Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .223 | 55gr | SUS-TAC Varmax (HPT) bullet and 32 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2219, Norma 200 and Alliant Reloder-7.
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: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 90% | 53,940 psi | 86% | 2986 fps | 99.5% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,803 psi | 73% | 2930 fps | 97.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,650 psi | 86% | 2972 fps | 97.7% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,157 psi | 87% | 2979 fps | 95.7% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,869 psi | 90% | 2346 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,129 psi | 88% | 2907 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,941 psi | 90% | 3094 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,027 psi | 88% | 3123 fps | 97.7% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,047 psi | 67% | 2946 fps | 99% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,953 psi | 85% | 3081 fps | 99.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,013 psi | 88% | 3051 fps | 99.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,767 psi | 89% | 3009 fps | 98.3% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,663 psi | 84% | 3087 fps | 97.3% |
| Hodgdon H335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,099 psi | 87% | 3097 fps | 96.5% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 94% | 56,173 psi | 90% | 3035 fps | 97.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,096 psi | 50% | 1880 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,737 psi | 88% | 3071 fps | 99.9% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 55,695 psi | 89% | 3022 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,492 psi | 89% | 3061 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 53,635 psi | 86% | 2966 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 56,333 psi | 90% | 3114 fps | 99.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,530 psi | 49% | 1916 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 55,927 psi | 90% | 3058 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,492 psi | 89% | 3061 fps | 99.9% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 53,766 psi | 86% | 2979 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,563 psi | 87% | 2822 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,245 psi | 89% | 3114 fps | 96.7% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 53,795 psi | 86% | 3081 fps | 98.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 56,420 psi | 90% | 2930 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,941 psi | 90% | 3045 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,488 psi | 81% | 2969 fps | 99% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,743 psi | 70% | 2854 fps | 97% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,493 psi | 62% | 2703 fps | 96.8% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 94% | 37,608 psi | 60% | 2762 fps | 95.4% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,119 psi | 68% | 2769 fps | 95% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 94% | 51,343 psi | 82% | 2930 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 54,288 psi | 87% | 2323 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,834 psi | 78% | 2815 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,576 psi | 54% | 2680 fps | 98.8% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 22.5 gr | 92% | 44,614 psi | 72% | 2940 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 90% | 30,560 psi | 49% | 2654 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 86% | 33,794 psi | 54% | 2700 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | 18.3 gr | 80% | 35,157 psi | 56% | 2674 fps | 96.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,567 psi | 65% | 2746 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,381 psi | 70% | 2913 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 50,517 psi | 81% | 3041 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 88% | 46,572 psi | 75% | 2874 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,814 psi | 37% | 1683 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,126 psi | 52% | 2608 fps | 95.6% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,452 psi | 66% | 2779 fps | 99.4% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,197 psi | 79% | 2956 fps | 99.4% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,248 psi | 65% | 2743 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 18.6 gr | 80% | 31,995 psi | 51% | 2638 fps | 95.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,466 psi | 36% | 1719 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,886 psi | 66% | 2799 fps | 99.2% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,197 psi | 79% | 2956 fps | 99.4% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,256 psi | 81% | 2923 fps | 99.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,695 psi | 60% | 2566 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 94% | 48,254 psi | 77% | 2999 fps | 95.1% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 90% | 39,610 psi | 64% | 2815 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 46,833 psi | 75% | 2795 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,779 psi | 54% | 2654 fps | 99.5% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,896 psi | 56% | 2664 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,682 psi | 62% | 2749 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 54 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .223 | 55gr | SUS-TAC Varmax (HPT). ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,123 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,880 fps to 3,123 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 54 of the 54 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (430 MPa), the top charges use 49–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 55.0 gr projectile in 0.223" calls for a 1:8.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2015, Accurate 2460, Accurate 2495 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 2219, Norma 200, Alliant Reloder-7 rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .223 | 55gr | SUS-TAC Varmax (HPT) they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate 2230, Accurate 2495, Accurate 2520 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.