Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 51gr | Peregrine Plainsmaster (VLR-4) 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% | 55,695 psi | 89% | 3117 fps | 99.4% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,845 psi | 70% | 2992 fps | 96.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,564 psi | 89% | 3107 fps | 97.5% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,637 psi | 89% | 2444 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,244 psi | 87% | 3009 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,085 psi | 87% | 3182 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,330 psi | 86% | 3199 fps | 96.8% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,843 psi | 65% | 3018 fps | 98.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,821 psi | 81% | 3153 fps | 98.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,185 psi | 85% | 3133 fps | 99.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,157 psi | 87% | 3084 fps | 97.6% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,169 psi | 82% | 3163 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,607 psi | 88% | 3117 fps | 96.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,574 psi | 49% | 1955 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 53,069 psi | 85% | 3153 fps | 99.7% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,462 psi | 87% | 3117 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,607 psi | 88% | 3163 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 55,317 psi | 89% | 3107 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,708 psi | 88% | 3199 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,443 psi | 49% | 2001 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,331 psi | 87% | 3146 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,607 psi | 88% | 3163 fps | 99.6% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 84% | 56,086 psi | 90% | 3123 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,753 psi | 89% | 2953 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,431 psi | 84% | 3163 fps | 97.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 54,824 psi | 88% | 3028 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,114 psi | 87% | 3133 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 49,298 psi | 79% | 3054 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,641 psi | 68% | 2930 fps | 96.1% |
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% | 37,434 psi | 60% | 2779 fps | 95.9% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,667 psi | 62% | 2884 fps | 95% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,224 psi | 74% | 2946 fps | 95.5% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 54,099 psi | 87% | 2421 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,153 psi | 77% | 2913 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 18.2 gr | 80% | 32,300 psi | 52% | 2749 fps | 98% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 94% | 46,528 psi | 75% | 3077 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 94% | 33,736 psi | 54% | 2838 fps | 95.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,070 psi | 56% | 2828 fps | 95.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,229 psi | 55% | 2749 fps | 95.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,889 psi | 72% | 2923 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 98% | 47,819 psi | 77% | 3104 fps | 95.6% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 48,443 psi | 78% | 3012 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,539 psi | 36% | 1755 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,272 psi | 53% | 2736 fps | 95.4% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,205 psi | 64% | 2858 fps | 98.8% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,848 psi | 77% | 3038 fps | 98.9% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,059 psi | 63% | 2825 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 19.6 gr | 82% | 32,677 psi | 52% | 2753 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,133 psi | 35% | 1791 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 19 gr | 80% | 39,407 psi | 63% | 2874 fps | 98.6% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,848 psi | 77% | 3038 fps | 98.9% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,081 psi | 79% | 3012 fps | 99.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,303 psi | 58% | 2644 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,308 psi | 69% | 2995 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,658 psi | 73% | 2890 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,460 psi | 52% | 2723 fps | 99% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,172 psi | 58% | 2789 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,885 psi | 64% | 2871 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 | 51gr | Peregrine Plainsmaster (VLR-4). ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,199 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,955 fps to 3,199 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 51.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:9.0 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 | 51gr | Peregrine Plainsmaster (VLR-4) 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.