Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 38gr | Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos bullet and 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,452 psi | 89% | 3153 fps | 99.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 22,756 psi | 49% | 1880 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,799 psi | 88% | 2949 fps | 98.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 21,828 psi | 47% | 1923 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,399 psi | 63% | 2697 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,217 psi | 80% | 2953 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | 11.4 gr | 80% | 25,454 psi | 55% | 2756 fps | 95.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,563 psi | 36% | 1690 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | 9.8 gr | 80% | 30,472 psi | 66% | 2707 fps | 96% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,070 psi | 35% | 1729 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 90% | 22,931 psi | 49% | 2493 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 10.4 gr | 88% | 26,208 psi | 56% | 2671 fps | 95.5% |
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 6 powders for .218 Bee loaded with the .224 | 38gr | Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,153 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,880 fps to 3,153 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 6 of the 6 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 47–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 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 .218 Bee with the .224 | 38gr | Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos 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.