Thread: .221 Remington Fireball

Hi Guys,

My first post on the forum.

I currently have a tikka t3 1:8" twist and a .17 hmr. Really like the little CZ 527, and I see they offer a .221 fireball.

This got me thinking I could get away with 1 rifle.

What do you think of the fireball on small game and walk about varmint ini - rabbits, foxes ect?

And how would they step up to medium - goats kangaroos and possibly fallow?

Thanks

welcome Floody.
I have one of the CZ 221 Americans, on order in Canada, should be sitting at the gun store until I get back, (4Weeks time) I have only used one a few times on gophers, that a mate owned, 40gr V-max at 3400, nice and quite, and easy to spot your shots in the scope.
but do have a .17 fireball here in NZ, have shot a fallow spiker and several goats with it and a 25gr HP.
I was thinking of turning it into a 20 vartarg, now having thoughts about chopping it down to 15", we will see how it shoots, first.
It will do what you are after, as its pretty much the same performance as a .222, .221 runs at 5000psi higher pressure that .222,
Its a neat Cal, but will not be very well supported in new Zealand, you will need to hand load, and brass ordered in from Lapua or Remington,
In all honesty a CZ 527 in .204, .222 or .223 will be a better choice, .17 hornet if you just on small game, I have shot goats with mine, but wouldn't take it if deer or goats were a target species.
If you don't hand load, the .204, .222 or .223 will be the best options,

Thanks for the reply southern man,

I do reload and I like the idea of something different, hence the being bored with the .223.

I also like small mild mannered cartridges, small recoil and noise, would like to be able to see hits.

Thanks for the info.

if ya want to do it, go for it . . .

would personally rebarrel the Tikka . . . go full custom job, fluted barrel, new stock etc etc make what you think will be the perfect rifle for your shooting

keep the old barrel etc . . . you may want to take a step backwards later on.

ive come to the conclusion that i need at least 2 rifles for small game/Fallow in the .223 power level class, a light and a heavy, an alrounder does neither well . . . at present i own 3, 2 are wildcats

R

I had mine out today, for the first sighting in , and first few hand-loads, reasonably happy with results, especially as only a cheap Leopold scope, and only 15 rounds of factory ammo, and x20 40gr v-max and x15 50gr soft points. Br4 primer, lapua brass, and H4198.
expect it to do better as it wears in, just been loading up a few more rounds for tomorrow, out to 100m,
Getting the odd round not feeding well, from the mag, binding moving up into the claw, or rim catching a touch in the mag, will see if it smooths out over load development, and if not will polish the mag lips, and the sharp edge off the extraction claw, feeds fine when single round is drooped in,
I am happy with results thus far, but action is not sako or cooper smooth,

Unless you are a high volume shooter and want the lower barrel heat and cheaper to reload (less powder) I'd go for 204 Ruger.
If you are planning on using the 40gr .224 bullets the .204 would be a much better choice, a higher BC bullet going 500fps quicker meany more energy and less drop.

Not sure what either are like on deer or kangaroos, but I know of some people who shoot roos professionally that use 17 Fireball, so I imagine .221 or .204 would be no problem.

Mostly true there about the .204 Ruger shoots faster, flatter and with a higher Bc bullet, I have one a CZ varmint, It wont stabilize the 40gr and is only an average shooter, It is not making the cut and is soon for sale,
I had this Cz .221 on order for over a year and a half, If it shoots well, and I am happy with it, I will bring it back to NZ, I had bought it with the thought of getting it turned into a 20 Vartarg, But a chopped and suppressed .221 will be good for small game, goats and in a pinch fallow deer, and I can feed brass over to my .17 fireball. But if deer are a possibility, I have better choices, ie .222, .223 and Cooper 6mm/223 on order.
I have shot one fallow deer with my .17 fireball, 25gr HP, it did the job, but If I had expected a chance at a deer, I would have taken the .222,
The small game hunting in NZ is a bit different from Canada, gophers in Canada is normally high volume shooting, at rat sized animals, often several hundred in an afternoon, In high volume gopher, shooting I rotate between different rifles, to let them cool down,
Nothing wrong with the .221 fireball, its does quite well with 40gr v-max, and will push a 55gr soft point to 2800, plenty for deer at close range,

The .204 will heat up faster, as its burning 7-9gr more powder that anything on a fireball case.

hi southernan . . . are those targets shot at 50 meters ?

R.

Originally Posted by rossi.45

hi southernan . . . are those targets shot at 50 meters ?

R.

Yes, those are at 50M.
I had it out today, it gave a few pretty good groups with 40v-max and 18.5g of H4198 at 100m, two four shot groups at 3/4", but it opens up to 1.5" when hot,
Had a few nice three shot groups with VV-N-120 and cheep speer 50gr at 50m, .266 and .320, but by the time I moved out, it was getting pretty hot, and was over a 1" with all groups.

Just pulled rifle out of action, and checked bedding, its typical CZ minimal, and I likely will have to do a bedding job, But always test first, before fiddling with any rifle.

I had a CZ Laminated Varmint in 223, excellent rifle. I got it bedded and it became even better, it shot very small groups at 100mtrs if I was on form.