Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 53gr | Barnes X S bullet and 14 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2207, Vihtavuori N120 and ReloadSwiss RS 36.
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% | 41,553 psi | 90% | 2631 fps | 99.7% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,697 psi | 86% | 2792 fps | 98.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,196 psi | 63% | 1759 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,596 psi | 87% | 2700 fps | 97.4% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,655 psi | 90% | 2733 fps | 95.8% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,321 psi | 89% | 2723 fps | 99.7% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,263 psi | 87% | 2795 fps | 95.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 28,718 psi | 62% | 1798 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,756 psi | 90% | 2769 fps | 97.5% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,655 psi | 90% | 2733 fps | 95.8% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,104 psi | 89% | 2694 fps | 96.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 40,480 psi | 87% | 2585 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,292 psi | 89% | 2667 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,972 psi | 86% | 2759 fps | 99.3% |
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% | 39,320 psi | 85% | 2592 fps | 99.5% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 13.7 gr | 86% | 30,487 psi | 66% | 2572 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,901 psi | 47% | 1585 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,794 psi | 73% | 2549 fps | 95.3% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,508 psi | 85% | 2687 fps | 95.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,691 psi | 68% | 2510 fps | 98.1% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,203 psi | 82% | 2753 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,640 psi | 47% | 1621 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 13.6 gr | 82% | 33,199 psi | 72% | 2579 fps | 95% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,508 psi | 85% | 2687 fps | 95.2% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,914 psi | 84% | 2648 fps | 95.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,284 psi | 65% | 2382 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,811 psi | 79% | 2585 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 12.7 gr | 80% | 25,991 psi | 56% | 2402 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 14 powders for .221 Rem. Fireball loaded with the .224 | 53gr | Barnes X S. Norma 200 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,795 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,759 fps to 2,795 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 14 of the 14 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 62–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 53.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:11.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. 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, Vihtavuori N120, ReloadSwiss RS 36 rank at the top here: for .221 Rem. Fireball with the .224 | 53gr | Barnes X S 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.