221 FB or the 20 Var Targ

[Out Back]

I'm torn between these two rounds. I have a CZ 527 in the 221 that is still in the box.


What would be the advantage or disadvantage of having one over the other . They seem to be pretty close in performance.

Any Opinions

 

[GTOHunter]

I read that the .20 VarTarg uses a lighter bullet and less powder and it still a good fast and flat shooting round.If I hand loaded my own Ammo that's the round I would Love to try out.

If this is allowed I will post a link to another Site that has a lot of info on the .204 Rugers mostly but also talks about other Calibers such as the .20 VarTarg.If not allowed Please delete part of My Reply Administration!

204 Ruger - Index page

 

[CatShooter]

I'm torn between these two rounds. I have a CZ 527 in the 221 that is still in the box.

What would be the advantage or disadvantage of having one over the other . They seem to be pretty close in performance.

Any Opinions

They are very similar - same case - same amount of powder, and both are about equal in range and other capabilities. The .221 is the cartridge that is loved so much that it refused to die when Remington discontinued the pistol it was developed for.

I have had several, and have one now.

Try the rifle as a .221 (all you need is dies) and I think you will love it.

 

[patience]

Run what ya brung!

You get a little more speed out of the VarTarg but you already have a perfectly good rifle in the Fireball. Why waste the opportunity to try it out?

If we spent more time hunting coyotes and less time talking about it, we'd have more real tangible fun.gun)

 

[lewwetzel]

Run what ya brung!

You get a little more speed out of the VarTarg but you already have a perfectly good rifle in the Fireball. Why waste the opportunity to try it out?

If we spent more time hunting coyotes and less time talking about it, we'd have more real tangible fun.gun)

Agree. Try that Fireball first. I have two .221s now (Cooper, Remington) and can't bring myself to butcher perfectly good-shooting rifles for a wildcat Vartarg (although I'm just down the road from creator Tod Kindler.) Having .204's kind of negates the need for a slower-speed .20 cal., and I like the bigger .22 Fireball bullets' energy for our big eastern groundhogs and the possible occasional coyote.
One thing about that C-Z Fireball, and I'm convinced it's not my imagination: the report is louder that one would expect. A guy on another site recently posted the same unsolicited observation, and the C-Z that I had seemed to attract inquiring neighbors and a brother (an experienced shooter working 300 yards away as I was sighting it in) who mentioned how loud it was. I ended up selling it; my other FBs don't seem to have as sharp a report, although the little .221 is by nature not a "quiet" round for its size. I wonder if it might be the C-Z barrel material combined with the forging process they use, as I just bought their 527 .22 Hornet, and it too seems louder than other brands of Hornets I've owned; with those I could get by with foam earplugs, but with the CZ I tend to reach for the 'muffs.
Also, fwiw: looks like those last loads of C-Z Fireballs to the US have pretty-much been sold and they're already getting hard to find again, so your's could go up in value if the demand is there.....

 

[venatic]

That's strange my 221 FB is quiet as a mouse fart.

 

[Idaho Trecker]

Keep the 221 fireball!! I've had 2 in rem 700's and my dad has another also. Love this little round. Killed tons of rock chucks, squirrels, and coyotes with them. I have a bunch of 30 grain Bergers I stocked up on when they made them that I've got right at the 4000 fps mark (with a chrony, Need to shoot over magneto). Good brass available for them now also.

 

[Wizard]

I know that this is an old post but in case others are interested.... I have the 17 Fireball, 20 VarTarg and shoot my brothers 221Fireball pistol and rifle. I prefer the 20 VarTarg as it easily kills prairie dogs out to 600 yards. It has a better red mist effect as it is faster than the 221 Fireball, it kills them dead but not the wow factor, in my opinion.