Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 55gr | Prvi Partizan SP bullet and 10 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% | 40,915 psi | 88% | 2520 fps | 97.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,147 psi | 89% | 2448 fps | 98.6% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,712 psi | 88% | 2605 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,715 psi | 55% | 1568 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,524 psi | 87% | 2451 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,915 psi | 88% | 2546 fps | 98.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,019 psi | 54% | 1608 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,942 psi | 82% | 2402 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,133 psi | 89% | 2516 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,141 psi | 71% | 2438 fps | 95.9% |
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>> | 82% | 33,721 psi | 73% | 2382 fps | 95% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 10 gr | 80% | 30,850 psi | 66% | 2241 fps | 96.1% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,940 psi | 75% | 2507 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,507 psi | 40% | 1398 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,537 psi | 83% | 2415 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | 10.4 gr | 88% | 29,196 psi | 63% | 2303 fps | 95.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,144 psi | 39% | 1437 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,089 psi | 48% | 2051 fps | 99% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 9 gr | 80% | 27,151 psi | 59% | 2238 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 98% | 30,922 psi | 67% | 2385 fps | 95% |
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 10 powders for .218 Bee loaded with the .224 | 55gr | Prvi Partizan SP. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,605 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,568 fps to 2,605 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 10 of the 10 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 54–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. The 55.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:13.0 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 | Prvi Partizan SP 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.