Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .22 Hornet with .224 | 40gr | Nosler Varmageddon HPFB 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, Lovex S040 and ReloadSwiss RS 14.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 96% | 37,086 psi | 85% | 2779 fps | 98.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 21,973 psi | 51% | 1683 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,479 psi | 88% | 2615 fps | 97.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 20,291 psi | 47% | 1699 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,599 psi | 59% | 2333 fps | 96% |
| Vihtavuori N110ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,560 psi | 73% | 2552 fps | 96.5% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon LilGun | 9.7 gr | 86% | 26,701 psi | 61% | 2530 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 15,403 psi | 35% | 1493 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | 8.3 gr | 86% | 32,068 psi | 74% | 2477 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 3 gr | 80% | 15,026 psi | 35% | 1532 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 98% | 24,250 psi | 56% | 2293 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 96% | 27,934 psi | 64% | 2464 fps | 95.1% |
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 Hornet loaded with the .224 | 40gr | Nosler Varmageddon HPFB. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,779 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,683 fps to 2,779 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 47–88 %, leaving at least 12 % 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, Lovex S040, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .22 Hornet with the .224 | 40gr | Nosler Varmageddon HPFB 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.