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Since there are several gun threads circulating I'll try my luck with this. I'm about to come into ownership of a bolt action rifle in this caliber. I have a bit of experience with the parent cartridge .222 Rem but not the shorter FB. Anyone here have experience and thoughts?
I had one fuzzy and traded it for a 22-250. Dumbest thing I’ve ever done. I loved it, was great for hogs and for my younger girls to practice with. Even killed a few deer with it. Mine was a CZ. Definitely in the market for another 221
My buddy who is a gunsmith had one (and may still) that he used as a short/medium range varmint gun and turkey gun. It was one more good shooting rifle. He also had one of the Remington XP-100 bolt action "handguns" as well. It was also very accurate.
JL's Link
Gunbroker shows a bit of ammo, brass and dies for it so that shouldn't be a problem to get that end of it. This used one is going for a pretty penny.
It was developed for the XP100. Good cartridge. Not as much available in factory loadings but for what it's good for, any load that shoots good is fine.
Likey a 1:12 twist so probably wouldn't go heavier than 55gr bullets if hand loading.
I would think very hard to get ammo so you better reload.
Bigswivle this is also a CZ. Thanks everyone for the input
Spike78 reloading will be in the plan
I had one for a few years. Was offered a stupid amount of money for it, and like a dumbazz parted with it. It was a fantastic rifle, shot great, handled like a good rifle should, and accounted for way more groundhogs than i can remember, at distances out to 350 yds. Loading for it was very simple. The velocities you can achieve loading are wicked fast and i could keep my 40 grn loads in 1/4” groups. Still wishing i had that gun,limited run remington 700.
^...looking at the Gunbroker auction above for that Rem 700 .221..........ya, you should have kept yours.
..looking at the Gunbroker auction above for that Rem 700 .221..........ya, you should have kept yours
Yeah, that’s a great setup
Buddy has a REM 700 classic in 221 fireball. I don’t think he’d take anything for it. It’s a sweet handling and sweet shooting rifle.
I had a Remington 221 “handgun” in the 1970’s. For some reason it was not considered a handgun, but rather a pistol grip, short rifle. I dunno :)
I killed a lot of groundhogs with it. The cartridge resurfaced again several years ago in rifle offerings. Not sure it’s any better than a common 222 except the cool factor. Or 22 Hornet.
^^^ That’s it, but mine had an uglier plastic stock. Looked way more plastic than that one even.
My first XP-100 was in 221. Replaced it with the 7mm Benchrest when I started loosing woodchucks that were so far away that I could hit them, but not quite anchor them every time. Wish I had them both back. The dumbness of youth claimed another victim.
That is sweet looking would be a cool gun for calling predators here.
I had a Rem 700 classic in 221 fb, and was dumb enough to sell it. I also have a custom 221 fb built on a Sako A1 action, and McMillan stock. It is a very nice rifle. Of course I hand load for it and use it for coyote calling.
Wow...so we had 3 people sell their Rem 700 .221's??? Ouch!
The CZ I had was a great gun. Loved the set trigger
Passed on an XP at a gun show years ago, didn't have $250 to spare. Today they go for 4 figures...
@JL I made a ridiculous sum on that deal. At the time, i had a large amount of varmint rifles/cartridges and was just “tinkering” with them all, and trying to simplify my shooting. If i had a do-over, i would still have that rifle. It was nowhere near capable of matching the performance the ones i have now, but the cool factor and handling of that particular rifle was just about the best of any out of the box rifle ive shot.
Thanks again guys. I got it yesterday. Love the set trigger. I'll be scoping it with a Nikon 3x9 for now.
Rem 700.222 is a blast, I've been using it mainly for coyotes since like 2013! Definitely my top 3 caliber of all times. Other 2 gotta be .
300 blackout ammo and 7.62x39 :D
Deer Nut I love the .222 round as well. I've just had no experience with the .221
The Fireball was developed in the early 60s?? I've never had the opportunity to shoot one.
I had a Remington Nyoln 66 back in the 70s.
Someone in the family pawned it off. Had the nylon stock.
I saw a nylon 66 sell l;ast week for $600./
Dave. ..I wish I still had mine. Somebody gave it to my granddad in the late 60s or early 70s. I've seen the 66 in brown color stock, mine had the black stock.
I roamed the local river bottom with a Nylon 66 as a kid. Bricks of .22 were inexpensive and I went through a bunch.
The stocks were Dupont Zytel on the Nylon 66's and the XP-100 - billed as about indestructible! I shoot some 300 yard BR stuff and some guys have XP-100 actions with rifle stocks and bull barrels. However, not in 221.
I've not owned a 221, but do have a Model 700 in 222 that my dad bought circa 1964 or so. Still shoots great and has sent many woodchucks to the pasture in the sky.
My dad had a bar and a regular there was Andy Slaboc. Andy was a model builder for nearby Remington Arms in Ilion, NY. Andy smuggled out the first XP-100 & brought it to the bar to show off. His version was a thumb hole design. Fast forward, a guy I shoot with and travel with to shoots was married to Andy's daughter. After Andy died, he got ahold of that original XP-100; although I have not seen it. But, in time I expect I will. They guy is a shootin' fanatic and owns a LOT of guns....
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Curvebow that's very cool. I'd buy a ticket to see that gun.