Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .218 Bee with .224 | 60gr | Hornady Varmint bullet and 12 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Lovex S053, Vihtavuori N110 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>> | 86% | 41,437 psi | 89% | 2428 fps | 98.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,234 psi | 89% | 2346 fps | 99.3% |
| ADI AR 2207ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,853 psi | 75% | 2415 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,683 psi | 88% | 2484 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,716 psi | 58% | 1509 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,799 psi | 88% | 2415 fps | 96.4% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,611 psi | 88% | 2434 fps | 99.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,049 psi | 56% | 1549 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,365 psi | 89% | 2474 fps | 96.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,263 psi | 87% | 2326 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,626 psi | 90% | 2408 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,418 psi | 76% | 2392 fps | 97.7% |
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>> | 80% | 34,127 psi | 74% | 2290 fps | 96.3% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 9.9 gr | 80% | 32,445 psi | 70% | 2182 fps | 97.6% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 30,937 psi | 67% | 2326 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,637 psi | 81% | 2434 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,261 psi | 42% | 1345 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,970 psi | 80% | 2343 fps | 95.3% |
| Lovex S053 | 9.6 gr | 82% | 26,179 psi | 56% | 2129 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,942 psi | 41% | 1381 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 94% | 36,724 psi | 79% | 2388 fps | 95.1% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,293 psi | 50% | 1991 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 8.9 gr | 80% | 28,805 psi | 62% | 2175 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 92% | 27,992 psi | 60% | 2221 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 12 powders for .218 Bee loaded with the .224 | 60gr | Hornady Varmint. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,484 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,509 fps to 2,484 fps. ADI AR 2207 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 12 of the 12 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 56–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 60.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:13.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. ADI AR 2207, Hodgdon TrailBoss, 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. Lovex S053, Vihtavuori N110, ADI AR 2205 rank at the top here: for .218 Bee with the .224 | 60gr | Hornady Varmint 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.