221 fireball or 22 hornet

[nofun1]

I was looking at the CZ in a 22 Hornet and saw a 221 fireball is this a good cartridge how does it compare in recoil? accuarcy? and loudness? which do you recomend?

[Idaho_Hick]

The .221 is a very fine cartridge.  It is a shortened .222 remington, but is still large enough to improve on the hornets velocity with a resulting increase in muzzle blast.  The .222 was a very popular benchrest cartridge for years and the .221 is also rumored to be very accurate.  My only experience with one was in helping a friend load and shoot a custom fast twist .221, we were trying to make a quiet extended range squirrel rifle by shooting 77 grain sierra matchkings.  Our accuracy wasn't the greatest, but I think we were just moving those bullets too slow, even for a 7" twist.  I personally love the .221 and think its a great round,  if I was looking for quiet I would just load it down.  However if your first concern is noise and you don't handload, I would get the hornet.  Factory ammo is still more common around here in the hornet as well.  
    But if you handload or you want more velocity than a hornet, but not as much as a .222, I would look real hard at the .221.  You would have a much greater choice of bullets and velocities with the .221.

[Lawdog]

I though about building a .221 Fireball on a Ruger No. 1 but after checking the ammo/reloading supplies situation locally I decided against it.  I can get all kinds of .22 Hornet ammo locally but would have to order any .221 Fireball ammo I wanted.  If you don’t reload it’s something that you might check into.  Lawdog
 

[tuck2]

With reloads a 40 Gr bullet has a muzzle velocity of 2900 ft/sec from a 22 Hornet while the 40 Gr bullet from a 221 Rem is 3400 ft/sec.  I reload  the 22 Hornet and 221 Rem(Fireball) ammo.  I have less reloading problems with the Fireball than the Hornet. The Hornet cases are very thin when compared to the Fireball cases. If I had purchased the Fireball first I would not have the Hornet. Fireball cases, bullets,powder and primers are sold by Midsouth and Cabelas. Most current reloading books has data on the Fireball.

[longwalker]

I like the hornet due to is size and relative soft report. When using it on prairie dogs its the second gun. I haven't killed anything bigger with it but expect it will do a fine job.

If I need to reach out further then I reach for the 223. or 25-06

longwalker

[Slamfire]

I prefer the Fireball, it isn't all that much louder than the Hornet, and you can get good velocity with heavier bullets. Mine seems to prefer 50 grain Sierras. The brass lasts longer too, and when loadin' I don't crush as many shoulders. Don't pinch my fingers as often either.  :wink:

[srwshooter]

I HAVE A XP-100 IN 221FB .ITS THE BEST SHOOTING HAND GUN I EVER SEEN. AFTER WATCHING ME TAKE LOTS OF GROUNDHOG WITH IT OUT TO 250YDS. A FRIEND BOUGHT A REM  CLASSIC IN 221 . HE FLAT OUT LOVES IT . GREAT SHOOTER. I SHOOT 55 HORNADY SP IN MINE, I BUY THE BULK 250 ROUND PACKS AND BUY DOING SO THE LAST TIME I FIGURED 20 ROUNDS LOADED COST IT WAS 1.80 A BOX. THATS CHEAP SHOOTING

[mag-check]

Id get the 22 Hornet not near as loud cheaper to shoot. The 22 Hornet is in a class of its own the 22 Hornet is actually kinda like a bridge between the 22 Rimfires and the 22 Centerfires. If you want something bigger then a 22 Hornet get the .223 lots of rifles chambered for the .223! I like the Hornet because its so much fun reloading for. Its like handloading for the 22 Magnum. The Hornet has alot of power much more then any of the rimfires but its still acts like a rimfire in many ways its quite, low recoil and if you handload its easy on the back pocket if you know what I mean. Mag-Check

[Doe]

I have the 221 fireball it the most fun gun I've got, plus you can form the brass from the 223 cal which everyone  throws away at the range! I've got the rem-700 with my reloads it'll group .250 of an inch and that not center to center. So far i've reloaded the same brass 4 time already don't know how long the brass will last?

[Ramrod]

Id get the 22 Hornet not near as loud cheaper to shoot. The 22 Hornet is in a class of its own the 22 Hornet is actually kinda like a bridge between the 22 Rimfires and the 22 Centerfires. If you want something bigger then a 22 Hornet get the .223 lots of rifles chambered for the .223! I like the Hornet because its so much fun reloading for. Its like handloading for the 22 Magnum. The Hornet has alot of power much more then any of the rimfires but its still acts like a rimfire in many ways its quite, low recoil and if you handload its easy on the back pocket if you know what I mean. Mag-Check

Don't waste your money on the Fireball! I have to agree with mag-check , the Hornet is OK for what it is, but if you need more power, the .223 is the way to go. The .221 Fireball was Remington's answer to a non-existant problem, if you were not on the marketing team of the XP-100 pistol back in 1963.

[Catfish]

Nofun,
   I think the guys here said it very well. Some people like one and some like the other. Both are good rounds and though very close in preformance there is enough difference to start a good arguement. I guess the best way to put it would be to say that the .221 with do the samething at 200 yrds. as the Hornet will do at 180 yrds. but make alittle more noise doing it. OR I might add the samething that the .22-250 will do at 300 yrds. with alot more noise. Alot depends on how far your wanting to shoot.

[Catfish]

Nofun,
   I think the guys here said it very well. Some people like one and some like the other. Both are good rounds and though very close in preformance there is enough difference to start a good arguement. I guess the best way to put it would be to say that the .221 with do the samething at 200 yrds. as the Hornet will do at 180 yrds. but make alittle more noise doing it. OR I might add the samething that the .22-250 will do at 300 yrds. with alot more noise. Alot depends on how far your wanting to shoot.

[jwv2001]

Do yourself a favor and don't even think twice about the Hornet.  This round has so many flaws it's not funny.  Someone earlier has already mentioned the cases being a problem to reload.  The case is the big problem overall.  First of all it's rimmed and the slope on the shoulder make this a cartridge that if you get it to shoot MOA at 100 yds you think you've really got something.  The Fireball however is built on a "modern" style rimless case that headspaces on a "modern" shoulder.   The Fireball has been around for over 40 years and is just now coming into it's own as are newer wildcats made with this case.  17MachIV and the 20 Vartarg to name two.  Get the 221 Fireball and don't look back.

[Lawdog]

Do yourself a favor and don't even think twice about the Hornet.  This round has so many flaws it's not funny.  Someone earlier has already mentioned the cases being a problem to reload.  The case is the big problem overall.  First of all it's rimmed and the slope on the shoulder make this a cartridge that if you get it to shoot MOA at 100 yds you think you've really got something.

 :-D  :-D  :-D  :-D   Sorry, I couldn't help it  but I enjoy a good joke just like everyone else.  Lawdog
 

P.S. - By the way Welcome to ?Graybeard Outdoors.  The best forum on the net for outdoorsmen going today.  LD
 

[Doe]

Unlimited reloading supplies for the 221 Fireball in( MIDWAY) that why I pick the Fireball + you got what most people don't have a WILDCAT!

[oso45-70]

Do yourself a favor and don't even think twice about the Hornet.  This round has so many flaws it's not funny.  Someone earlier has already mentioned the cases being a problem to reload.  The case is the big problem overall.  First of all it's rimmed and the slope on the shoulder make this a cartridge that if you get it to shoot MOA at 100 yds you think you've really got something.  The Fireball however is built on a "modern" style rimless case that headspaces on a "modern" shoulder.   The Fireball has been around for over 40 years and is just now coming into it's own as are newer wildcats made with this case.  17MachIV and the 20 Vartarg to name two.  Get the 221 Fireball and don't look back.

JWV2001

Do yourself a favor and don't even think about a hornet. You must be joking there are a lot of shooters here that got started back in the fortys and fiftys that cut their teeth on the old hornet and the k hornet plus the 218 bee the 219 donaldson wasp, the mashburn bee, ICL Bobcat 22. There are still a lot of 22 hornets out in the brush killing Mr & mrs Coyote on a regular basis, In fact you are reading the post of someone that has had in his possesion at least one hornet since 1948 and wouldnt be with out one, I will not knock the 221 F B or any other round,I Have owned them and shot them, love them all and will untill i die.  Welcome to graybeard ........Joe.........

[alchemist]

In a full sized rifle why a fireball??!!?!?!?  It is wayyyyy over the hornet performancewize, just  under the .223.  However, it was designed to burn up its powder more efficiently than the .223 in shorter barrels like 16" or under.  In a short barreled single shot however, having a rimmmed cartridge  is better.  THe 218 mashburn bee is close enough to the FB to make it an attractive alternative.