Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 50gr | Speer HP TNT Green 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>> | 90% | 41,553 psi | 90% | 2657 fps | 96.3% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 90% | 39,450 psi | 85% | 2539 fps | 97.6% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,132 psi | 86% | 2740 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,990 psi | 54% | 1650 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,147 psi | 89% | 2595 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,725 psi | 83% | 2635 fps | 97.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,207 psi | 52% | 1690 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,216 psi | 78% | 2503 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,220 psi | 89% | 2657 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% | 36,927 psi | 80% | 2569 fps | 95% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 10.5 gr | 82% | 31,212 psi | 67% | 2365 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,866 psi | 71% | 2602 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,101 psi | 39% | 1476 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,376 psi | 78% | 2503 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 30,618 psi | 66% | 2457 fps | 95% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,709 psi | 38% | 1516 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 8.8 gr | 80% | 20,856 psi | 45% | 2119 fps | 97.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9.2 gr | 80% | 25,411 psi | 55% | 2313 fps | 98.1% |
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 | Speer HP TNT Green. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,740 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,650 fps to 2,740 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 52–90 %, 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 | 50gr | Speer HP TNT Green 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.