Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 45gr | Sierra VarmintKing bullet and 26 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 Norma 200.
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>> | 92% | 55,840 psi | 90% | 3297 fps | 99% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,085 psi | 88% | 3278 fps | 96.7% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,666 psi | 89% | 2628 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 53,461 psi | 86% | 3189 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,417 psi | 86% | 3363 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 98% | 52,779 psi | 85% | 3366 fps | 96% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,770 psi | 65% | 3179 fps | 97.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,372 psi | 81% | 3327 fps | 98.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,854 psi | 90% | 3360 fps | 99.3% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,824 psi | 86% | 3248 fps | 96.9% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,911 psi | 86% | 3284 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,342 psi | 49% | 2103 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,475 psi | 84% | 3327 fps | 99.3% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 53,969 psi | 87% | 3301 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 53,983 psi | 87% | 3346 fps | 99.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 54,810 psi | 88% | 3294 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,099 psi | 87% | 3373 fps | 99.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,124 psi | 48% | 2152 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 53,258 psi | 85% | 3317 fps | 99.8% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 53,983 psi | 87% | 3346 fps | 99.2% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,709 psi | 89% | 3307 fps | 99.7% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,071 psi | 88% | 3136 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,837 psi | 83% | 3333 fps | 96.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 53,969 psi | 87% | 3215 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,447 psi | 86% | 3314 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,791 psi | 78% | 3219 fps | 97.8% |
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>> | 82% | 39,450 psi | 63% | 2986 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 94% | 48,733 psi | 78% | 3166 fps | 95.3% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 53,548 psi | 86% | 2595 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,239 psi | 76% | 3084 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 19.6 gr | 80% | 32,068 psi | 51% | 2910 fps | 97.2% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 96% | 49,501 psi | 79% | 3307 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 96% | 35,433 psi | 57% | 3041 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,943 psi | 62% | 3087 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 82% | 36,114 psi | 58% | 2959 fps | 95.2% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 94% | 47,282 psi | 76% | 3133 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 50,647 psi | 81% | 3225 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,452 psi | 36% | 1896 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,795 psi | 56% | 2943 fps | 95% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,566 psi | 63% | 3022 fps | 98.1% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,674 psi | 76% | 3225 fps | 98.3% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,638 psi | 62% | 2995 fps | 99.8% |
| Norma 200 | 22 gr | 86% | 36,564 psi | 59% | 3015 fps | 95.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,002 psi | 35% | 1932 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 20.4 gr | 80% | 38,928 psi | 62% | 3035 fps | 97.8% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,674 psi | 76% | 3225 fps | 98.3% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,617 psi | 78% | 3186 fps | 99.1% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,926 psi | 58% | 2815 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 96% | 45,658 psi | 73% | 3215 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,440 psi | 73% | 3081 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,271 psi | 52% | 2884 fps | 98.3% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,437 psi | 65% | 3051 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 45 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .224 | 45gr | Sierra VarmintKing. Norma 200 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,373 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,103 fps to 3,373 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 45 of the 45 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (430 MPa), the top charges use 48–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. 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 2207, ReloadSwiss RS 36, Norma 200 rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 45gr | Sierra VarmintKing they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate 2460, Accurate 2495, Accurate LT-32 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.