Has anyone loaded a reduced load for the 221 fireball. Using the 35 gr hornady V -max?? If so how did you like it and what did you load it with?

I would think the only suitable powder would be Hodgdon Lil Gun. The FB is less than a .222 case volume and greater than the .22 Hornet. Looking at Hodgdon's site, Lil Gun is the top performing powder for that bullet in the FB. 16.0 grains is maximum for ~3500 FPS.

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For a REDUCED Fireball load (as requested) 9.0 BlueDot gives me 2400 fps with a 40 gr VMax. Max with BD is about 12.0 grains, so you have a good deal of wiggle room to adjust the load to your needs.

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There is a pretty good write-up on the subject over at jamescalhoon.com. I tried the 4-grain Blue Dot load in my .223 and I liked it a bunch. With the Calhoon 37 grain hollow point it's suppose to clock around 1100' per second. The article lists Blue Dot clear up over 3000' IIRC. The name of the article is, "To Bee, or .223".

Well I tried a load and I used 3.5 gr. of 700x with a 35 gr. v-max. At 25 yds. 3 shoot group about the size of a dime, but at 50 yds. got much bigger like a half. And it was going at 1792 FPS. Then tried 4.0 grs. of 700x at 50 yds. and the group came to 1/2". Do you think that the blue dot would make the bullet slower in the 221 fireball . What I'm trying to get is the 35 gr. v-max at about 1400 FPS and at 50 yds. about 1" group.??????

John, how "reduced" do you want to go.

I've put some Trail Boss, 9.0gr, and a 40gr Sierra HP through my .223 and it shoots very well, at about a .22Mag level of performance. Honestly, I haven't checked the speed, but noise is much reduced, and there's a noticable delay at the target at 100yds. Accuracy is very good from my CZ.

My guess is that about 7.0gr in the .221 should be about right.

I would like to have the 35 gr v-max go about 1200 to 1500 FPS. I have a cz 527 in a 221 fireball.

At what velocity does the V-Max fail to perform i.e. open up in expansion?

John, it's always a bit easier to drop velocity with a heavy bullet than a light one. If you are looking for a small game load for edible critters, you don't want a lot of expansion, anyway.

I've used 3.5 Bullseye in an amazing variety of cartridges from 38 Special and 22 Hornet through the .308 and it always delivers mild speeds and target accuracy. In your Fireball, move up to a 50 or 5-gr softpoint bullet and see what you get.

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or...buy a 22LR or 22WMR. Then you get what you're trying to load down for w/o all the hassle.

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Try the Blue Dot. In my rifle the reduced loads shoot to nearly the same point of aim until velocity decay lets them down. I would think that if the 4 grain load is around 1100 fps in the .223 it will be a tad higher in the Fireball. I regularly hit squirrels at ranges up to 150 yards with mine. It takes a bit of hold-over, of course. It's cool to have 2 rifles in 1.

I have a CZ 22 but that is the fun of reloading is trying new loads and working them up.

I guess I can see the "cool" factor of having one gun that you can hunt varmints and edible small game with, on the same day/trip, using different loads. I guess I was being a bit narrow-minded, as the only time I've ever created reduced loads has been when loading down a more powerful cartridge, such as the 44 Mag.

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The most accurate was 4.o grs. in the 700X power, 1/2" group at 50yds. It was at 1900 FPS.. I did try the 4.0 grs. of blue dot and it was at 1250 FPS. , I am going to do a work up on the blue dot in a few days ( have to go buy some more). And that was with the 35 gr. v-max.

Keep us posted. I've never actually chronied mine and I'd like to see the velocity curve as you work up. Particularly if you go to the top.

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I took the 221 fireball out today for a live test. Bullet 35 gr v-max, 4.o grs. of 700X, at 1900 FPS. I shot a rabbit at about 25 yrs. in the right front arm and the lower part of the chest. It hit the are first and then the chest , on more are and a hole about the size of a half dollar in the chest. Well for what I want that is to much power. Back to a new work up. I think I will try Hodgdon's Lil Gun or the blue dot??

As I said before, John, the problem isn't too much speed, it is too frangible a bullet. That bullet is designed to be explosive - and it is.

Get yourself a box of 55-gr softpoints and load them over that same charge. You'll be MUCH happier.

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Try using 8.0 grains of SR-4759 & a 50-55 grain SPT bullet for light loads.

Well you were right as rain. I order some sierra 40 gr. HP , this bullet is a lot stronger . I have shot them before in a 223 years a go. They be here next week. Thanks

You're welcome, John, but 40s might not be heavy enough to slow down as much as you want. I truly think you'll need to go to a 55 over 3.0 to 3.5 of Bullseye, 700X, Clays or RedDot.

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