Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 50gr | Norma FMJ bullet and 11 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2207, ReloadSwiss RS 36 and Lovex S053.
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.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 39,610 psi | 85% | 2726 fps | 99.5% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,987 psi | 86% | 2930 fps | 98.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 28,036 psi | 60% | 1844 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,625 psi | 88% | 2831 fps | 97.4% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,060 psi | 88% | 2851 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 27,267 psi | 59% | 1880 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,727 psi | 90% | 2900 fps | 97.5% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 39,349 psi | 85% | 2785 fps | 96.1% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,683 psi | 88% | 2720 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,756 psi | 88% | 2799 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,480 psi | 87% | 2897 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,594 psi | 81% | 2684 fps | 99.3% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 14.9 gr | 88% | 29,443 psi | 63% | 2674 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 20,523 psi | 44% | 1654 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,866 psi | 73% | 2680 fps | 95.4% |
| Lovex S053 | 13 gr | 80% | 29,153 psi | 63% | 2575 fps | 97.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 20,073 psi | 43% | 1693 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 15.1 gr | 86% | 34,330 psi | 74% | 2736 fps | 95.4% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,709 psi | 79% | 2726 fps | 95.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,717 psi | 60% | 2451 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,345 psi | 74% | 2671 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 84% | 26,455 psi | 57% | 2549 fps | 95.3% |
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 11 powders for .221 Rem. Fireball loaded with the .224 | 50gr | Norma FMJ. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,930 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,844 fps to 2,930 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 11 of the 11 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 59–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. 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. ADI AR 2207, ReloadSwiss RS 36, Lovex S053 rank at the top here: for .221 Rem. Fireball with the .224 | 50gr | Norma FMJ 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.