Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 45gr | Sierra SP SemiSp 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% | 40,611 psi | 88% | 2707 fps | 97.1% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,698 psi | 90% | 2933 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,468 psi | 53% | 1759 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 39,276 psi | 85% | 2717 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,811 psi | 79% | 2746 fps | 96.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,656 psi | 51% | 1798 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,939 psi | 73% | 2612 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,452 psi | 89% | 2822 fps | 100% |
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 | 11.5 gr | 86% | 33,968 psi | 73% | 2569 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,198 psi | 67% | 2720 fps | 99.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,985 psi | 39% | 1581 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,882 psi | 75% | 2625 fps | 99.1% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 98% | 35,157 psi | 76% | 2710 fps | 95.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,521 psi | 38% | 1621 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 9.2 gr | 80% | 20,088 psi | 43% | 2221 fps | 96.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.6 gr | 80% | 24,163 psi | 52% | 2415 fps | 96.9% |
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 | Sierra SP SemiSp. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,933 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,759 fps to 2,933 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 51–90 %, leaving at least 10 % 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 | Sierra SP SemiSp 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.