Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .22 Ackley Hornet with .224 | 50gr | Hornady Varmint 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>> | 92% | 39,262 psi | 90% | 2539 fps | 99.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,308 psi | 54% | 1509 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 88% | 38,943 psi | 90% | 2365 fps | 98.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 22,539 psi | 52% | 1549 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,486 psi | 68% | 2195 fps | 99% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,318 psi | 86% | 2405 fps | 99.3% |
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 | 9.1 gr | 80% | 25,773 psi | 59% | 2254 fps | 97.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,158 psi | 39% | 1358 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,603 psi | 70% | 2198 fps | 97% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 16,027 psi | 37% | 1375 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 7.6 gr | 84% | 19,841 psi | 46% | 1929 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 7.9 gr | 84% | 23,424 psi | 54% | 2096 fps | 95.2% |
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 .224 | 50gr | Hornady Varmint. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,539 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,509 fps to 2,539 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 .224 | 50gr | 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.