Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .223 Ackley Improved with .224 | 45gr | Frontier BTSP bullet and 24 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above.
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 1680 | <<locked>> | 86% | 46,818 psi | 85% | 3287 fps | 98.8% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,658 psi | 83% | 3346 fps | 97.8% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,471 psi | 86% | 3287 fps | 96.7% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 92% | 49,066 psi | 89% | 3432 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 94% | 47,950 psi | 87% | 3435 fps | 96.6% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,235 psi | 77% | 3373 fps | 99.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 98% | 49,168 psi | 89% | 3455 fps | 99.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 90% | 48,298 psi | 88% | 3376 fps | 99.3% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 94% | 49,153 psi | 89% | 3314 fps | 97.5% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 98% | 49,197 psi | 89% | 3458 fps | 96.9% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 49,371 psi | 90% | 3350 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,632 psi | 56% | 2192 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 96% | 48,196 psi | 87% | 3396 fps | 99.6% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 86% | 48,994 psi | 89% | 3353 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 86% | 47,688 psi | 87% | 3307 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 94% | 49,676 psi | 90% | 3445 fps | 99.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,429 psi | 55% | 2244 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 86% | 49,066 psi | 89% | 3386 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 90% | 48,602 psi | 88% | 3156 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 96% | 47,442 psi | 86% | 3406 fps | 97.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 82% | 49,313 psi | 89% | 3264 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 92% | 49,139 psi | 89% | 3376 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 98% | 47,558 psi | 86% | 3343 fps | 98.8% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,787 psi | 79% | 3264 fps | 97.2% |
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,159 psi | 69% | 3104 fps | 97% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 94% | 37,333 psi | 68% | 3163 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,148 psi | 76% | 3179 fps | 95.3% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,533 psi | 61% | 3097 fps | 98.9% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,556 psi | 81% | 3363 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 90% | 30,690 psi | 56% | 3061 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 86% | 33,750 psi | 61% | 3107 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,186 psi | 64% | 3081 fps | 96.6% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,074 psi | 73% | 3133 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,960 psi | 78% | 3330 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 88% | 46,499 psi | 84% | 3294 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,495 psi | 41% | 1972 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 82% | 31,879 psi | 58% | 3005 fps | 95.7% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,596 psi | 74% | 3186 fps | 99.3% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,682 psi | 72% | 3153 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,444 psi | 57% | 3025 fps | 95.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,060 psi | 40% | 2011 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,350 psi | 73% | 3212 fps | 99.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,086 psi | 67% | 2953 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 90% | 38,943 psi | 71% | 3219 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 46,789 psi | 85% | 3225 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,692 psi | 61% | 3061 fps | 99.6% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,635 psi | 63% | 3058 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 94% | 36,463 psi | 66% | 3097 fps | 95% |
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 24 powders for .223 Ackley Improved loaded with the .224 | 45gr | Frontier BTSP. Hodgdon H322 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,458 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,192 fps to 3,458 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 24 of the 24 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (380 MPa), the top charges use 55–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 45.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:10.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2015, Alliant AR-Comp, Hodgdon TrailBoss 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. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.