Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 45gr | Reichenberg HDB Universal 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, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,524 psi | 89% | 2700 fps | 96.9% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 88% | 39,378 psi | 85% | 2874 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,627 psi | 53% | 1749 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,654 psi | 88% | 2723 fps | 99.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,801 psi | 51% | 1788 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,735 psi | 71% | 2569 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,030 psi | 86% | 2779 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 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,346 psi | 76% | 2575 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | 11.3 gr | 80% | 29,892 psi | 64% | 2671 fps | 99.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,941 psi | 39% | 1568 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,214 psi | 74% | 2589 fps | 98.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,853 psi | 36% | 1588 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 8.9 gr | 80% | 19,551 psi | 42% | 2182 fps | 95.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.3 gr | 80% | 23,496 psi | 51% | 2379 fps | 96.2% |
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 | Reichenberg HDB Universal. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,874 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,749 fps to 2,874 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 51–89 %, leaving at least 11 % 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 | 45gr | Reichenberg HDB Universal 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.