Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .22 Ackley Hornet with .223 | 45gr | Sierra VarmintKing bullet and 6 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Hodgdon LilGun, Vihtavuori N110 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: 22"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 90% | 39,175 psi | 90% | 2726 fps | 99.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,554 psi | 54% | 1657 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 86% | 38,551 psi | 89% | 2549 fps | 98.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 22,713 psi | 52% | 1693 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,328 psi | 72% | 2411 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,334 psi | 90% | 2628 fps | 99.5% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 22"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | 10.4 gr | 80% | 27,528 psi | 63% | 2477 fps | 97.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,303 psi | 40% | 1493 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,010 psi | 74% | 2411 fps | 97.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,201 psi | 37% | 1509 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 8.6 gr | 84% | 20,363 psi | 47% | 2103 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 8.8 gr | 82% | 23,293 psi | 54% | 2254 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 6 powders for .22 Ackley Hornet loaded with the .223 | 45gr | Sierra VarmintKing. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,726 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,657 fps to 2,726 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 6 of the 6 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (300 MPa), the top charges use 52–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 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. Hodgdon LilGun, Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 rank at the top here: for .22 Ackley Hornet with the .223 | 45gr | Sierra VarmintKing 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.