Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 50gr | Hornady CX bullet and 29 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2207, Norma 200 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.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 92% | 55,782 psi | 89% | 3156 fps | 99.4% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,598 psi | 70% | 3022 fps | 96.5% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,666 psi | 89% | 3146 fps | 97.5% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,985 psi | 90% | 2484 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 53,534 psi | 86% | 3035 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,592 psi | 86% | 3212 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,185 psi | 85% | 3235 fps | 96.8% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,654 psi | 65% | 3048 fps | 98.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,792 psi | 81% | 3192 fps | 98.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,202 psi | 90% | 3219 fps | 99.7% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,867 psi | 86% | 3114 fps | 97.6% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,415 psi | 81% | 3189 fps | 96.2% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,186 psi | 87% | 3146 fps | 96.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,298 psi | 49% | 1982 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,736 psi | 85% | 3186 fps | 99.6% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,346 psi | 87% | 3153 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,027 psi | 87% | 3192 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 55,085 psi | 88% | 3143 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,722 psi | 86% | 3225 fps | 99.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,081 psi | 48% | 2031 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 53,940 psi | 86% | 3179 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,027 psi | 87% | 3192 fps | 99.6% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,825 psi | 90% | 3159 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,738 psi | 89% | 2992 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,837 psi | 83% | 3192 fps | 97.5% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 54,172 psi | 87% | 3058 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,635 psi | 86% | 3163 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,617 psi | 78% | 3081 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,061 psi | 67% | 2953 fps | 95.9% |
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% | 36,550 psi | 59% | 2792 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,712 psi | 65% | 2966 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 92% | 45,818 psi | 73% | 2976 fps | 95.4% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 53,751 psi | 86% | 2451 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,558 psi | 76% | 2943 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 18.7 gr | 80% | 32,024 psi | 51% | 2779 fps | 97.9% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 94% | 45,832 psi | 73% | 3100 fps | 95% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 94% | 33,127 psi | 53% | 2858 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,564 psi | 59% | 2900 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,417 psi | 54% | 2762 fps | 95.1% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,193 psi | 71% | 2946 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 98% | 47,108 psi | 76% | 3123 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 47,500 psi | 76% | 3028 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,944 psi | 35% | 1772 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,692 psi | 52% | 2756 fps | 95.1% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,682 psi | 64% | 2884 fps | 98.7% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,993 psi | 77% | 3081 fps | 98.9% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,464 psi | 62% | 2851 fps | 99.9% |
| Norma 200 | 20.5 gr | 84% | 33,895 psi | 54% | 2822 fps | 95.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,930 psi | 35% | 1821 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 19.4 gr | 80% | 38,711 psi | 62% | 2894 fps | 98.4% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,993 psi | 77% | 3081 fps | 98.9% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,283 psi | 77% | 3038 fps | 99.4% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,911 psi | 58% | 2674 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,873 psi | 69% | 3022 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,092 psi | 72% | 2920 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,242 psi | 52% | 2753 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,694 psi | 57% | 2812 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,334 psi | 63% | 2894 fps | 95% |
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 49 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .224 | 50gr | Hornady CX. ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,235 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,982 fps to 3,235 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 49 of the 49 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. The 50.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:10.5 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 2207, Norma 200, ReloadSwiss RS 36 rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 50gr | Hornady CX they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate 2460, 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.