Question on reloading for a 221 fireball - The Firearms Forum

John1 S · 07-06-2012, 05:37 AM

A friend gave me some IMR 700x and I would like to work up a load in the 221 fireball. Thinking about using a seirra 45 SP. Found a little data on the 770x in fireball and it said 6.5 gr was the max. Has anyone tried this????

Bindernut · 07-06-2012, 07:00 AM

700X is way too fast burning to get decent velocity out of the Fireball.
Unless you're talking a light, reduced-velocity load that is...and then I wouldn't know where to send you for data.
Curious where you found data for 700X in the Fireball...published manual or someone's "pet load" posted online?

Win296/H110, Alliant 2400, AA#9, or IMR4227 is about all the faster powder you would normally choose for the Fireball even for pistol loads.
Take a look at the burn rate chart in any reloading manual and you'll see that 700X is way up at the top of the burn rate chart where the above 4 that I mentioned are around the middle.

I would save the 700x for small pistol cartridge loads or some shotshell reloading. It works great for the .32S&Ws, light .32H&RMag, .25ACP, and .38Spcl wadcutter loads. Anything larger than that and it's just too fast.

My friend has both Contenders and XP100s (all 10") and he has very good luck with IMR4198.

John1 S · 07-06-2012, 09:53 AM

Ok I found the data in a old book ( 1980) on the fireball.

Kevin Rohrer · 07-06-2012, 04:48 PM

I tried H110, 4227, and L'il Gun in my XP100. The latter powder gave the highest velocities.

07-06-2012, 05:37 AM	#1
John1 S V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 70	Question on reloading for a 221 fireball A friend gave me some IMR 700x and I would like to work up a load in the 221 fireball. Thinking about using a seirra 45 SP. Found a little data on the 770x in fireball and it said 6.5 gr was the max. Has anyone tried this???? -->

07-06-2012, 07:00 AM	#2
Bindernut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ND, USA Posts: 2,450	Re: Question on reloading for a 221 fireball 700X is way too fast burning to get decent velocity out of the Fireball. Unless you're talking a light, reduced-velocity load that is...and then I wouldn't know where to send you for data. Curious where you found data for 700X in the Fireball...published manual or someone's "pet load" posted online? Win296/H110, Alliant 2400, AA#9, or IMR4227 is about all the faster powder you would normally choose for the Fireball even for pistol loads. Take a look at the burn rate chart in any reloading manual and you'll see that 700X is way up at the top of the burn rate chart where the above 4 that I mentioned are around the middle. I would save the 700x for small pistol cartridge loads or some shotshell reloading. It works great for the .32S&Ws, light .32H&RMag, .25ACP, and .38Spcl wadcutter loads. Anything larger than that and it's just too fast. My friend has both Contenders and XP100s (all 10") and he has very good luck with IMR4198.

07-06-2012, 09:53 AM	#3
John1 S V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 70	Re: Question on reloading for a 221 fireball Ok I found the data in a old book ( 1980) on the fireball. Attached Images

07-06-2012, 04:48 PM	#4
Kevin Rohrer V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 281	Re: Question on reloading for a 221 fireball I tried H110, 4227, and L'il Gun in my XP100. The latter powder gave the highest velocities. __________________ An armed society is a polite society--Robert Heinlein via Jeff Cooper Member: Orange Gunsite Family, NRA--Life, Varmint Hunters Assn, American Legion, ARCTA, & South Cuyahoga Sportsmen's Assn.