Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 50gr | Berger Varmint bullet and 30 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% | 53,563 psi | 86% | 3123 fps | 99.2% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,992 psi | 74% | 3068 fps | 97.2% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,114 psi | 87% | 3127 fps | 97.4% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,593 psi | 89% | 3068 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,014 psi | 90% | 3248 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,230 psi | 89% | 3271 fps | 97.4% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,641 psi | 68% | 3094 fps | 98.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,489 psi | 84% | 3219 fps | 99.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,969 psi | 88% | 3199 fps | 99.6% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 98% | 56,275 psi | 90% | 3156 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 53,098 psi | 85% | 3238 fps | 97% |
| Hodgdon H335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,476 psi | 87% | 3245 fps | 96.2% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 94% | 56,188 psi | 90% | 3186 fps | 97.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,198 psi | 50% | 2001 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,781 psi | 88% | 3222 fps | 99.8% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 55,811 psi | 89% | 3176 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,332 psi | 89% | 3215 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 53,969 psi | 87% | 3127 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 96% | 52,997 psi | 85% | 3209 fps | 99.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,560 psi | 49% | 2037 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 55,463 psi | 89% | 3205 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,332 psi | 89% | 3215 fps | 99.7% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 53,635 psi | 86% | 3127 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,491 psi | 87% | 2972 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,898 psi | 90% | 3268 fps | 96.4% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,056 psi | 87% | 3232 fps | 98% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 56,086 psi | 90% | 3084 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,101 psi | 90% | 3199 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,763 psi | 81% | 3117 fps | 98.8% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,019 psi | 71% | 2992 fps | 96.5% |
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% | 38,522 psi | 62% | 2838 fps | 96.3% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 96% | 40,263 psi | 65% | 2953 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 90% | 44,846 psi | 72% | 2959 fps | 95.3% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,994 psi | 79% | 2966 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,736 psi | 54% | 2818 fps | 98.4% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 24.6 gr | 94% | 47,790 psi | 77% | 3140 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 92% | 32,866 psi | 53% | 2848 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 88% | 36,318 psi | 58% | 2890 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | 19.6 gr | 80% | 35,099 psi | 56% | 2805 fps | 95.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 90% | 43,265 psi | 69% | 2930 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 96% | 46,035 psi | 74% | 3104 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 51,126 psi | 82% | 3189 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 49,501 psi | 79% | 3071 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,466 psi | 36% | 1785 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,329 psi | 52% | 2746 fps | 95.1% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,176 psi | 66% | 2913 fps | 99% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,429 psi | 79% | 3110 fps | 99.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,147 psi | 64% | 2884 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 20.4 gr | 82% | 34,084 psi | 55% | 2822 fps | 95.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,539 psi | 36% | 1831 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,799 psi | 65% | 2936 fps | 98.9% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,429 psi | 79% | 3110 fps | 99.2% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,285 psi | 81% | 3074 fps | 99.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,550 psi | 60% | 2703 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 96% | 51,808 psi | 83% | 3199 fps | 95.5% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,090 psi | 67% | 3005 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,036 psi | 75% | 2949 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,939 psi | 54% | 2792 fps | 99.3% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 90% | 37,275 psi | 60% | 2848 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,234 psi | 66% | 2936 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 30 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .224 | 50gr | Berger Varmint. ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,271 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,001 fps to 3,271 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 30 of the 30 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 50.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:11.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2015, Alliant AR-Comp, Alliant Reloder-10x 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 .224 | 50gr | 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.