Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 50gr | RWS TMS bullet and 9 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>> | 88% | 39,595 psi | 85% | 2628 fps | 95.9% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,248 psi | 87% | 2562 fps | 97.9% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,220 psi | 89% | 2762 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,440 psi | 55% | 1667 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,321 psi | 89% | 2605 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,696 psi | 83% | 2641 fps | 97.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,642 psi | 53% | 1706 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,216 psi | 78% | 2510 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,205 psi | 89% | 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>> | 86% | 36,898 psi | 80% | 2575 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 10.7 gr | 82% | 31,995 psi | 69% | 2392 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,866 psi | 73% | 2628 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,579 psi | 40% | 1493 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,506 psi | 79% | 2513 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 31,372 psi | 68% | 2484 fps | 95.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,159 psi | 39% | 1532 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 9 gr | 80% | 21,524 psi | 46% | 2149 fps | 98.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.4 gr | 80% | 26,223 psi | 56% | 2343 fps | 98.5% |
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 9 powders for .218 Bee loaded with the .224 | 50gr | RWS TMS. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,762 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,667 fps to 2,762 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 9 of the 9 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 53–89 %, 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 | 50gr | RWS TMS 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.