

Possibly he will just use .221 fireball brass? Anyway, who does not already have at least two .222's? I always thought about the .221 like I did the .22H, why??? Now that I have 2 Hornets, its more like why not. Whats not to like about low recoil, low noise and now Norma/Nosler brass!