Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 45gr | Barnes BND SPIT-FIRE bullet and 9 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Lovex S053, 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.
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>> | 84% | 39,958 psi | 86% | 2907 fps | 97% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,350 psi | 87% | 2831 fps | 98.6% |
| ADI AR 2207ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,839 psi | 77% | 2933 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,295 psi | 57% | 1886 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,379 psi | 87% | 2940 fps | 98.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,121 psi | 56% | 1942 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,466 psi | 89% | 2851 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,582 psi | 87% | 2913 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,434 psi | 79% | 2904 fps | 97.2% |
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>> | 80% | 34,983 psi | 75% | 2795 fps | 95.5% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,446 psi | 72% | 2680 fps | 97% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 98% | 33,895 psi | 73% | 2884 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,334 psi | 42% | 1696 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | 12.9 gr | 84% | 28,645 psi | 62% | 2654 fps | 95.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,840 psi | 41% | 1736 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 11.2 gr | 80% | 24,134 psi | 52% | 2454 fps | 99.5% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 11.7 gr | 80% | 29,820 psi | 64% | 2677 fps | 99.6% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 94% | 30,835 psi | 66% | 2762 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 9 powders for .221 Rem. Fireball loaded with the .224 | 45gr | Barnes BND SPIT-FIRE. Lovex S053 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,940 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,886 fps to 2,940 fps. ADI AR 2207 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 56–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. The 45.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:10.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. ADI AR 2207, 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. Lovex S053, Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 rank at the top here: for .221 Rem. Fireball with the .224 | 45gr | Barnes BND SPIT-FIRE 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.