Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 50gr | Sierra SP SemiSp 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 ADI AR 2207.
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% | 53,969 psi | 87% | 3133 fps | 99.3% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,398 psi | 74% | 3081 fps | 97.4% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,534 psi | 87% | 3136 fps | 97.5% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 56,144 psi | 90% | 3077 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,040 psi | 85% | 3205 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,666 psi | 89% | 3281 fps | 97.5% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,989 psi | 69% | 3104 fps | 98.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 53,664 psi | 86% | 3245 fps | 99.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,463 psi | 89% | 3212 fps | 99.7% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 96% | 52,765 psi | 85% | 3104 fps | 97.6% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 53,490 psi | 86% | 3248 fps | 97.1% |
| Hodgdon H335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,550 psi | 89% | 3268 fps | 96.5% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,156 psi | 85% | 3140 fps | 96.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,879 psi | 50% | 1998 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,288 psi | 89% | 3232 fps | 99.9% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 56,391 psi | 90% | 3189 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,927 psi | 90% | 3232 fps | 99.8% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,520 psi | 87% | 3136 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,476 psi | 86% | 3222 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,748 psi | 49% | 2044 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 56,014 psi | 90% | 3215 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,927 psi | 90% | 3232 fps | 99.8% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,114 psi | 87% | 3140 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,114 psi | 88% | 2986 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 98% | 56,347 psi | 90% | 3278 fps | 96.5% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,520 psi | 87% | 3245 fps | 98.1% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 53,113 psi | 85% | 3045 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,069 psi | 85% | 3156 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,184 psi | 82% | 3127 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,396 psi | 71% | 3005 fps | 96.7% |
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% | 38,899 psi | 62% | 2851 fps | 96.5% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 94% | 38,087 psi | 61% | 2907 fps | 95% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 90% | 45,208 psi | 72% | 2969 fps | 95.4% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,530 psi | 79% | 2979 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 19.1 gr | 80% | 33,794 psi | 54% | 2825 fps | 98.5% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 24.3 gr | 92% | 45,208 psi | 72% | 3094 fps | 95.1% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 92% | 33,228 psi | 53% | 2861 fps | 95.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,418 psi | 55% | 2844 fps | 95% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,578 psi | 57% | 2818 fps | 96% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 90% | 43,598 psi | 70% | 2940 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 96% | 47,021 psi | 75% | 3127 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 51,430 psi | 82% | 3196 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 88% | 46,905 psi | 75% | 3025 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,713 psi | 36% | 1795 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,343 psi | 52% | 2749 fps | 95.1% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,191 psi | 66% | 2917 fps | 99.1% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,342 psi | 79% | 3114 fps | 99.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,698 psi | 65% | 2897 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 20.5 gr | 82% | 34,069 psi | 55% | 2825 fps | 95.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,321 psi | 36% | 1831 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,799 psi | 65% | 2940 fps | 98.9% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,342 psi | 79% | 3114 fps | 99.2% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,778 psi | 81% | 3084 fps | 99.7% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,579 psi | 60% | 2707 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 96% | 52,866 psi | 85% | 3222 fps | 95.8% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,569 psi | 68% | 3018 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,094 psi | 76% | 2953 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,997 psi | 55% | 2795 fps | 99.3% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,331 psi | 57% | 2805 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,030 psi | 63% | 2890 fps | 95.1% |
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 | Sierra SP SemiSp. ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,281 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,998 fps to 3,281 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. 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, ADI AR 2207 rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 50gr | Sierra SP SemiSp 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.