Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 50gr | Hornady ECX 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, 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% | 55,535 psi | 89% | 3153 fps | 99.3% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,439 psi | 70% | 3022 fps | 96.5% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,492 psi | 89% | 3143 fps | 97.5% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,869 psi | 90% | 2484 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,070 psi | 87% | 3045 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,345 psi | 86% | 3209 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 98% | 52,997 psi | 85% | 3232 fps | 96.8% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,509 psi | 65% | 3048 fps | 98.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,633 psi | 81% | 3189 fps | 98.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,985 psi | 90% | 3215 fps | 99.7% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,346 psi | 87% | 3123 fps | 97.7% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,908 psi | 82% | 3196 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,940 psi | 86% | 3143 fps | 96.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,240 psi | 48% | 1982 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,547 psi | 84% | 3182 fps | 99.6% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,128 psi | 87% | 3153 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 53,824 psi | 86% | 3189 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 54,940 psi | 88% | 3140 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,317 psi | 87% | 3232 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,008 psi | 48% | 2028 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 53,795 psi | 86% | 3176 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 53,824 psi | 86% | 3189 fps | 99.6% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,593 psi | 89% | 3156 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,579 psi | 89% | 2989 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,359 psi | 84% | 3202 fps | 97.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 53,969 psi | 87% | 3058 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,476 psi | 86% | 3163 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 49,066 psi | 79% | 3087 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,424 psi | 68% | 2959 fps | 96% |
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% | 36,941 psi | 59% | 2802 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,553 psi | 65% | 2959 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,267 psi | 74% | 2986 fps | 95.5% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 53,621 psi | 86% | 2451 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,442 psi | 76% | 2940 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 18.7 gr | 80% | 31,937 psi | 51% | 2779 fps | 97.9% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 94% | 46,296 psi | 74% | 3110 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 94% | 33,011 psi | 53% | 2851 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,463 psi | 58% | 2897 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,779 psi | 54% | 2772 fps | 95.2% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,599 psi | 72% | 2956 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 98% | 47,543 psi | 76% | 3133 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 47,979 psi | 77% | 3041 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,915 psi | 35% | 1772 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,619 psi | 52% | 2756 fps | 95.1% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,537 psi | 63% | 2881 fps | 98.7% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,863 psi | 77% | 3081 fps | 98.9% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,377 psi | 62% | 2848 fps | 99.9% |
| Norma 200 | 20.6 gr | 84% | 34,258 psi | 55% | 2831 fps | 95.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,901 psi | 35% | 1821 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 19.5 gr | 80% | 39,102 psi | 63% | 2904 fps | 98.5% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,863 psi | 77% | 3081 fps | 98.9% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,791 psi | 78% | 3045 fps | 99.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,824 psi | 57% | 2671 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,743 psi | 69% | 3022 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,991 psi | 72% | 2920 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,155 psi | 52% | 2753 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,578 psi | 57% | 2812 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,711 psi | 64% | 2904 fps | 95.2% |
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 29 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .224 | 50gr | Hornady ECX. ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,232 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,982 fps to 3,232 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 29 of the 29 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, 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 2207, ReloadSwiss RS 36, Norma 200 rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 50gr | Hornady ECX 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.