Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 55gr | Nosler Varmageddon HP 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, Lovex S053 and ADI AR 2205.
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% | 40,567 psi | 87% | 2510 fps | 96.9% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,770 psi | 88% | 2434 fps | 98.5% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,248 psi | 87% | 2595 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,947 psi | 56% | 1572 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,045 psi | 86% | 2438 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,553 psi | 87% | 2536 fps | 98.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,222 psi | 54% | 1608 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,550 psi | 81% | 2388 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,712 psi | 88% | 2507 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>> | 84% | 35,868 psi | 77% | 2421 fps | 95.6% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 9.9 gr | 80% | 30,574 psi | 66% | 2228 fps | 95.9% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,505 psi | 74% | 2493 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,681 psi | 40% | 1401 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,043 psi | 82% | 2402 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | 10.3 gr | 88% | 28,834 psi | 62% | 2290 fps | 95.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,318 psi | 39% | 1437 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,741 psi | 47% | 2034 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 8.9 gr | 80% | 26,701 psi | 58% | 2224 fps | 99.1% |
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 | 55gr | Nosler Varmageddon HP. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,595 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,572 fps to 2,595 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 54–88 %, leaving at least 12 % headroom. The 55.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:12.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. 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, Lovex S053, ADI AR 2205 rank at the top here: for .218 Bee with the .224 | 55gr | Nosler Varmageddon HP 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.