Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 35gr | Impala LWHV LS bullet and 8 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 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.
A valid access license is required to use the Personalized Load Calculator.
You can find more information in our FAQ: How can I use the Personalized Load Calculator?
Max Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,480 psi | 87% | 3143 fps | 96.6% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 82% | 39,813 psi | 86% | 3346 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,397 psi | 57% | 2149 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,510 psi | 89% | 3222 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,466 psi | 87% | 3261 fps | 96.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,252 psi | 57% | 2208 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,073 psi | 84% | 3143 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,045 psi | 86% | 3245 fps | 99.8% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 36,042 psi | 78% | 3035 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,130 psi | 80% | 3287 fps | 99.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,551 psi | 42% | 1932 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,276 psi | 85% | 3169 fps | 99.4% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 35,897 psi | 77% | 3150 fps | 95.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 4.9 gr | 80% | 19,116 psi | 41% | 1975 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 11.8 gr | 80% | 23,873 psi | 51% | 2717 fps | 97.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 12.3 gr | 80% | 28,863 psi | 62% | 2949 fps | 97.8% |
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 8 powders for .221 Rem. Fireball loaded with the .224 | 35gr | Impala LWHV LS. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,346 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,149 fps to 3,346 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 8 of the 8 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 57–89 %, leaving at least 11 % 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. Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .221 Rem. Fireball with the .224 | 35gr | Impala LWHV LS 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.