What is .221 fireball?

The .221 Fireball is a centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Remington in 1963. It was initially designed for use in the experimental XP-100 single-shot pistol.

  • Purpose and Design: The .221 Fireball was conceived as a short, efficient cartridge capable of delivering .22 caliber projectiles at respectable velocities, with the intention of enhancing accuracy in a handgun platform. It is essentially a shortened .222 Remington. The compact design also made it suitable for use in lightweight rifles.

  • Ballistics: It typically fires a 50-55 grain .224 diameter bullet at velocities ranging from 2700-3000 fps, depending on the exact load and barrel length. It provides flat trajectory suitable for varmint hunting at moderate ranges.

  • Popular Uses: While initially designed for pistols, the .221 Fireball found a niche in bolt-action rifles as a light-recoiling, accurate cartridge for varmint and small game hunting. It's favored for its low noise and minimal recoil, making it ideal for situations where these factors are important.

  • Rifles Chambered for it: The Remington XP-100 pistol was the original firearm chambered in .221 Fireball. Later, some bolt-action rifles were produced in this caliber.

  • Cartridge Dimensions: The cartridge has a case length of 1.40 inches and an overall length of around 1.9 inches.

  • Reloading: .221 Fireball cases can be reloaded, which is beneficial because factory ammunition can be more difficult to find and expensive than more common cartridges.

  • Comparison to Other Cartridges: It is often compared to the .222 Remington and .223 Remington. The .221 Fireball has a shorter case and generally produces slightly lower velocities than these cartridges.

  • Advantages:

    • Low recoil
    • Good accuracy
    • Relatively quiet
    • Efficient powder usage
  • Disadvantages:

    • Lower velocity compared to other .22 centerfire cartridges like the .223
    • Limited availability of factory ammunition
    • Shorter effective range compared to flatter-shooting varmint cartridges

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