Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .17 Ackley Bee with .172 | 20gr | Nosler Varmageddon bullet and 8 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Lovex S053, 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>> | 82% | 39,334 psi | 90% | 3389 fps | 98% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,262 psi | 90% | 3589 fps | 96.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 27,630 psi | 64% | 2392 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 38,522 psi | 89% | 3478 fps | 97.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,963 psi | 62% | 2441 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 39,146 psi | 90% | 3386 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 37,739 psi | 87% | 3451 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,291 psi | 90% | 3543 fps | 97.3% |
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>> | 80% | 36,680 psi | 84% | 3320 fps | 97.3% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 36,622 psi | 84% | 3517 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,725 psi | 45% | 2136 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | 10.7 gr | 84% | 31,995 psi | 74% | 3291 fps | 95.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 3.9 gr | 80% | 19,392 psi | 45% | 2188 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 9.3 gr | 80% | 26,701 psi | 61% | 3041 fps | 99.5% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,286 psi | 77% | 3333 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 94% | 32,663 psi | 75% | 3353 fps | 95% |
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 | 20gr | Nosler Varmageddon. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,589 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,392 fps to 3,589 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 62–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Vihtavuori N120 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. Lovex S053, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .17 Ackley Bee with the .172 | 20gr | Nosler Varmageddon 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.