Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 45gr | Barnes XLC BT bullet and 10 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Lovex S053, Vihtavuori N120 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>> | 82% | 41,640 psi | 90% | 2933 fps | 97.6% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,046 psi | 88% | 2841 fps | 98.9% |
| ADI AR 2207ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,495 psi | 87% | 3028 fps | 97.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 28,311 psi | 61% | 1916 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,742 psi | 90% | 2940 fps | 96% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,147 psi | 87% | 2923 fps | 98.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 27,731 psi | 60% | 1959 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,147 psi | 89% | 2831 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 39,842 psi | 86% | 2881 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,886 psi | 88% | 2995 fps | 98.4% |
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% | 38,899 psi | 84% | 2874 fps | 96.9% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,985 psi | 80% | 2753 fps | 98.1% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,214 psi | 74% | 2877 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 20,856 psi | 45% | 1716 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 39,581 psi | 85% | 2894 fps | 95.4% |
| Lovex S053 | 12.6 gr | 80% | 28,979 psi | 62% | 2641 fps | 95.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 20,537 psi | 44% | 1755 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 11.5 gr | 80% | 27,470 psi | 59% | 2526 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,779 psi | 73% | 2749 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 14.8 gr | 90% | 31,299 psi | 67% | 2759 fps | 95.5% |
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 10 powders for .221 Rem. Fireball loaded with the .224 | 45gr | Barnes XLC BT. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,028 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,916 fps to 3,028 fps. ADI AR 2207 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 10 of the 10 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 60–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 45.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:11.0 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 N120, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 rank at the top here: for .221 Rem. Fireball with the .224 | 45gr | Barnes XLC BT 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.