10gaugemag: I have a pair of Varmint Rifles in caliber 221 Remington Fireball.
I love them both!
One is a factory stock Kimber of Oregon Ultra-Varmint Model.
This model has a semi-heavy, stainless, 24" barrel.
I have a straight 12 power Leupold scope on it and it is VERY accurate indeed.
This Rifle prefers the 40 grain Berger hollow-points.
I have killed Coyotes with this Rifle but I mostly Hunt Ground Squirrels and Prairie Dogs with it.
Indeed the mild recoil, mild report, mild barrel heating and mild powder charges are all important attributes of this Rifle and the 221 Remington Fireball cartridge.
My other 221 Remington Fireball is a plain Jane Remington 700 Classic - again with a 24" barrel of sporter weight.
I have a Leupold 4x12 variable scope on this rig and it shoots extremely well for a sporter weight barreled Rifle!
This Rifle prefers the Nosler 40 grain Ballistic Tips.
To tell the truth I am secretly searching for another Remington 700 Classic in 221 Remington Fireball to add to my arsenal - I LOVE this Rifle.
Brass life of the 221 Fireball is FOREVER, apparently.
Speaking of 221 Remington Fireball Rifles my old friend Dr. (Dentist) Robert Mitchell of the Puget Sound country about 18 years ago convinced the Custom Shop at Remington, somehow, to build him a Remington 40XB-KS in caliber 221 Remington Fireball.
His Rifle had a 27 1/4"barrel and was a single shot.
Doc Mitchell let me shoot it one dead calm February morning there at the Seattle range.
I tell you, shooting THAT Rifle was just an amazing and rewarding experience!
I won't even bother telling you how small the groups were I shot with it that morning - you might not believe me.
Let it suffice to say - the 221 Remington Fireball IS an inherently accurate cartridge!
I say you should GO for the Fireball Rifle idea.
Don't over-look the kind of rare Remington 700 Classics in 221 Fireball as I have two friends that also own them and they both shoot very well.
Good luck to you.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
