Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 50gr | Hornady Varmint bullet and 27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,104 psi | 89% | 2644 fps | 96.1% |
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,104 psi | 89% | 2644 fps | 96.1% |
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,422 psi | 87% | 2661 fps | 96.4% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,814 psi | 90% | 2579 fps | 98% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,814 psi | 90% | 2579 fps | 98% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,104 psi | 89% | 2595 fps | 98.3% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,712 psi | 88% | 2746 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,712 psi | 88% | 2746 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 84% | 39,436 psi | 85% | 2746 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,179 psi | 54% | 1654 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,179 psi | 54% | 1654 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,512 psi | 55% | 1680 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,596 psi | 87% | 2582 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,596 psi | 87% | 2582 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 82% | 39,624 psi | 85% | 2589 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,247 psi | 82% | 2621 fps | 97.4% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,247 psi | 82% | 2621 fps | 97.4% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,509 psi | 87% | 2690 fps | 98.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,366 psi | 53% | 1693 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,366 psi | 53% | 1693 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,758 psi | 53% | 1716 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,679 psi | 77% | 2490 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,260 psi | 80% | 2539 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,679 psi | 77% | 2490 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,698 psi | 88% | 2644 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,698 psi | 88% | 2644 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,480 psi | 87% | 2664 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 88% | 39,146 psi | 84% | 2608 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 88% | 39,146 psi | 84% | 2608 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,056 psi | 78% | 2575 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 11.2 gr | 84% | 33,054 psi | 71% | 2405 fps | 95.8% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 11.2 gr | 84% | 33,054 psi | 71% | 2405 fps | 95.8% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 10.7 gr | 80% | 30,690 psi | 66% | 2372 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,343 psi | 70% | 2585 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,343 psi | 70% | 2585 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,127 psi | 74% | 2644 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,260 psi | 39% | 1476 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,260 psi | 39% | 1476 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,797 psi | 41% | 1509 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,868 psi | 77% | 2490 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,868 psi | 77% | 2490 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,753 psi | 81% | 2552 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 32,460 psi | 70% | 2497 fps | 95.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 32,460 psi | 70% | 2497 fps | 95.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 30,124 psi | 65% | 2467 fps | 95.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,825 psi | 38% | 1516 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,825 psi | 38% | 1516 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,709 psi | 38% | 1529 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 8.8 gr | 80% | 21,031 psi | 45% | 2123 fps | 97.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 8.8 gr | 80% | 21,872 psi | 47% | 2172 fps | 98.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 8.8 gr | 80% | 21,031 psi | 45% | 2123 fps | 97.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.6 gr | 80% | 25,614 psi | 55% | 2316 fps | 98.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.6 gr | 80% | 25,614 psi | 55% | 2316 fps | 98.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.6 gr | 80% | 26,643 psi | 57% | 2365 fps | 98.8% |
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 27 powders for .218 Bee loaded with the .224 | 50gr | Hornady Varmint. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,746 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,654 fps to 2,746 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 27 of the 27 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 53–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, Hodgdon TrailBoss, Hodgdon TrailBoss 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 | 50gr | 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.