Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .17 Ackley Bee with .172 | 15.5gr | Hornady NTX bullet and 8 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 and ReloadSwiss RS 14.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 22"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,063 psi | 58% | 2635 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,005 psi | 57% | 2631 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,279 psi | 56% | 2687 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,221 psi | 56% | 2687 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,609 psi | 89% | 3734 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,551 psi | 89% | 3734 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,970 psi | 85% | 3783 fps | 99% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,898 psi | 85% | 3783 fps | 99% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 22"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,333 psi | 42% | 2382 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,318 psi | 42% | 2382 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 3.9 gr | 80% | 17,898 psi | 41% | 2434 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 3.9 gr | 80% | 17,869 psi | 41% | 2434 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 9.2 gr | 80% | 22,046 psi | 51% | 3173 fps | 95.3% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 9.2 gr | 80% | 22,046 psi | 51% | 3173 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.6 gr | 80% | 27,108 psi | 62% | 3458 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.6 gr | 80% | 27,108 psi | 62% | 3458 fps | 95.8% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 8 powders for .17 Ackley Bee loaded with the .172 | 15.5gr | Hornady NTX. Vihtavuori N110 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,783 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,631 fps to 3,783 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 8 of the 8 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (300 MPa), the top charges use 56–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. The 15.5 gr projectile in 0.172" calls for a 1:7.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .17 Ackley Bee with the .172 | 15.5gr | Hornady NTX they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.