Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 50gr | Barnes TSX BT bullet and 12 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ReloadSwiss RS 36, ADI AR 2207 and Vihtavuori N120.
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% | 40,944 psi | 88% | 2828 fps | 98.6% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,205 psi | 87% | 2733 fps | 99.5% |
| ADI AR 2207ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,567 psi | 87% | 2940 fps | 98.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 27,514 psi | 59% | 1831 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,321 psi | 89% | 2841 fps | 97.4% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,466 psi | 89% | 2858 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,629 psi | 57% | 1870 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,030 psi | 86% | 2861 fps | 97% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,103 psi | 86% | 2795 fps | 96.1% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,075 psi | 89% | 2726 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,017 psi | 88% | 2802 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,973 psi | 88% | 2907 fps | 99.4% |
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% | 38,043 psi | 82% | 2769 fps | 98% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,984 psi | 78% | 2648 fps | 98.9% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 14.9 gr | 90% | 29,385 psi | 63% | 2674 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,827 psi | 43% | 1640 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,127 psi | 74% | 2684 fps | 95.3% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,383 psi | 59% | 2526 fps | 96.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,305 psi | 42% | 1677 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 15.2 gr | 88% | 35,215 psi | 76% | 2756 fps | 95.6% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,913 psi | 82% | 2749 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 25,933 psi | 56% | 2408 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,213 psi | 69% | 2628 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 14.2 gr | 86% | 26,266 psi | 57% | 2546 fps | 95.1% |
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 12 powders for .221 Rem. Fireball loaded with the .224 | 50gr | Barnes TSX BT. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,940 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,831 fps to 2,940 fps. ADI AR 2207 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 12 of the 12 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 57–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. The 50.0 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. ReloadSwiss RS 36, ADI AR 2207, Vihtavuori N120 rank at the top here: for .221 Rem. Fireball with the .224 | 50gr | Barnes TSX 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.