Any Fireball fans ... what's your experience ...

[flashhole]

I recently picked up some Federal 205 primers to use with my 221 Fireball loads. I developed my pet load using a CCI BR4 primer but can't find them anywhere in the local area. I stumbled across some photos of different primers (I think in the 6BR forum) that showed the 205 to be pretty mild compared to others. I'd been using CCI 400 primers for both the Fireball and the 223 but have noticed a fall off in accuracy on the Fireball. I had my load dialed in such that I was getting consistent dime size and smaller groups at 100 yards. Mostly one ragged hole. That opened up to around an inch with the CCI primer. I thought there was something wrong with my gun and did everything I could think of to "correct" the situation.

Anyway, I decided to do a live fire comparison of ammo loaded using the 205 vs the 400 primers. Now I know I am not breaking new ground here but I wanted to see for myself if there would be difference in group size between the two.

Today was the perfect day to test, temp in the high 40's and no wind. I let the barrel cool to cold between each shot. Wow ... was I pleasantly surprised. The CCI 400 primer shots were consistent with my last several range outtings printing groups in the Shoot-N-See target around an inch. My first 3 shots with the 205 primers made a single very clean hole (singular) and the 4th and 5th cause it to elongate slightly vertically.

The load was 1.3cc Lee Dipper Cup of Reloader #7 and a 40 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet. Think I'll stick with the Federal primers.

 

[NCsmitty]

You're using a lee dipper and not scaling your loads? That's pretty consistent dipping, shooting that size group. It would be interesting to see how consistent the dippers would be on a scale.
You can't argue with results like that.

Primers seem to be a bit more available than they have been.

Pics would be nice.



NCsmitty

 

[flashhole]

I like the OCW (Optimum Charge Weight) method of zeroing in on a load. Once a weight range is established it is easy to get consistent results. It takes a bit of testing to get one to work with a specific Dipper Cup but I think it's very much worth the effort.

I've checked the Dipper Cups in the past by weighing lots of scooped charges. I scoop and tap (once) on the side of the powder resovoir (cup of powder) then scrape it flat to the top of the cup with a wooden stick. My results are very repeatable.