Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 50gr | Speer TNT 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% | 41,452 psi | 89% | 2559 fps | 97.8% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 86% | 39,015 psi | 84% | 2707 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,903 psi | 54% | 1640 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 84% | 39,972 psi | 86% | 2559 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,869 psi | 82% | 2602 fps | 97.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,120 psi | 52% | 1677 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,157 psi | 76% | 2470 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,074 psi | 86% | 2621 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 | 10.5 gr | 84% | 32,692 psi | 70% | 2382 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,763 psi | 68% | 2562 fps | 99.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,912 psi | 39% | 1460 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,186 psi | 76% | 2464 fps | 99.4% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 31,212 psi | 67% | 2457 fps | 95% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,521 psi | 38% | 1499 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 8.6 gr | 80% | 20,552 psi | 44% | 2096 fps | 97.5% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9 gr | 80% | 24,961 psi | 54% | 2287 fps | 97.8% |
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 18 powders for .218 Bee loaded with the .224 | 50gr | Speer TNT. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,707 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,640 fps to 2,707 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 18 of the 18 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 52–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. The 50.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:12.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, IMR 4227, Lovex S053 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 TNT they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate 5744, IMR 4227, Lovex D060 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.