Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 55gr | Speer SP w/C bullet and 40 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2219, SNPE Vectan SP 10 and Hodgdon H335.
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% | 53,824 psi | 86% | 3012 fps | 99.7% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,111 psi | 80% | 3028 fps | 98.8% |
| Accurate 2460ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,985 psi | 90% | 3130 fps | 97.3% |
| Accurate 2495ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,898 psi | 61% | 2858 fps | 96.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,288 psi | 87% | 3018 fps | 98.3% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,781 psi | 88% | 3025 fps | 96.6% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,303 psi | 89% | 2940 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,156 psi | 85% | 3077 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,072 psi | 90% | 3173 fps | 98.4% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,847 psi | 74% | 3048 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,070 psi | 87% | 3123 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 92% | 55,463 psi | 89% | 3084 fps | 99.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,159 psi | 90% | 3045 fps | 98.8% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,142 psi | 85% | 3127 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,434 psi | 89% | 3150 fps | 97.4% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 56,333 psi | 90% | 3074 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,676 psi | 51% | 1919 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,714 psi | 70% | 3012 fps | 96.8% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,230 psi | 89% | 3104 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 88% | 55,840 psi | 90% | 3051 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,187 psi | 88% | 3091 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,359 psi | 86% | 3104 fps | 96% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 88% | 54,172 psi | 87% | 2999 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,896 psi | 86% | 3100 fps | 99.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,647 psi | 51% | 1965 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 88% | 55,927 psi | 90% | 3084 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,577 psi | 86% | 3100 fps | 95.9% |
| Rottweil R 901ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,979 psi | 79% | 3015 fps | 95.8% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,359 psi | 86% | 3104 fps | 96% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,187 psi | 88% | 3091 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 92% | 54,476 psi | 87% | 2844 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 96% | 56,144 psi | 90% | 3159 fps | 97.5% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,853 psi | 88% | 3127 fps | 98.9% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,704 psi | 78% | 2943 fps | 95.9% |
| Somchem S335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,789 psi | 75% | 2933 fps | 96.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 84% | 56,028 psi | 90% | 2949 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,185 psi | 85% | 3028 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,795 psi | 88% | 3064 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 47,616 psi | 76% | 2953 fps | 98.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,508 psi | 63% | 2881 fps | 96.8% |
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% | 41,336 psi | 66% | 2792 fps | 98.1% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 90% | 36,071 psi | 58% | 2753 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 96% | 49,023 psi | 79% | 3015 fps | 95.8% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 98% | 35,331 psi | 57% | 2799 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 84% | 39,668 psi | 64% | 2749 fps | 95% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 90% | 48,385 psi | 78% | 2913 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,938 psi | 83% | 2890 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,695 psi | 59% | 2776 fps | 99.6% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 23.1 gr | 88% | 42,061 psi | 67% | 2917 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 86% | 29,399 psi | 47% | 2648 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,416 psi | 52% | 2684 fps | 95.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,956 psi | 61% | 2762 fps | 97.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,712 psi | 65% | 2776 fps | 95.7% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,002 psi | 66% | 2894 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon H335 | 25.6 gr | 94% | 48,109 psi | 77% | 3028 fps | 95.9% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,816 psi | 70% | 2851 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,351 psi | 37% | 1722 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 96% | 38,334 psi | 61% | 2890 fps | 95% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,590 psi | 52% | 2648 fps | 96.5% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,121 psi | 71% | 2858 fps | 99.8% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 52,475 psi | 84% | 3045 fps | 99.9% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 90% | 49,937 psi | 80% | 3045 fps | 95.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,047 psi | 69% | 2818 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,360 psi | 55% | 2720 fps | 97% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,018 psi | 37% | 1755 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,381 psi | 70% | 2874 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 96% | 49,632 psi | 80% | 3028 fps | 95% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 98% | 45,963 psi | 74% | 2959 fps | 95.1% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 90% | 49,937 psi | 80% | 3045 fps | 95.2% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 52,475 psi | 84% | 3045 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,581 psi | 63% | 2618 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | 24.5 gr | 90% | 45,876 psi | 74% | 2982 fps | 95.2% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,045 psi | 64% | 2854 fps | 95.8% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 98% | 45,585 psi | 73% | 2887 fps | 95.1% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,278 psi | 66% | 2825 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,328 psi | 81% | 2871 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,869 psi | 59% | 2743 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,272 psi | 53% | 2644 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 92% | 37,275 psi | 60% | 2746 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 96% | 34,650 psi | 56% | 2766 fps | 95.1% |
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 40 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .224 | 55gr | Speer SP w/C. ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,173 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,919 fps to 3,173 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 40 of the 40 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (430 MPa), the top charges use 51–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 55.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:12.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2015, Accurate 2460, 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, SNPE Vectan SP 10, Hodgdon H335 rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 55gr | Speer SP w/C 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.