Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 50gr | Sierra Tipped VarmintKing 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% | 56,376 psi | 90% | 3153 fps | 99.4% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,469 psi | 71% | 3028 fps | 96.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 98% | 56,173 psi | 90% | 3146 fps | 97.5% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,985 psi | 90% | 2480 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,476 psi | 87% | 3041 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,157 psi | 87% | 3215 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,882 psi | 86% | 3238 fps | 96.9% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,350 psi | 66% | 3054 fps | 98.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,576 psi | 83% | 3196 fps | 99% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,316 psi | 85% | 3163 fps | 99.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,520 psi | 87% | 3117 fps | 97.6% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,068 psi | 82% | 3189 fps | 96.3% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,592 psi | 88% | 3146 fps | 96.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,516 psi | 49% | 1978 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 53,142 psi | 85% | 3182 fps | 99.6% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,621 psi | 88% | 3150 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,201 psi | 87% | 3186 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 55,579 psi | 89% | 3140 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,839 psi | 88% | 3232 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,400 psi | 49% | 2024 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,462 psi | 87% | 3179 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,201 psi | 87% | 3186 fps | 99.6% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 84% | 56,217 psi | 90% | 3156 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,057 psi | 90% | 2986 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,402 psi | 84% | 3196 fps | 97.5% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 54,549 psi | 87% | 3054 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,186 psi | 87% | 3163 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 49,269 psi | 79% | 3081 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,656 psi | 68% | 2956 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% | 37,637 psi | 60% | 2808 fps | 95.8% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,798 psi | 62% | 2913 fps | 95% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,311 psi | 74% | 2976 fps | 95.4% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 53,737 psi | 86% | 2444 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,834 psi | 77% | 2940 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 18.5 gr | 80% | 32,648 psi | 52% | 2785 fps | 98% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 94% | 46,528 psi | 75% | 3104 fps | 95.1% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 94% | 33,866 psi | 54% | 2867 fps | 95.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,288 psi | 57% | 2861 fps | 95.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,592 psi | 55% | 2782 fps | 95.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,759 psi | 72% | 2949 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 98% | 47,790 psi | 77% | 3127 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 48,588 psi | 78% | 3041 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,611 psi | 36% | 1781 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,605 psi | 54% | 2769 fps | 95.4% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,987 psi | 64% | 2881 fps | 98.7% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,196 psi | 77% | 3077 fps | 98.9% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,479 psi | 63% | 2861 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 19.9 gr | 82% | 33,040 psi | 53% | 2789 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,220 psi | 36% | 1814 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 19.3 gr | 80% | 39,726 psi | 64% | 2907 fps | 98.5% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,196 psi | 77% | 3077 fps | 98.9% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,313 psi | 79% | 3045 fps | 99.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,825 psi | 59% | 2680 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,395 psi | 70% | 3025 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 46,209 psi | 74% | 2930 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,837 psi | 53% | 2759 fps | 99% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,376 psi | 58% | 2818 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,509 psi | 65% | 2910 fps | 95.3% |
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 | Sierra Tipped VarmintKing. ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,238 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,978 fps to 3,238 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 49–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 50.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:10.0 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, Norma 200, ReloadSwiss RS 36 rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 50gr | Sierra Tipped VarmintKing 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.