What's everyone loading in their .221 Fireballs?

It's my favorite plinking/gopher round. I have several rifles chambered in it.

The one I use for shooting and plinking is a Remington Model 700 Classic. I have exactly 1,053 rounds out of the tube and it still shoots as good as it did on day 1, if not better.

My rifle favored heavier bullets over the lighter ones.

My pet load is as follows...

Remington brass with only half neck sizing
Shoulder bump eith body die just enough to chamber smooth
18.5 grains Reloader 7
Federal 205 Match Primer
Nosler 50 grain Ballistic Tip
Seated .020" off lands
MV 3045

It's a solid .4" to .5" gun consistently, sometimes gets into the .3's. I only measure 5 shot groups. The three shot groups could measure mighty small laugh

It's my favorite round due to barrel life and case life, and I also like the rare aspect of the rifle. Many people, at the range or sometimes even those I run into while hunting, wonder what the heck it is. grin

I do, however, wish Lapua would come out with brass for this round. Remington brass is your only option, or making it from .222 or .223 Lapua. I have found with the time it would take me to do that, and the money, I can sort out the bad Remington stuff by weight sorting, flash hole inspection, and culling bad brass when shooting if they produce fliers.

I have tried alot of powders in this cartridge, and it always seems Reloader 7 is the best.

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Can't cheat the mountain, Pilgrim...