Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .221 Rem. Fireball with .224 | 64gr | Berger Varmint bullet and 15 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Norma 200, ADI AR 2207 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.
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 1680 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,887 psi | 90% | 2507 fps | 97.1% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,974 psi | 90% | 2608 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,204 psi | 84% | 2575 fps | 96.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 92% | 39,711 psi | 86% | 2520 fps | 97.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,443 psi | 63% | 1601 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,480 psi | 87% | 2536 fps | 97.8% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 86% | 39,726 psi | 86% | 2470 fps | 98.9% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,422 psi | 87% | 2480 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,481 psi | 89% | 2608 fps | 98.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 28,834 psi | 62% | 1637 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,596 psi | 87% | 2530 fps | 98.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,030 psi | 86% | 2349 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 82% | 40,350 psi | 87% | 2421 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 94% | 39,856 psi | 86% | 2533 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,232 psi | 82% | 2487 fps | 96.1% |
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 1680 | <<locked>> | 84% | 34,635 psi | 75% | 2369 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 12.4 gr | 80% | 26,063 psi | 56% | 2260 fps | 96.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 96% | 34,824 psi | 75% | 2490 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 86% | 33,460 psi | 72% | 2392 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,611 psi | 47% | 1437 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 32,343 psi | 70% | 2359 fps | 95.3% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,214 psi | 72% | 2339 fps | 97.4% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,576 psi | 70% | 2329 fps | 99.6% |
| Norma 200 | 14.6 gr | 90% | 32,808 psi | 71% | 2438 fps | 95.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 20,668 psi | 45% | 1453 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 12.9 gr | 80% | 32,198 psi | 69% | 2359 fps | 97% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,922 psi | 67% | 2192 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,898 psi | 82% | 2379 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,455 psi | 57% | 2241 fps | 97.7% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 98% | 36,027 psi | 78% | 2444 fps | 95.5% |
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 15 powders for .221 Rem. Fireball loaded with the .224 | 64gr | Berger Varmint. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,608 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,601 fps to 2,608 fps. Alliant Reloder-10x gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 15 of the 15 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 64.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:11.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Alliant Reloder-10x, 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. Norma 200, ADI AR 2207, ReloadSwiss RS 36 rank at the top here: for .221 Rem. Fireball with the .224 | 64gr | Berger Varmint 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.