Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .17 Ackley Bee with .172 | 17gr | Hornady V-MAX bullet and 5 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 86% | 39,320 psi | 90% | 3589 fps | 96.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,904 psi | 60% | 2539 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,164 psi | 58% | 2592 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 98% | 38,479 psi | 88% | 3599 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 88% | 36,840 psi | 85% | 3648 fps | 99.4% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 22"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 37,536 psi | 86% | 3540 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,985 psi | 44% | 2293 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 3.8 gr | 80% | 17,898 psi | 41% | 2316 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 9.2 gr | 80% | 23,627 psi | 54% | 3130 fps | 97.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.6 gr | 80% | 29,225 psi | 67% | 3415 fps | 97.6% |
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 5 powders for .17 Ackley Bee loaded with the .172 | 17gr | Hornady V-MAX. Vihtavuori N110 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,648 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,539 fps to 3,648 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 5 of the 5 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (300 MPa), the top charges use 58–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 17.0 gr projectile in 0.172" calls for a 1:8.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. 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 | 17gr | Hornady V-MAX 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.