Hello, I'm new french shooter on this forum.
Excuse my faults in american : I don't speak very well american.

I have SSK barrel stainless in 221 Fb for Contender. I don't have accurate load with it.

With Sierra #1390 55 Gr or Sierra #1400 53 Gr,the best group at 110 yards is 5 inch !
(Cases Remington 221 FB, CCI 400, and Vithavuori powder N110 with diferent weight.)
I don't understand where is the problem.
I load 22 Hornet in Contender : 0.4 or 0.5 inch group with this bullets.

What is the twist barrel for this caliber ?
Do I use lighter bullet ? 40 , 45 or 50 Gr ?



Can you help me ?
Thanks.

I would try some Vithavuori N-120 with lighter bullets.

I have a .221 Bullberry 16" barrel that is 1-14 twist. Shoots a full load of RL-7 and a 40 gr. Hornady vmax quite well. I don't know what powders are available to you but typically .221 is pretty easy to find a accurate load for.

Thanks for your answer

I continue my quest of the small group :
I'll load with 40 Gr Hp Sierra #1385 and I'll see result the next weekend.
And also I'll form 222 Cases with a Redding Forming Die and outside neck turn .
Wait and see....

Welcome to the forum! Your english in fine, it's better than some Americans

The only 22 centerfire I tried in a contender pistol was the 218 mashburn bee. I did find it a bit finicky for tight groups, but nothing as bad as a 5" group! Perhaps your scope base or rings are loose? I just can't see a quality barrel shooting anwhere as bad as 5" groups, 2" groups maybe, but not 5".

As I recall, I got the best accuracy with 45 gr Sierra sp's, and I tried many bullets in the 40, 45, 50, 52, 55 and 60 gr ranges. I don't recall which powder worked best, I'll have to dig up my notes. The 221 is known as an accurate round, so I'd check your scope/base/rings, and then go back to the loading bench.

Unless you cannot get .221 FB brass I wouldn't go to the trouble. Although Remington brass is my least favorite the .221 Rem brass I got was excellent....very uniform in everyway and it lasts forever.
I would suggest using lighter bullets.....any .221 Rem SSK barrel should group sub 1" with just about any bullet >50gr. I don't always agree with JD Jones but he makes good stuff and uses high quality barrel stock.

I have checked my base, ring and scope. All is OK : it's a Weaver base with 4 screws (tighten with Loctite), Weaver Rings and Bushnell Trophy 6-18 * 40.

I tried other powders : French SNPE Tu2000(between IMR4227 and IMR4198), French SNPE SP3 (like N110). The results aren't good.

I think it's a twist barrel problem because more the bullet is heavy more the group is bad.
With 60 Gr , bullet are destabilized at 50 yards !

It's a first time when my loads are very, very bads.
I've load 7TCU, 30 Herret, 7-08, 32 HR Mag, 30 Carbine, 22 Hornet, all for Silhouette competition.
I did shot at Internationals IHMSA in 89 ( Idaho Falls), 90 (Fort Stockon) and 91 (OakRidge).
I've got a SSK barrel in 221 Fireball because it's an accurate cartridge....

But I'll work and find the problem

Thanks for all
I'll post next results ....

Best regards

Answer for "SKB2706"

I THINK SSK and JD Jones make good stuff !
SSK barrel is and hight quality barrel.

And I don't find the good load for small group.

I seek to understand why my groups are so bads.

I'm alone in France : I'm the one french shooter who shoot with SSK barrel in 221 Fireball in France.

All loads in 221 Fireball are americans but I don't find american powder, just French SNPE and Vithavuori.
It's a reason what I post here , an american forum with many shooters with experience of 221 Fireball reloading to help me.

I'm also suprised at your results, as I've heard and seen nothing but good things about SSK quality. He may have used a 1-16" twist, which would definately limit you to the lighter bullets.

Your accuracy woes sure make me think about the Bullberry 10" 1-14 twist 218 mashburn I had made. The groups weren't as bad as 5", but I figured there should be no problem getting 3 shot 1" groups at 100 yds, and I should find a combo that would do bug hole groups. I'll have to check my notes, as it has been several years, but as I recall I tried 40 gr nosler b-tips, 45 gr sierra sp, 50, 52, 55 and 60 gr Hornadies, and at least 3 different powders, 4227, AA 1680, and I think RL-7. Most combos would group 1 1/2 to 2" for 3 shots at 100 yds. The only combo that broke 1", and not by much, was the 45 gr sierra and as I recall, 4227. I did find that load would efforletlessly hit the head of the 150 yd turkey silouette, so it was fun. But I'm fickle, I didn't get the tiny groups I was after, and I didn't want to invest a hole bunch of time into finding the "magic combo".

While I like to experiment, I'm a lazy reloader by nature. Lazy is the wrong word, I want good results with minimal time invested. If I can't get a gun close to the performance I want out of it within a few range sessions, it get's moved.

I was thinking that a bench rest seater die, and perhaps some match brass prep would have helped dial the gun in, but I sold the barrel before putting any more time and money into it.

I imagine the trouble and expense of getting barrels over to France is an order of magnitude greater than here, so this is what I'd suggest.

First, try a different scope. It may or may not be the problem, but at least get that out of the way to know for sure it isn't a sighting issue. I don't know what type of dies you have, but you might want to invest in a Redding or Forster match seating die. Then I'd pick up an assortment of 35, 40 and 45 gr bullets. I'd then research as much published data on 221's to see which powders seem to be producing good results for most folks.

It seems when I start off with a powder known to work for a given chambering, it's just a matter of playing with charges and seating to get the gun to shoot. It's when I have to guess at the ideal powder, and pick the wrong one that I tear my hear out. It seems like looking at the mariad of chamberings I've loaded for over the years that powders have had a much bigger effect on accuracy than bullets. Unfortunately I don't know what the powder or powders are for the 221, given what you have available.

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Since you can get N-120 you might want to try it with lighter bullets. One fellow on Bench Rest Central has a BR rifle in 221 and gets very good accuracy with that powder.221 fireball

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I'll load with 40 Gr Hp Sierra #1385 and I'll see result the next weekend.
And also I'll form 222 Cases with a Redding Forming Die and outside neck turn .

My 221 FB Die is a RCBS Full Die.
It isn't the better. But it's work ...
After others tests, maybe I"ll buy new Redding die.

The problem is a 1-16" twist. my first tests with 55grs confirm this.
With lighter bullets, I'm optimist for a good result.

And thanks for the link to "Benchrest Central".

A precision : my barrel is a 10" barrel long.

I want use it for Field Pistol Silhouette competition.

With the 16" twist, and 10" length, I'd definately wouldn't try anything heavier than 45 grs, and would put my effort into 35 and 40 gr bullets. My 218 mashburn produced 100-200 fsp less than the 221, but I was also using a 1-14" twist.

Do you throw your powder charges or weigh them? I hate individually weighing charges, but with the small case capacity rounds, a few tenths gr difference in powder charges definately has greter percentage of effect.

The 221 has always had a reputation as a very accurate round, so I have no doubt you should be able to get it to shoot very well. Keep at it and let us know what helps and what doesn't.

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Originally posted by silhouette22:
A precision : my barrel is a 10" barrel long.

I want use it for Field Pistol Silhouette competition.

Hate to rain on your fun, but if you come over here the 221 is not allowed in field pistol.
I will look around and see if I can find some data that may help you.
Jeff

In France and in Europe, the Silhouette rules are little different than IHMSA rules :

In Field Pistol : "Any big bore production cartridge withe a case no longer than the 22 Hornet case nominal lenght (1.403")"

The 221 FB is allowed.

Thanks.

Hello,
I did go at the shooter range this morning.
I have found the problem : it's the twist barrel.
With 40 Gr Sierra #1385 , the group is 0.9" at 100m with 2740 fps velocity.
With 45 Grs Sierra #1210, the group is 0.7" with 2787 fps velocity.
And with 53 Gr HP Match Sierra #1400, the group is 2" with 2200fps velocity
All loads with French powder Tu2000 with burning rate between IMR4227 and IMR 4198.

Now, I just fine reload to have groups little small more !!

I'm on the right way to do this.