Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 53gr | Norma Soft Point bullet and 37 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2219, ADI AR 2207 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>> | 90% | 56,246 psi | 90% | 3094 fps | 99.7% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,196 psi | 77% | 3041 fps | 98.2% |
| Accurate 2460ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,578 psi | 88% | 3153 fps | 96.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,072 psi | 90% | 3091 fps | 98.2% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,142 psi | 85% | 3038 fps | 95.8% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 53,766 psi | 86% | 2963 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,723 psi | 88% | 3150 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,983 psi | 87% | 3182 fps | 97.7% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,672 psi | 72% | 3068 fps | 99.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,593 psi | 89% | 3196 fps | 99.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,635 psi | 86% | 3104 fps | 99.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,027 psi | 88% | 3071 fps | 98.4% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,492 psi | 89% | 3205 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,374 psi | 86% | 3159 fps | 96.6% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 54,592 psi | 88% | 3091 fps | 97.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,517 psi | 51% | 1952 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,554 psi | 68% | 3025 fps | 96% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,432 psi | 86% | 3123 fps | 99.9% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 54,810 psi | 88% | 3084 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,273 psi | 87% | 3123 fps | 99.8% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,593 psi | 89% | 3182 fps | 96% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 55,869 psi | 90% | 3074 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,086 psi | 90% | 3182 fps | 99.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,951 psi | 50% | 1988 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 88% | 54,810 psi | 88% | 3117 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,100 psi | 88% | 3163 fps | 95.8% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,593 psi | 89% | 3182 fps | 96% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,273 psi | 87% | 3123 fps | 99.8% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,405 psi | 89% | 3081 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 56,275 psi | 90% | 2917 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,810 psi | 88% | 3182 fps | 96.8% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 56,434 psi | 90% | 3196 fps | 98.8% |
| Somchem S335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,658 psi | 73% | 2953 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,969 psi | 88% | 2986 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,737 psi | 88% | 3100 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,852 psi | 85% | 3081 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,919 psi | 74% | 2963 fps | 97.6% |
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% | 39,972 psi | 64% | 2805 fps | 97.4% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 92% | 37,521 psi | 60% | 2825 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 98% | 50,343 psi | 81% | 3081 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,584 psi | 70% | 2867 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 92% | 49,922 psi | 80% | 2982 fps | 95% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,473 psi | 81% | 2913 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 19 gr | 80% | 35,273 psi | 57% | 2789 fps | 99.2% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 23.6 gr | 90% | 43,830 psi | 70% | 2995 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 88% | 30,182 psi | 48% | 2710 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,286 psi | 53% | 2746 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,072 psi | 59% | 2785 fps | 97.1% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,351 psi | 68% | 2848 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,699 psi | 68% | 2972 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 96% | 50,053 psi | 80% | 3104 fps | 95.9% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 86% | 45,194 psi | 72% | 2920 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,756 psi | 36% | 1739 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 98% | 39,885 psi | 64% | 2966 fps | 95.1% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,473 psi | 50% | 2657 fps | 95.5% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,699 psi | 68% | 2874 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,966 psi | 82% | 3064 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 92% | 51,953 psi | 83% | 3123 fps | 95.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,626 psi | 67% | 2841 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 19.9 gr | 80% | 33,446 psi | 54% | 2740 fps | 96.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,858 psi | 37% | 1785 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,438 psi | 68% | 2900 fps | 99.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 98% | 51,634 psi | 83% | 3107 fps | 95% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 92% | 51,953 psi | 83% | 3123 fps | 95.2% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,966 psi | 82% | 3064 fps | 99.6% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 52,054 psi | 83% | 3031 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,841 psi | 62% | 2654 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,732 psi | 77% | 3058 fps | 95.2% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,191 psi | 66% | 2920 fps | 95.7% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 42,873 psi | 69% | 2897 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,733 psi | 78% | 2897 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,462 psi | 57% | 2756 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,606 psi | 55% | 2720 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 94% | 38,319 psi | 61% | 2808 fps | 95.6% |
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 37 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .224 | 53gr | Norma Soft Point. Hodgdon H322 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,205 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,952 fps to 3,205 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 37 of the 37 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (430 MPa), the top charges use 50–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 53.0 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, ADI AR 2207, Norma 200 rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 53gr | Norma Soft Point 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.