Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 55gr | Berger Target FB 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, Norma 200 and Alliant Reloder-7.
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.
A valid access license is required to use the Personalized Load Calculator.
You can find more information in our FAQ: How can I use the Personalized Load Calculator?
Max Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 90% | 56,260 psi | 90% | 3041 fps | 99.8% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 49,052 psi | 79% | 3005 fps | 98.6% |
| Accurate 2460ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,042 psi | 88% | 3110 fps | 97% |
| Accurate 2495ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,898 psi | 59% | 2828 fps | 96.1% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,316 psi | 85% | 2995 fps | 98% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,809 psi | 86% | 3002 fps | 96.2% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 82% | 56,391 psi | 90% | 2382 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,752 psi | 88% | 2923 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,448 psi | 89% | 3104 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,042 psi | 88% | 3150 fps | 98.1% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,498 psi | 73% | 3035 fps | 99.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 98% | 52,881 psi | 85% | 3097 fps | 99.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 92% | 54,317 psi | 87% | 3064 fps | 99.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,361 psi | 89% | 3028 fps | 98.6% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,767 psi | 89% | 3159 fps | 98.3% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,505 psi | 87% | 3130 fps | 97.1% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 55,216 psi | 89% | 3048 fps | 97.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,212 psi | 50% | 1903 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,772 psi | 69% | 2986 fps | 96.4% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,070 psi | 87% | 3081 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 55,230 psi | 89% | 3035 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,592 psi | 88% | 3074 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 56,333 psi | 90% | 3025 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,260 psi | 90% | 3133 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,183 psi | 50% | 1949 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 88% | 55,390 psi | 89% | 3071 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 56,130 psi | 90% | 3133 fps | 96.3% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,592 psi | 88% | 3074 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,838 psi | 86% | 2831 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 96% | 55,187 psi | 88% | 3140 fps | 97.2% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,664 psi | 86% | 3104 fps | 98.7% |
| Somchem S335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,890 psi | 74% | 2907 fps | 96.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 55,187 psi | 88% | 2933 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,434 psi | 89% | 3054 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 53,693 psi | 86% | 3041 fps | 99.6% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,688 psi | 75% | 2930 fps | 98% |
| Vihtavuori N135ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,624 psi | 62% | 2854 fps | 96.4% |
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% | 40,393 psi | 65% | 2766 fps | 97.7% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 90% | 35,607 psi | 57% | 2733 fps | 95.2% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 96% | 48,095 psi | 77% | 2992 fps | 95.4% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 98% | 34,360 psi | 55% | 2769 fps | 95.2% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,829 psi | 67% | 2785 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 92% | 50,502 psi | 81% | 2946 fps | 95.5% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 54,882 psi | 88% | 2362 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,343 psi | 82% | 2874 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,607 psi | 57% | 2746 fps | 99.4% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 22.8 gr | 88% | 41,713 psi | 67% | 2904 fps | 95.1% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 88% | 30,574 psi | 49% | 2677 fps | 95.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 82% | 31,923 psi | 51% | 2664 fps | 95% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | 19.4 gr | 80% | 37,391 psi | 60% | 2746 fps | 97.5% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 86% | 39,929 psi | 64% | 2756 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,801 psi | 69% | 2927 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 94% | 47,253 psi | 76% | 3005 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,337 psi | 69% | 2835 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,293 psi | 37% | 1713 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,074 psi | 64% | 2927 fps | 95.5% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,082 psi | 51% | 2628 fps | 96.1% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,511 psi | 70% | 2838 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,169 psi | 82% | 3015 fps | 99.8% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,395 psi | 68% | 2802 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 19.6 gr | 80% | 33,794 psi | 54% | 2700 fps | 96.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,960 psi | 37% | 1749 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,801 psi | 69% | 2858 fps | 99.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 98% | 52,649 psi | 84% | 3074 fps | 95.5% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,169 psi | 82% | 3015 fps | 99.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,450 psi | 63% | 2612 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,935 psi | 77% | 3015 fps | 95.6% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 88% | 39,523 psi | 63% | 2838 fps | 95.5% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 43,062 psi | 69% | 2854 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,516 psi | 79% | 2851 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,795 psi | 57% | 2717 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,764 psi | 53% | 2628 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,463 psi | 58% | 2723 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 98% | 36,143 psi | 58% | 2799 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 | 55gr | Berger Target FB. Hodgdon H322 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,159 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,903 fps to 3,159 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 55.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:11.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2015, Accurate 2460, Accurate 2495 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, Alliant Reloder-7 rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 55gr | 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.