Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 40gr | Barnes Varminator HP FB 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>> | 92% | 41,901 psi | 90% | 3097 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,743 psi | 51% | 1857 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,669 psi | 88% | 2887 fps | 99.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 22,843 psi | 49% | 1896 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,879 psi | 67% | 2680 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,276 psi | 85% | 2933 fps | 99.5% |
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 | 11.5 gr | 80% | 27,006 psi | 58% | 2746 fps | 97.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,781 psi | 36% | 1647 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | 9.9 gr | 80% | 31,981 psi | 69% | 2690 fps | 97.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,302 psi | 35% | 1690 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 84% | 20,508 psi | 44% | 2352 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 10 gr | 84% | 24,526 psi | 53% | 2559 fps | 95.4% |
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 | 40gr | Barnes Varminator HP FB. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,097 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,857 fps to 3,097 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 49–90 %, leaving at least 10 % 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 | 40gr | Barnes Varminator HP FB 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.