Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 40gr | Impala LW CFN 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, Vihtavuori N110 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,916 psi | 90% | 3058 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,208 psi | 54% | 1850 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,582 psi | 87% | 2851 fps | 98.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,526 psi | 53% | 1893 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,112 psi | 71% | 2694 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,858 psi | 90% | 2943 fps | 99.6% |
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% | 30,443 psi | 66% | 2799 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,826 psi | 41% | 1663 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,577 psi | 75% | 2717 fps | 97.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,507 psi | 40% | 1706 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 9.2 gr | 82% | 21,654 psi | 47% | 2343 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.4 gr | 80% | 24,656 psi | 53% | 2507 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 6 powders for .218 Bee loaded with the .224 | 40gr | Impala LW CFN. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,058 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,850 fps to 3,058 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 53–90 %, 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, Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 rank at the top here: for .218 Bee with the .224 | 40gr | Impala LW CFN 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.