Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 46gr | Peregrine VLR-5 bullet and 11 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% | 41,133 psi | 89% | 2913 fps | 97.6% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,625 psi | 88% | 2822 fps | 98.9% |
| ADI AR 2207ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,869 psi | 79% | 2940 fps | 96.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,701 psi | 58% | 1880 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,770 psi | 88% | 2907 fps | 95.9% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,495 psi | 89% | 2943 fps | 99.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 25,875 psi | 56% | 1919 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,669 psi | 90% | 2972 fps | 96.1% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,379 psi | 87% | 2808 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,075 psi | 89% | 2900 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,434 psi | 81% | 2913 fps | 97.8% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,013 psi | 78% | 2802 fps | 96.3% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,736 psi | 73% | 2671 fps | 97.5% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 32,938 psi | 71% | 2841 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,711 psi | 42% | 1693 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,479 psi | 83% | 2858 fps | 95.3% |
| Lovex S053 | 12.7 gr | 82% | 27,412 psi | 59% | 2602 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 18,652 psi | 40% | 1713 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 94% | 39,378 psi | 85% | 2927 fps | 95.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 11.3 gr | 80% | 24,468 psi | 53% | 2444 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 11.8 gr | 80% | 30,255 psi | 65% | 2667 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 92% | 29,457 psi | 63% | 2707 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 20 powders for .221 Rem. Fireball loaded with the .224 | 46gr | Peregrine VLR-5. ReloadSwiss RS 36 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,972 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,880 fps to 2,972 fps. ADI AR 2207 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 20 of the 20 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 56–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 46.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:10.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. ADI AR 2207, Alliant Reloder-7, Hodgdon TrailBoss 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 | 46gr | Peregrine VLR-5 they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate 1680, Alliant Reloder-7, IMR 4198 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.