Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 45gr | CutEdge ER Raptor bullet and 10 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% | 40,408 psi | 87% | 2910 fps | 97% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,901 psi | 88% | 2838 fps | 98.6% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 82% | 39,697 psi | 86% | 2995 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,614 psi | 55% | 1870 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,930 psi | 90% | 2884 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,741 psi | 88% | 2946 fps | 98.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,642 psi | 53% | 1909 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,494 psi | 85% | 2815 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,756 psi | 88% | 2917 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,693 psi | 75% | 2861 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,186 psi | 76% | 2799 fps | 95.5% |
| ADI AR 2205 | 12.7 gr | 80% | 31,734 psi | 68% | 2635 fps | 96.3% |
| Hodgdon LilGun | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,246 psi | 80% | 2946 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,536 psi | 40% | 1680 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S040 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,436 psi | 85% | 2835 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | 12.9 gr | 86% | 28,485 psi | 61% | 2654 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,941 psi | 39% | 1716 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,829 psi | 49% | 2418 fps | 99.1% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 11.4 gr | 80% | 27,659 psi | 60% | 2621 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 30,879 psi | 67% | 2762 fps | 95% |
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 | CutEdge ER Raptor. Hodgdon LilGun delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,995 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,870 fps to 2,995 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss 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 53–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 45.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:9.0 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 | 45gr | CutEdge ER Raptor 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.