Bobcats with the 221 fireball

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Ducksoup

New member
I've been invited to a good friends bobcat honey hole later this fall and i'd like to use my 221 fireball but i'm not sure which bullet to use. I'm currently shooting 40 grain vmax's using 'LilGun powder out of this little rifle, (a CZ-527 American) and it's extremely accurate and deadly on ground squirrels. But my concern is if that little 40 grain vmax is going to blow up and totally ruin a bobcat pelt? I'd like to hear peoples personal experiences with the .221 FB and which bullets to use. Distance is not an issue with most shots will likely be measured in feet not yards! Yes we will take our 12 gauge shotguns too. But there's always that chance of a cat or a coyote hanging up at 150 yards or so in some of the small clearcuts we'll be calling. The CZ 527 American is perfect for where i'll be hunting. Very light weight and quick pointing
Thanks for any suggestions.
Tom
 
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An extra special hunting trip with a one shot thing like that...
My concern would not be the "Best" bullet but the most accurate bullet, bob cats are not hard to kill and with a fire ball most anything will have minimal fur damage.
Just my take .
 
The 221 will do anything a 223 will out to 300 yards. Vmax could make a large exit hole. Spire point--small hole in and little bigger one exit? I personally haven't shot any bobcats, so I don't know how the fur holds up to bullets.
 
What about using one of the 40 to 45 grain soft point bullets that were designed for the little 22 hornet? For you 22 hornet shooters, which bullets have been the most fur friendly for you? I'm asking because I'm also thinking about using reduced loads. Anyone have any experience using reduced loads with 50 to 55 grain bullets in either soft points or hollow points? I know i'm over thinking this and i wouldn't mind an exit hole.......as long as it's not the size of a baseball!!
 
I have never worked with a FB, but I can tell you that out of my .223, that 40-grain Vmax has resulted in some great kills, but also some spectacular hide damage. I would be reluctant to use it on thin-skinned cat. I've shot two, one with a 53 grain Vmax (nice easy to fix exit) and one with a 55 grain Vmax (big nasty irreparable hole in the shoulder). That's 50/50 odds of doing major damage. Hope for shotgun range, but consider those soft points and rib shots.
 
Definately don't hit the shoulder. Just behind (1/2 inch) works purrrfect. Or a front chest shot. Never into the shoulder/leg bone and not on an angle that will exit the far shoulder. The Vmax explosion can "push" bone frags and meat out through the thin fur.
 
I have some 40, 45 and 50 grain soft point that i will try on early season coyotes to see how they do. My bobcat trip isn't until late December or early January so i've got some time to try some different things out.
 
No such thing as a perfect "cat gun". It has to be big enough to kill one, but small enough to not destroy them. Its like catching a unicorn.

Shot placement (of course) is key, but in the real world the perfect chest shot is not always available. You will hear all kinds of advice from folks who have kilt 2 or 3 and swear by whatever it is they carry. If you kill very many you will destroy some, its a fact of life.
 
Well if the 221FB is your choice. I for one would stay away from V-Max. Maybe try 45gr.HP Bee load down to where your accuracy is with in say a 2 inch group or what you feel is good. Cats are thin skin and you want that round to blow inside him. I would test rounds for their destructiveness, The other options is speed it up FMJ and blow thru quickly. In either case stay off the shoulder.
 
I would try the 45 grain (hornady hornet) or the 50 grain sp. I think I read the Bee can't handle much velocity, I have some but never loaded them. I had really good luck with the 50 grain sp and spsx on coyotes and fox. For me they punch right through nice dime size exit.
 
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