Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 55gr | CutEdge MTH bullet and 16 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ReloadSwiss RS 36, Lovex S053 and IMR 4227.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,741 psi | 88% | 2661 fps | 98.8% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,277 psi | 87% | 2572 fps | 99.7% |
| ADI AR 2207ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,639 psi | 85% | 2756 fps | 98.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 27,456 psi | 59% | 1703 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,031 psi | 88% | 2671 fps | 97.6% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,741 psi | 88% | 2674 fps | 95.7% |
| Lovex D063 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,539 psi | 90% | 2677 fps | 96.1% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,191 psi | 89% | 2687 fps | 99.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,643 psi | 57% | 1739 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,812 psi | 84% | 2674 fps | 97% |
| Shooters World Blackout | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,539 psi | 90% | 2677 fps | 96.1% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,741 psi | 88% | 2674 fps | 95.7% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 84% | 39,392 psi | 85% | 2621 fps | 96.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,306 psi | 87% | 2549 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,437 psi | 89% | 2641 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,074 psi | 86% | 2726 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% | 37,623 psi | 81% | 2602 fps | 98.2% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,737 psi | 77% | 2484 fps | 99.1% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 90% | 29,167 psi | 63% | 2516 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,812 psi | 43% | 1522 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | 12.8 gr | 86% | 34,113 psi | 74% | 2526 fps | 95.7% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 38,348 psi | 83% | 2625 fps | 95% |
| Lovex D063 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,146 psi | 84% | 2631 fps | 95.5% |
| Lovex S053 | 11.7 gr | 80% | 27,369 psi | 59% | 2379 fps | 96.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,319 psi | 42% | 1558 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 13.9 gr | 88% | 34,389 psi | 74% | 2582 fps | 95.7% |
| Shooters World Blackout | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,146 psi | 84% | 2631 fps | 95.5% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 38,348 psi | 83% | 2625 fps | 95% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,115 psi | 80% | 2575 fps | 95.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,063 psi | 56% | 2267 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,894 psi | 69% | 2464 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 86% | 26,310 psi | 57% | 2402 fps | 95.6% |
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 16 powders for .221 Rem. Fireball loaded with the .224 | 55gr | CutEdge MTH. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,756 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,703 fps to 2,756 fps. ADI AR 2207 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 16 of the 16 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (320 MPa), the top charges use 57–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 55.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:9.0 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, Lovex S053, IMR 4227 rank at the top here: for .221 Rem. Fireball with the .224 | 55gr | CutEdge MTH 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.