Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 55gr | Sellier & Bellot FMJ bullet and 16 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,582 psi | 87% | 2598 fps | 99.8% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,640 psi | 88% | 2795 fps | 99.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,930 psi | 88% | 2736 fps | 96.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 28,471 psi | 61% | 1739 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,914 psi | 86% | 2717 fps | 96.1% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,263 psi | 89% | 2697 fps | 98% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,973 psi | 88% | 2707 fps | 96.3% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 39,465 psi | 85% | 2674 fps | 99.8% |
| Norma 200ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,364 psi | 87% | 2789 fps | 96.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 27,746 psi | 60% | 1775 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 39,914 psi | 86% | 2717 fps | 97.7% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,973 psi | 88% | 2707 fps | 96.3% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,176 psi | 87% | 2661 fps | 96.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,959 psi | 88% | 2575 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,669 psi | 90% | 2661 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,002 psi | 88% | 2762 fps | 99.7% |
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% | 38,392 psi | 83% | 2559 fps | 99.7% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 13.8 gr | 86% | 28,369 psi | 61% | 2510 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 38,725 psi | 83% | 2694 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 20,479 psi | 44% | 1549 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 98% | 37,826 psi | 82% | 2671 fps | 95.4% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,893 psi | 67% | 2470 fps | 95% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,072 psi | 82% | 2641 fps | 95.5% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,675 psi | 64% | 2454 fps | 98% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 96% | 35,302 psi | 76% | 2684 fps | 95% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 20,102 psi | 43% | 1585 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 13.7 gr | 82% | 31,299 psi | 67% | 2526 fps | 95% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,072 psi | 82% | 2641 fps | 95.5% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,304 psi | 80% | 2602 fps | 96.1% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,442 psi | 61% | 2333 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,447 psi | 76% | 2546 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 13.2 gr | 82% | 25,715 psi | 55% | 2398 fps | 95.8% |
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 | Sellier & Bellot FMJ. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,795 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,739 fps to 2,795 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss 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 60–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 55.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:11.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, IMR 4198, Norma 200 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, Vihtavuori N120 rank at the top here: for .221 Rem. Fireball with the .224 | 55gr | Sellier & Bellot 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.