Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 45gr | IBEX TRD 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, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 and ReloadSwiss RS 14.
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% | 2648 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,481 psi | 89% | 2867 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,614 psi | 55% | 1726 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,553 psi | 87% | 2677 fps | 99.5% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,449 psi | 81% | 2690 fps | 95.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,063 psi | 54% | 1768 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,027 psi | 75% | 2572 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,697 psi | 86% | 2726 fps | 99.8% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 88% | 36,680 psi | 79% | 2559 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,779 psi | 71% | 2687 fps | 99.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,566 psi | 42% | 1562 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,955 psi | 77% | 2582 fps | 98.8% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 98% | 35,795 psi | 77% | 2654 fps | 95% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 3.6 gr | 80% | 18,623 psi | 40% | 1585 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 8.6 gr | 80% | 21,524 psi | 46% | 2195 fps | 96.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9 gr | 80% | 25,817 psi | 56% | 2388 fps | 96.8% |
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 | IBEX TRD. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,867 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,726 fps to 2,867 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 54–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. The 45.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:11.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. 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, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .218 Bee with the .224 | 45gr | IBEX TRD 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.