ihmsa forums

Has anyone campaigned a .221 Fireball on BB Half scale targets? If so, with what results? Or a variation of it... with a fast twist barrel for 75-80 grain bullets, or maybe a 6x221 (6 Whisper) with what twist barrel and what grain bullets. Know anyone that has tried it?

Asking for a friend.....hahaha

Factory stock XP 221 using 55g soft points work fine. I have few scores above 35, so I need more practice.
Mostly works fine on BB targets although it might ring rams if set "full-foot".

I owned briefly (and stupidly sold) a MGM fast-twist 221 FB barrel. It shot 69 grain Sierra's "lights-out" and was entirely adequate for Half-Scale. Darn, I wish I still had it !!

Several years ago I had both a TC 10'' in .221 and an xp in .221. The TC worked well but didnt care for 55gr bullets. 50gr performed well. I dont recall losing targets. The XP was great fun but also didnt care for 55s. After using it in Oklahoma and losing several of their rams, I let it go. Since then I acquired a 6br. Of course it has surplus power for half scale. I also picked up a 14'' TC .223 which handled 55s well enough. I find the 14s heavy on the wrist so I support it in ''dead frog''. Lately I've begun using a 10'' in .223 and trying to limit the mv to at or around 2000ft for a secondary half scale entry. I believe I have the accuracy needed----preliminary looks good at 50yd. I cant try knock down for a while but I believe it will do the job. rp

We have an XP-100in .221 Fireball with a 1-7 twist barrel. Shot halfscale with 69 Sierra’s. When I could shoot, it was a real half scale gun. Little to no recoil, and plenty of power to take out any half scale target. Then, my wife stole it from me.

She started shooting Big bore with it, using 80 grain Bergers. It was a super critical load (which I will not publish so DON’T ANYONE ask!) Kind hard on the gun but it took down big bore rams. I have fired several 39’s with it in my later years of shooting before I broke my right hand. Brenda once fired a 39 and got all the rams (but missed a pig ).

For halfscale with a 1-7 twist barrel, shooting 69/70 rain bullets, I would say it is the perfect half scale caliber.

25-221 improved is a good choice.

Thanks to all for their input.

Richard, you need to share your reduced 223 load, probably of interest to several shooters.

I'm still narrowing down the possibilities. I have a 7 twist 223 barrel that I picked up several years ago, but it's a full diameter barrel and I'm a little reluctant that cutting it down, contouring, chambering would cost more nearly as much as a new barrel. On the other hand, it's 28 inches and I could get a couple of 14" barrels out of it.

Plan B is to wait for Richard P. to finish his reduced load development, and shoot the XP as is.

Plan C is to take an old 6PPC rifle barrel and hack away on it for a 6x221, albeit a slow twist, it will shoot 70 grainers and for 1/2 scale I have no doubt that it would be plenty.

Plan D is to hold out a little longer and see if something comes up that is more readily adaptable.

Then there are the 7JI and 25x221 options, or finding a 221 rifle barrel somewhere and just cutting it back and recrowning the muzzle.

Will keep you posted, and thanks again!

Update- Found a guy on another forum with an old thread saying he had a fast twist 6x221 xp barrel. Now it's on the way to Indiana.....

aggshooter wrote: Fri Jan 08, 2021 10:35 pm Update- Found a guy on another forum with an old thread saying he had a fast twist 6x221 xp barrel. Now it's on the way to Indiana.....

Dang lucky dog!
How in the world did you find it!?
Melvin

Just dumb luck.
Couldn't sleep one night and started reading old threads on Accurate Shooter forum. It wasn't in their classifieds. I stumbled on something a few months old where a guy made a passing comment that he used to shoot a 6x221....and I pm'd him about performance. From there it worked into a sale.