Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 40gr | Nosler CT Ballistic Silvertip bullet and 9 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N110, Lovex S053 and ADI AR 2205.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,669 psi | 88% | 3084 fps | 96.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,872 psi | 88% | 3005 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 82% | 39,436 psi | 85% | 3173 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,657 psi | 55% | 2008 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,756 psi | 90% | 3061 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,277 psi | 87% | 3107 fps | 97.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,382 psi | 55% | 2064 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,450 psi | 85% | 2989 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,190 psi | 87% | 3087 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 84% | 37,811 psi | 81% | 3018 fps | 95.3% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 13.4 gr | 80% | 31,676 psi | 68% | 2785 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,202 psi | 80% | 3123 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,043 psi | 41% | 1814 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,450 psi | 85% | 3015 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex S053 | 14.2 gr | 90% | 31,734 psi | 68% | 2900 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,970 psi | 39% | 1837 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,858 psi | 49% | 2562 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 12.1 gr | 80% | 28,094 psi | 61% | 2792 fps | 98.7% |
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 9 powders for .221 Rem. Fireball loaded with the .224 | 40gr | Nosler CT Ballistic Silvertip. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,173 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,008 fps to 3,173 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 9 of the 9 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 55–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 40.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:11.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. 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, Lovex S053, ADI AR 2205 rank at the top here: for .221 Rem. Fireball with the .224 | 40gr | Nosler CT Ballistic Silvertip 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.