Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .17 Libra with .172 | 20gr | Impala LWHV LS bullet and 8 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Hodgdon LilGun, Lovex S040 and Vihtavuori N110.
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: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 90% | 55,883 psi | 90% | 2772 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,530 psi | 78% | 3317 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon LilGunᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 56,391 psi | 90% | 3714 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,787 psi | 40% | 2106 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,782 psi | 89% | 3517 fps | 99.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,453 psi | 39% | 2165 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,489 psi | 52% | 3028 fps | 98.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,451 psi | 65% | 3297 fps | 98.8% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 46,340 psi | 74% | 2608 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 98% | 45,469 psi | 73% | 3258 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | 7.7 gr | 80% | 29,428 psi | 47% | 3123 fps | 96.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,594 psi | 30% | 1896 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | 6.6 gr | 80% | 33,562 psi | 54% | 3038 fps | 96.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,637 psi | 28% | 1919 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 88% | 24,511 psi | 39% | 2762 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 6.8 gr | 86% | 27,789 psi | 45% | 2946 fps | 95.2% |
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 Libra loaded with the .172 | 20gr | Impala LWHV LS. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,714 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,106 fps to 3,714 fps. ADI AR 2205 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 (430 MPa), the top charges use 39–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 20.0 gr projectile in 0.172" calls for a 1:6.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. ADI AR 2205, Hodgdon LilGun, Hodgdon TrailBoss 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. Hodgdon LilGun, Lovex S040, Vihtavuori N110 rank at the top here: for .17 Libra with the .172 | 20gr | Impala LWHV LS 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.