Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 45gr | Fox Classic Hunter bullet and 7 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 AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,655 psi | 90% | 2661 fps | 96.3% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,989 psi | 90% | 2887 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,844 psi | 51% | 1706 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,843 psi | 88% | 2687 fps | 99.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,003 psi | 50% | 1745 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,372 psi | 68% | 2507 fps | 99.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,305 psi | 85% | 2730 fps | 99.7% |
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 | <<locked>> | 92% | 37,782 psi | 81% | 2585 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | 10.6 gr | 80% | 27,543 psi | 59% | 2579 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,955 psi | 37% | 1516 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | 9.1 gr | 80% | 32,300 psi | 70% | 2510 fps | 97.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,549 psi | 36% | 1555 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 82% | 19,638 psi | 42% | 2156 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9 gr | 82% | 23,569 psi | 51% | 2352 fps | 95.7% |
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 7 powders for .218 Bee loaded with the .224 | 45gr | Fox Classic Hunter. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,887 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,706 fps to 2,887 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 7 of the 7 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 50–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 45.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:10.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. 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 | 45gr | Fox Classic Hunter 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.