Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 53gr | Sierra MatchKing bullet and 39 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>> | 88% | 52,344 psi | 84% | 3035 fps | 99.4% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,472 psi | 78% | 3045 fps | 98.3% |
| Accurate 2460ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,795 psi | 88% | 3156 fps | 96.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,333 psi | 90% | 3094 fps | 98.3% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,417 psi | 86% | 3045 fps | 95.9% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 82% | 56,376 psi | 90% | 2434 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,085 psi | 87% | 2969 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,984 psi | 88% | 3156 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,230 psi | 87% | 3189 fps | 97.8% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,904 psi | 72% | 3074 fps | 99.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,898 psi | 90% | 3199 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,954 psi | 87% | 3110 fps | 99.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,259 psi | 89% | 3077 fps | 98.5% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,738 psi | 89% | 3212 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,577 psi | 86% | 3166 fps | 96.7% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 54,882 psi | 88% | 3097 fps | 97.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,386 psi | 50% | 1949 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,786 psi | 69% | 3031 fps | 96.1% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,751 psi | 86% | 3130 fps | 99.9% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 54,433 psi | 87% | 3081 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,563 psi | 87% | 3130 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,854 psi | 90% | 3186 fps | 96.1% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 56,188 psi | 90% | 3077 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,405 psi | 90% | 3189 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,314 psi | 50% | 1998 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 88% | 54,375 psi | 87% | 3110 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,317 psi | 89% | 3169 fps | 95.9% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,854 psi | 90% | 3186 fps | 96.1% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,563 psi | 87% | 3130 fps | 99.9% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,724 psi | 89% | 3087 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,853 psi | 86% | 2887 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,027 psi | 88% | 3186 fps | 96.9% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,185 psi | 85% | 3150 fps | 98.4% |
| Somchem S335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,876 psi | 74% | 2959 fps | 95.9% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,347 psi | 89% | 2992 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,071 psi | 88% | 3107 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 53,127 psi | 85% | 3084 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,122 psi | 74% | 2969 fps | 97.7% |
| Vihtavuori N135ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,130 psi | 61% | 2890 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% | 40,205 psi | 64% | 2812 fps | 97.5% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 92% | 37,753 psi | 61% | 2835 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 98% | 51,300 psi | 82% | 3100 fps | 95.9% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,176 psi | 66% | 2822 fps | 95% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 92% | 50,154 psi | 80% | 2989 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 54,186 psi | 87% | 2402 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,792 psi | 81% | 2923 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 19.1 gr | 80% | 35,578 psi | 57% | 2795 fps | 99.3% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 23.7 gr | 90% | 44,077 psi | 71% | 3002 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 88% | 30,414 psi | 49% | 2717 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,547 psi | 54% | 2756 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,825 psi | 59% | 2782 fps | 97.1% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 88% | 42,496 psi | 68% | 2854 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 94% | 45,788 psi | 73% | 3038 fps | 96% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 94% | 46,601 psi | 75% | 3041 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 86% | 45,455 psi | 73% | 2927 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,105 psi | 37% | 1749 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,103 psi | 64% | 2972 fps | 95.2% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,705 psi | 51% | 2664 fps | 95.6% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,989 psi | 69% | 2881 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,300 psi | 82% | 3074 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 92% | 52,214 psi | 84% | 3127 fps | 95.3% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,959 psi | 67% | 2848 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 20 gr | 80% | 33,678 psi | 54% | 2746 fps | 96.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,756 psi | 36% | 1785 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,699 psi | 68% | 2907 fps | 99.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 98% | 51,851 psi | 83% | 3114 fps | 95.1% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 92% | 52,214 psi | 84% | 3127 fps | 95.3% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,300 psi | 82% | 3074 fps | 99.7% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 52,286 psi | 84% | 3035 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,653 psi | 62% | 2651 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,964 psi | 77% | 3064 fps | 95.3% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,408 psi | 66% | 2927 fps | 95.8% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 43,091 psi | 69% | 2904 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,066 psi | 79% | 2904 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,766 psi | 57% | 2766 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,432 psi | 55% | 2717 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 94% | 38,566 psi | 62% | 2815 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 98% | 35,708 psi | 57% | 2831 fps | 95% |
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 39 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .224 | 53gr | Sierra MatchKing. Hodgdon H322 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,212 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,949 fps to 3,212 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 39 of the 39 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 1:12.5 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 | Sierra MatchKing 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.