Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .223 | 45gr | Sierra VarmintKing bullet and 16 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N110, ADI AR 2205 and SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2.
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 AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,742 psi | 90% | 2753 fps | 97.6% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 90% | 39,813 psi | 86% | 2723 fps | 97.3% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,306 psi | 87% | 2923 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,234 psi | 89% | 2946 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,164 psi | 54% | 1788 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,541 psi | 55% | 1801 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,915 psi | 88% | 2769 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,930 psi | 88% | 2779 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,014 psi | 82% | 2792 fps | 96.9% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,754 psi | 84% | 2815 fps | 97.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,294 psi | 52% | 1827 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,642 psi | 53% | 1841 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,331 psi | 76% | 2654 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,085 psi | 78% | 2677 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,495 psi | 87% | 2835 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,060 psi | 88% | 2841 fps | 100% |
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 AR 2205 | 11.8 gr | 84% | 32,880 psi | 71% | 2562 fps | 95.2% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 11.8 gr | 84% | 33,562 psi | 72% | 2585 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,721 psi | 71% | 2769 fps | 99.8% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,721 psi | 71% | 2776 fps | 99.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,057 psi | 39% | 1594 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,478 psi | 40% | 1614 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,434 psi | 79% | 2677 fps | 99.5% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,506 psi | 79% | 2687 fps | 99.5% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 96% | 34,055 psi | 73% | 2703 fps | 95.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 32,547 psi | 70% | 2674 fps | 95.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,608 psi | 38% | 1634 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,376 psi | 37% | 1631 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 9.7 gr | 80% | 20,682 psi | 45% | 2257 fps | 97.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 9.7 gr | 80% | 21,205 psi | 46% | 2283 fps | 97.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 10.1 gr | 80% | 25,715 psi | 55% | 2484 fps | 97.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 10.1 gr | 80% | 25,686 psi | 55% | 2484 fps | 97.8% |
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 16 powders for .218 Bee loaded with the .223 | 45gr | Sierra VarmintKing. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,946 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,788 fps to 2,946 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 16 of the 16 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 52–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, Hodgdon TrailBoss, Lovex S053 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, ADI AR 2205, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 rank at the top here: for .218 Bee with the .223 | 45gr | Sierra VarmintKing 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.