Gear & AmmoAmmunitionAmmo Brief: The Blistering Hot .221 Fireball

Ammo Brief: The Blistering Hot .221 Fireball

-

Despite its sound in ballistics, the .221 Fireball lacked in popularity.

What You Need To Know About The .221 Fireball:

  • It was introduced early in 1963 for the Remington XP-100 bolt-action pistol.
  • The parent case is a shortened version of the .222 Remington.
  • Its high velocity produces muzzle energy greater than the .357 Magnum.
  • Despite the caliber designation, .224 inch is the proper bullet diameter.

Historical Notes

The .221 Remington Fireball cartridge was introduced early in 1963 for the Remington XP-100 bolt-action, a single-shot pistol based on a shortened, lightened 700 series rifle action. The pistol had a streamlined nylon-plastic stock, ventilated barrel rib and adjustable sights. This was the first handgun made by Remington since its pocket automatics were discontinued back in 1935. The Thompson/Center Contender was also available in .221 Remington for a time, but no longer. Remington was the only source for .221 Fireball ammunition, and it’s still available.

General Comments

The .221 Fireball follows the modern design in .22-caliber high-velocity pistol cartridges for small game and varmint hunting at long range. The rimless case is a shortened version of the .222 Remington. The cartridge is well adapted to rifles, as well as pistols. The bullet is designed for quick expansion on small animals and is very deadly at all practical ranges.

The XP-100 pistol has a 10-inch barrel and is intended for use with a riflescope. It’s capable of sub-MOA 100-yard groups when fitted with a scope and fired from a rest. It’s much more powerful than the older .22 Remington Jet used in the S&W .22 WMR revolver. Muzzle energy of the .221 Fireball is greater than the .357 Magnum. Despite the caliber designation, .224 inch is the proper bullet diameter. The .221 Fireball was chambered in the Remington Model 700 Classic rifle on a limited-run basis in the late 2000s.

221 Rem Fireball Table

Editor's Note: This article is an excerpt from Cartridges of the World, 16th Edition.


Raise Your Ammo IQ:

44-Targetposters-pack-GD-reduced-300

Next Step: Get your FREE Printable Target Pack

Enhance your shooting precision with our 62 MOA Targets, perfect for rifles and handguns. Crafted in collaboration with Storm Tactical for accuracy and versatility.

Subscribe to the Gun Digest email newsletter and get your downloadable target pack sent straight to your inbox. Stay updated with the latest firearms info in the industry.

Gun Digest Editors
Gun Digest Editors

About Gun Digest Editors

Gun Digest is the foremost firearms publisher in the world. Since 1944 we have made keeping shooters, firearms collectors, and plain old gun aficionados informed the target of our books, magazines, and websites. We build shooters’ firearms knowledge base, inspiring them to pursue and expand their shooting interests—from the range to the field and in competition. Gun Digest is part of the Caribou Media Group.

Editorial Standards

At Gun Digest, we uphold our commitment is to our audience and precedes all other considerations, including revenue. Editorial independence is at the core of our operations, forming the bedrock of trust with our readers. Consequently, editorial decisions are made autonomously by our team of editors, writers, video producers, freelance writers and social media managers, without any external interference. Our content has and will continue to remain free from influence from individuals outside of editorial and content management.

Staff

  • Publisher: Jim Schlender
  • Editor-In-Chief: Luke Hartle
  • Managing Editor: Laura Peltakain
  • Digital Editor: Elwood Shelton
  • Online Editor: Adam Borisenko
  • Senior Art Director: Gene Coo
  • Art Director: Katia Sverdlova

Contributors

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

MUST READ ARTICLES

×