Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .22 Ackley Hornet with .224 | 35gr | Nosler Varmageddon bullet and 4 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Hodgdon LilGun, ReloadSwiss RS 14 and Hodgdon TrailBoss.
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>> | 96% | 37,405 psi | 86% | 2986 fps | 97.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 20,900 psi | 48% | 1827 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,159 psi | 88% | 2812 fps | 96% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 20,015 psi | 46% | 1867 fps | 100% |
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 | 11.5 gr | 90% | 30,110 psi | 69% | 2808 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | 3.3 gr | 80% | 15,214 psi | 35% | 1644 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,172 psi | 83% | 2769 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 3.4 gr | 80% | 14,750 psi | 34% | 1683 fps | 100% |
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 4 powders for .22 Ackley Hornet loaded with the .224 | 35gr | Nosler Varmageddon. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,986 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,827 fps to 2,986 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 4 of the 4 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (300 MPa), the top charges use 46–88 %, leaving at least 12 % headroom. 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. Hodgdon LilGun, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Hodgdon TrailBoss rank at the top here: for .22 Ackley Hornet with the .224 | 35gr | Nosler Varmageddon 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.