Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 45gr | Hornady Varmint bullet and 8 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% | 41,089 psi | 89% | 2720 fps | 97.2% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,249 psi | 89% | 2930 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,092 psi | 54% | 1775 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 39,813 psi | 86% | 2733 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,217 psi | 80% | 2759 fps | 96.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,221 psi | 52% | 1814 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,447 psi | 74% | 2625 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,073 psi | 84% | 2782 fps | 99.9% |
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 | 11.6 gr | 86% | 34,345 psi | 74% | 2579 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,662 psi | 68% | 2733 fps | 99.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,898 psi | 39% | 1581 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,404 psi | 76% | 2641 fps | 99.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 96% | 33,286 psi | 72% | 2671 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,419 psi | 38% | 1621 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 9.3 gr | 80% | 20,407 psi | 44% | 2234 fps | 96.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.7 gr | 80% | 24,584 psi | 53% | 2431 fps | 97.1% |
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 8 powders for .218 Bee loaded with the .224 | 45gr | Hornady Varmint. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,930 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,775 fps to 2,930 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 8 of the 8 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 52–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, Lovex S053, ReloadSwiss RS 14 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 .224 | 45gr | Hornady Varmint 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.