Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 62gr | Nosler Bonded Solid Base bullet and 44 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Hodgdon H322, SNPE Vectan SP 3 and Shooters World AR Plus.
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% | 56,391 psi | 90% | 2887 fps | 100% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,605 psi | 84% | 2910 fps | 99.6% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,608 psi | 89% | 2969 fps | 98.1% |
| Accurate 2495ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,147 psi | 66% | 2772 fps | 98.4% |
| Accurate 2520ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,083 psi | 84% | 2949 fps | 97.1% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,229 psi | 85% | 2844 fps | 98.9% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,722 psi | 86% | 2854 fps | 97.4% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 92% | 56,420 psi | 90% | 2946 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,100 psi | 88% | 2995 fps | 99% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 49,023 psi | 79% | 2940 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 98% | 56,434 psi | 90% | 2989 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,549 psi | 87% | 2904 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,419 psi | 89% | 2881 fps | 99.3% |
| Hodgdon Benchmarkᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,405 psi | 89% | 2923 fps | 96.5% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 96% | 52,968 psi | 85% | 2963 fps | 98.7% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,215 psi | 87% | 2976 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 55,085 psi | 88% | 2894 fps | 98.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,169 psi | 52% | 1801 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,717 psi | 75% | 2917 fps | 98.5% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,868 psi | 88% | 2930 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 86% | 55,405 psi | 89% | 2871 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 90% | 52,576 psi | 84% | 2933 fps | 96.9% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 98% | 56,275 psi | 90% | 2972 fps | 97% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 86% | 53,766 psi | 86% | 2818 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,403 psi | 86% | 2927 fps | 100% |
| Norma 202ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 47,485 psi | 76% | 2864 fps | 96.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,227 psi | 52% | 1847 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 86% | 55,317 psi | 89% | 2904 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 98% | 56,289 psi | 90% | 2986 fps | 97.5% |
| Rottweil R 901ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,953 psi | 83% | 2910 fps | 97.5% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 90% | 52,576 psi | 84% | 2933 fps | 96.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,346 psi | 87% | 2671 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,506 psi | 89% | 2992 fps | 98.3% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,288 psi | 87% | 2953 fps | 99.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,503 psi | 83% | 2838 fps | 97.5% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,162 psi | 66% | 2671 fps | 96.3% |
| Somchem S321 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,432 psi | 86% | 2956 fps | 95.8% |
| Somchem S335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 49,661 psi | 80% | 2831 fps | 98.1% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,680 psi | 89% | 2766 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 92% | 56,434 psi | 90% | 2897 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,186 psi | 87% | 2894 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,502 psi | 81% | 2844 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N135ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,337 psi | 68% | 2785 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N140ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,715 psi | 72% | 2789 fps | 96.6% |
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% | 42,960 psi | 69% | 2674 fps | 99.1% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 84% | 31,966 psi | 51% | 2510 fps | 95.2% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,525 psi | 68% | 2749 fps | 95.3% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 92% | 30,951 psi | 50% | 2546 fps | 95.2% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 96% | 45,339 psi | 73% | 2835 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,043 psi | 59% | 2546 fps | 95.3% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 86% | 44,875 psi | 72% | 2703 fps | 95.4% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,638 psi | 62% | 2657 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 84% | 38,899 psi | 62% | 2703 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 82% | 27,398 psi | 44% | 2454 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,532 psi | 52% | 2543 fps | 96.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,842 psi | 64% | 2651 fps | 99% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,186 psi | 56% | 2516 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon Benchmark | <<locked>> | 96% | 49,472 psi | 79% | 2828 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon H322 | 21.1 gr | 86% | 37,855 psi | 61% | 2677 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,191 psi | 66% | 2746 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,857 psi | 66% | 2641 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,467 psi | 38% | 1608 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 92% | 36,158 psi | 58% | 2697 fps | 95.6% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,447 psi | 55% | 2552 fps | 98.2% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,861 psi | 74% | 2726 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 86% | 45,818 psi | 73% | 2818 fps | 95.4% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 94% | 48,559 psi | 78% | 2854 fps | 95.4% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,324 psi | 73% | 2690 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,912 psi | 59% | 2628 fps | 98.6% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,611 psi | 67% | 2753 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,670 psi | 38% | 1650 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,513 psi | 73% | 2749 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,296 psi | 74% | 2822 fps | 95.4% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,424 psi | 70% | 2759 fps | 95.6% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | 22.7 gr | 86% | 45,818 psi | 73% | 2818 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,800 psi | 67% | 2493 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,351 psi | 68% | 2762 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | 19.1 gr | 82% | 35,215 psi | 56% | 2595 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,627 psi | 68% | 2687 fps | 95.5% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 98% | 38,522 psi | 62% | 2615 fps | 95.5% |
| Somchem S321 | <<locked>> | 96% | 50,038 psi | 80% | 2897 fps | 95% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,493 psi | 62% | 2625 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 52,663 psi | 84% | 2726 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,798 psi | 62% | 2625 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,154 psi | 50% | 2451 fps | 95.9% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,605 psi | 52% | 2497 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 92% | 32,634 psi | 52% | 2575 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,755 psi | 64% | 2690 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 44 powders for 5.56 x 45 NATO loaded with the .224 | 62gr | Nosler Bonded Solid Base. ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,995 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,801 fps to 2,995 fps. Accurate 2015 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 44 of the 44 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (430 MPa), the top charges use 52–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 62.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:11.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2015, Accurate 2495, Accurate 2520 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. Hodgdon H322, SNPE Vectan SP 3, Shooters World AR Plus rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 62gr | Nosler Bonded Solid Base 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.