Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 52gr | Berger Target FB bullet and 32 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% | 54,897 psi | 88% | 3094 fps | 99.5% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 47,471 psi | 76% | 3048 fps | 97.9% |
| Accurate 2460ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 53,737 psi | 86% | 3159 fps | 96.2% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,419 psi | 89% | 3100 fps | 98% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,999 psi | 90% | 3107 fps | 96.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 53,272 psi | 85% | 2982 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,983 psi | 87% | 3166 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,272 psi | 85% | 3192 fps | 97.4% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,990 psi | 71% | 3077 fps | 99.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,795 psi | 88% | 3205 fps | 99.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,040 psi | 85% | 3120 fps | 99.7% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,737 psi | 86% | 3071 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,708 psi | 88% | 3219 fps | 97.7% |
| Hodgdon H335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 56,231 psi | 90% | 3228 fps | 97% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 54,041 psi | 87% | 3100 fps | 97.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,430 psi | 50% | 1969 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 56,304 psi | 90% | 3196 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 54,273 psi | 87% | 3104 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 53,795 psi | 86% | 3140 fps | 99.8% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 55,259 psi | 89% | 3091 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,607 psi | 88% | 3182 fps | 99.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,835 psi | 49% | 2005 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 88% | 53,447 psi | 86% | 3120 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 53,795 psi | 86% | 3140 fps | 99.8% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,868 psi | 88% | 3097 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,767 psi | 89% | 2936 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,359 psi | 86% | 3179 fps | 96.3% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,680 psi | 89% | 3209 fps | 98.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,447 psi | 87% | 3005 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,085 psi | 87% | 3117 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,243 psi | 84% | 3094 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,310 psi | 73% | 2972 fps | 97.3% |
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% | 39,508 psi | 63% | 2815 fps | 97% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 94% | 38,928 psi | 62% | 2881 fps | 95.8% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 98% | 49,559 psi | 79% | 3091 fps | 95.2% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,134 psi | 69% | 2881 fps | 95.3% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 94% | 52,533 psi | 84% | 3051 fps | 95.4% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,009 psi | 80% | 2933 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 19 gr | 80% | 34,824 psi | 56% | 2799 fps | 99% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 24.1 gr | 92% | 46,151 psi | 74% | 3061 fps | 95.8% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 90% | 31,734 psi | 51% | 2776 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,085 psi | 56% | 2815 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,608 psi | 59% | 2795 fps | 96.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,350 psi | 66% | 2848 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,382 psi | 71% | 3025 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 96% | 48,805 psi | 78% | 3104 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 86% | 44,701 psi | 72% | 2933 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,669 psi | 36% | 1752 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,096 psi | 50% | 2667 fps | 95% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,192 psi | 68% | 2887 fps | 99.4% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,488 psi | 81% | 3081 fps | 99.5% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,147 psi | 66% | 2854 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 19.9 gr | 80% | 32,982 psi | 53% | 2746 fps | 95.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,756 psi | 36% | 1801 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,959 psi | 67% | 2917 fps | 99.3% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,488 psi | 81% | 3081 fps | 99.5% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,459 psi | 83% | 3045 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,435 psi | 62% | 2667 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 94% | 50,125 psi | 80% | 3123 fps | 95.6% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 90% | 40,611 psi | 65% | 2930 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,167 psi | 77% | 2913 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,969 psi | 56% | 2769 fps | 99.6% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,156 psi | 55% | 2730 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 94% | 37,811 psi | 61% | 2818 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 32 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .224 | 52gr | Berger Target FB. Hodgdon H335 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,228 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,969 fps to 3,228 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 32 of the 32 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 52.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:12.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2015, Accurate 2460, Alliant AR-Comp 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 | 52gr | Berger Target FB 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.