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221 fireball #203010 10/30/2019 11:45 PM
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mikefrompa Offline OP
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I bought an original xp 100 in .221 fireball. I want to use it as my fall turkey gun. Right now I am using a 52 grain hollow point. Any opinions on using a 40 grain bullet such as a Nosler partition.

Re: 221 fireball [Re: mikefrompa] #203014 10/31/2019 12:21 PM
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wvhitman Offline
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NPT should work OK. I've done about 40 turkeys with handguns and 3 things matter. 1) Bullet placement- broadside high wing butt 2)Speed- usually 15-1600 fps 3) Bullet diameter.
#1 trumps everything else. I've lost turkeys to .223, .44 Mag., .45-70. All because I didn't do #1 right (in my infancy of handgun turkey hunting).
I've taken turkeys with .375 JDJ, 6.5 JDJ, 6.5/.284, .454 Casull (30+). All of these were hit high wing butt. None moved and damage was only a 1 1/2"-2" sphere of broken bone and slight meat damage.
Do #1 right and you can get away a bunch on #2 & #3.

Re: 221 fireball [Re: wvhitman] #203020 10/31/2019 1:43 PM
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Ernie Offline
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Shot placement is key. I have killed several with XP's in 6mm (107 SMK) and 7mm (140 NBT) and all went down fast from 40 yards to past two hundred yards.
The Partition should work great.
Congrats on your XP!


Ernie the Un-Tactical
Re: 221 fireball [Re: Ernie] #203022 10/31/2019 4:21 PM
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KYODE Offline
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Dont know of a 40gr partition?????

Nosler does make a 60gr partition bullet.


Kentucky….no place like home.
Re: 221 fireball [Re: wvhitman] #203062 11/01/2019 10:04 PM
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billa Offline
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As usual the good Dr Rogers is 100 percent on the nose. Or in this case the wing butt. Turkey anatomy puts all the vitals in a fist size ball right between the wings. If you hit them there it?s quickly a dead turkey. I have killed several with the 218Bee and the 223. Any 22 cal soft nose expanding round will get it done. If you hit them too low they will probably get airborne and perhaps sail away before they die. Even with a big caliber.


"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,... "
Matthew 28:19

Handgun hunter since 1979 - haven't used a rifle since!
HHI member #992, NRA, SCI.
Re: 221 fireball [Re: billa] #203070 11/02/2019 3:17 AM
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Chance Weldon Offline
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Congrats on the purchase! You'll love the Fireball. It's a sweet shooter, and cheap to reload.

The only loads I've ever made with 40 grain bullets are reduced loads with Unique to mimic 22 Magnum velocities. I normally run a 55 grain SP at 2,550 fps.


Formerly TN Lone Wolf

"We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided." - J.K. Rowling
Re: 221 fireball [Re: Chance Weldon] #203130 11/04/2019 8:29 AM
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sw282 Offline
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Ah YES. 221FURBALL is my favourite Prairie Dog ctg. A 35gr Berger

with a healthy dose of LilGun will make a prairie dog fly too-ln pieces.

Virtually no recoil in my Rem 700 VLSF w/22 inch barrel lets me

see the RED MIST if the wind is just right

Re: 221 fireball [Re: sw282] #203132 11/04/2019 12:32 PM
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45MAN Offline
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BACK IN THE 70's I GOT A XP FIREBALL BUT THE SCOPE CHOICES SUCKED AND MY GUN KNOWLEDGE WAS AT AN ENTRY LEVEL. IN THE 80's I HAD IT REBARRELED WITH A 17 INCH 17 REM SHILEN BARREL AND PUT A BURRIS VARIABLE ON IT. IT TAUGHT ME THAT I DID NOT WANT TO RELOAD 17 REM, TOO EASY TO SPIKE PRESSURE AND BLOW EXTRACTORS. PROBABLY 30 YEARS + SINCE I HAVE SHOT IT. HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT PUTTING THE ORIGINAL FIREBALL BARREL BACK ON BUT HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES + I RECENTLY GOT AN OCTAGON 10 INCH CONTENDER BARREL IN 221 FIREBALL AND THAT "SCRATCHED MY FIREBALL ITCH". UNDER POWERED FOR HOGS BUT A SUPER NEAT ROUND FOR SMALLER CRITTERS. I AM USING SOME HSM 50gr AMMO. "I SWEAR" THAT I HAVE SOME FIREBALL DIES SOMEWHERE BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND THEM.


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Re: 221 fireball [Re: 45MAN] #203135 11/04/2019 1:12 PM
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jcp161 Offline
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Make sure to post how it worked for you if you get an opportunity.

I'm heading to PA this coming weekend with my son for fall turkey. Going to use my contender pistol with either a .222 barrel or .17 HMR. Always wanted to shoot the XP-100.

Good luck.


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