Has anybody shot the 2002 Remington Classic in .221 Remington Fireball? Do you like it better than the .22 Hornet? How much velocity is lost with a 14 inch T/C Contender vs the Reminton 700 in .221 Fireball? I appreciate any help you can provide.

Have shot my Classic 221 Fireball very little, but my rechambered 788 has had plenty through its 10 year life. As to velocity from a T/C, they will be good due to the small case, but in my opinion will be quite loud, whereas the 24" Rem is very easy on the ears. Velocities of 3400+ fps are achievable with 40gr pills (AA1680 or Lil Gun); I use RE7 or H322 for the 50gr loads.
A very friendly, over-achieving cartridge.

I also shoot a Hornet; great cartridge also, just in its own category (and more fickle about accuracy).

I go along with Mulerider , my 12" T/C Custom shop barrel shot just great with any load ! And yes it is fairly loud for its size , but that`s where all the power comes from. I can`t give you any velocities , sorry , but the accuracy was great and the neck is much thicker than a Hornet!
Good shooting , J�rgen

Mark s: I have owned a Kimber Ultra Varmint bolt action Rifle in 221 Fireball since 1994. It has taken all manner of Varmints in the last 8 years and is one of my favorite Rifles and calibers! The only 22 Hornet I still shoot these days for Varmints is a Ruger #1-B. It has a 26" barrel. I enjoy it very much also. The Fireball, I believe though, is a more inherently accurate cartridge. Hornet brass can be the pits. I have brought online several 22 Hornet Varmint Rifles over the years and they were all persnickety to get to shoot OK. My Kimber is VERY accurate in the Fireball and shot most load development loads well. That will not happen with a Hornet! I recently bought one of the Remington 700 Classics in 221 Fireball and just last week got the trigger squared away, the bases and rings installed, aligned and lapped. Also the Leupold 4X12 variable was bore sighted on it. I am waiting for a bright windless day here in SW Montana to begin load testing with it. I will have a report for you then on its accuracy and the chambering from the magazine reliability. They have a newly designed magazine follower in there and we will see if it functions OK.
I base my accuracy assessment of the Fireball on not only my experience but those of my friends. And foremost among them is a nifty Rifle a Varminting dentist friend of mine owns. It is a factory stock Remington 40XB-KS model (27 1/4" barrel!). It is factory chambered in 221 Remington Fireball and I have seen it shoot at the range. It is VERY accuate! I would love to own that Rifle! Apparently a Gunshop in New York convinced the Remington Custom Shop to make a run of these Rifles about 5 years ago and they did. I have been looking for one for myself but no luck so far. Again accuracy wise I have three friends that have rechambered their factory 223 Remington Rifles to 221 Fireball and the accuracy improved in all of them! Could have been the smiths doing a better chambering job than the factory or it could be the little cartridge with careful handloading and selected brass is a touch more accurate than a 223. I have another friend with a custom 221 Fireball built on a Sako action. It has on several occassions shot 1/2" five shot groups at 200 yards with Varmint style bullets and a Varmint power scope (I forget the actual power of the scope but he Varmint Hunts with it)!
Good luck with whichever you choose!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Ok Quick and fast. My Bullberry 12" in .221 fireball

40vmax 2920 fps with a hot load

Fireball

My gunsmith has recently finished making me a 221 Fireball, using a Sako L461 action and a shortened Sako 222 barrel. Its performance has been outstanding. I haven't spent any time doing load development (I hit on a 40gr Vmax load at 3360 fps and .7 moa on the first attempt and stopped there). I shoots well enough for what I need. It's quiet, accurate and pleasant to shoot. Only real problem is that my wife likes it too much.

Mark- I bought the new rem. last month and it needed some fine tuning. The first thing I did was take the action out of the stock and using 400 paper I free floated the barrel. From the factory it looked like saw blade dust and varnish under the barrell but I got it smooth as a babs butt. Next, I adjusted the trigger using the three factory adjustments. Had to use knife to free the gunk from the factory but after spending about an hour and 1/2 I managed to get a light adjustment just after a bit of free travel. Check to be certain the boat will cock properly after making adjusment. Best loads so far are Reloader 7 using either a Hornady 40 gr. V-max moly bt/hp or Nosler 40 gr. bt/hp. Powder charge showing best promise is 19.5 gr. to 20.1 gr. Work up by reduction of load. Alos, look at the load specks from this web-I can't wait to try some of them. Also, you will have hard time getting all the powder in the case so shake and tap it. Set the bullet out as far as you can. Don't expect much from the factory round.

I was at the range a few months back and there was a guy shooting from the upper level and I was shooting from the lower level,I had no idea what he was shooting hadn't even noticed how he was shooting.When we went to get our shot targets I did notice then the little groups he was shooting at 200 yds.I got to talking to him and asked what he was shooting he said a 221 fireball in a Rem classic,I told him that he must have did a lot of work to it getting groups like that and he said it was straight out of the box with nothing done to it,but he did reload the bullets,he told me what he was using but I don't remember.That Rem sure was a shooter. I use a bow to groundhog hunt with if I used a rifle I would have to have me one of them

For the last several years I've been shooting a rebarreled (21") Rem model 7 in .221 FB. This rifle regularely shoots .5 moa out to 200yds with a 40gr Nosler B-Tip (moly)and 19.4gr RE7.

I have recently switched over to Hodgdon's Lil' Gun with the 40gr B-Tip. This combo shoots 3,600 ft/sec and accuracy is the same.

The Hornet would be hard pressed to shoot this well and could not come close to the .221 ballistics. However, the Hornet would be quieter and have non-existent recoil.
VH

[ 01-05-2003, 17:40: Message edited by: Varmint Hunter ]

I bought a new 2002 classic 221 FB about two weeks ago. I have only shot the factory ammo since my reloading dies haven't arrived yet.

Out of 3 boxes of cartridges, I have not grouped over 1 inch @ 100. Some groups were very tight. I think I have a keeper.

All I did was clean it and shoot it.

I got a question on twist. I've seen alot of good comments on the 221 fireball, but not much posted on the twist of the barrel being used. I'm looking at getting a Rem. 700 LV SF http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire_r..._700_LV_SF_specs.asp It has a 14" rate of twist. Is 14" a good twist rate for this round using 40gn Vmax's? Also how bad does wind affect this round using 40gr bullets? I'm looking for a close range, less than 200yd, varmint round that's not as wind sensitive as the 17HMR I've been using. Thanks guys.

Billy, this round in a rifle barrel does 3600 + with 40's, and it shoots accurate and flat with a 14" twist barrel, and I imagine the speed increase makes this bullet shoot as good or better than 50's, to 300 or even much further.

Check tables vs 50's at 3100-3200. A 40 is hard to beat with Lil Gun in 221.

Have fun, FB is a FUN round! I had one, just could not put it to use where I live, that said, a 221 and 222 are my favorite 22's unless I were wanting a fast twist for long long range.

I have a CZ American in .221 and using AA1680 with a 40 grain V-Max I'm safely getting just under 3,600fps and shooting in the upper .3's to mid .4's.
That load is .2 of a grain under max in AA's manual I should add, pretty amazing performance by both the rifle and the round. My buddy that was with me when I found it at the gun show and at the range when I was developing loads now has one too.
I paid $105.00 new in the box for my first Fire Ball in an XP100, I always knew that nifty little round belonged in a rifle. I sure like mine and I'd bet you'd be well pleased with whichever one ya decide on.