Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.56 x 45 NATO with .224 | 62gr | Speer FMJ 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 H335, Hodgdon H322 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% | 56,202 psi | 90% | 2887 fps | 100% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,475 psi | 84% | 2910 fps | 99.6% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,448 psi | 89% | 2966 fps | 98.1% |
| Accurate 2495ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,422 psi | 65% | 2762 fps | 98.2% |
| Accurate 2520ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,924 psi | 83% | 2949 fps | 97.1% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,113 psi | 85% | 2841 fps | 98.9% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,592 psi | 86% | 2851 fps | 97.4% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 92% | 56,231 psi | 90% | 2946 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,969 psi | 88% | 2995 fps | 99% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,878 psi | 78% | 2943 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 98% | 56,304 psi | 90% | 2989 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,288 psi | 87% | 2904 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,274 psi | 89% | 2881 fps | 99.3% |
| Hodgdon Benchmarkᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,317 psi | 89% | 2923 fps | 96.5% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 96% | 52,779 psi | 85% | 2963 fps | 98.7% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,143 psi | 87% | 2976 fps | 98.1% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,940 psi | 88% | 2894 fps | 98.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,792 psi | 51% | 1795 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,543 psi | 75% | 2917 fps | 98.5% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,679 psi | 88% | 2927 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 86% | 55,158 psi | 88% | 2871 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 92% | 56,130 psi | 90% | 2992 fps | 97.6% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,477 psi | 89% | 2963 fps | 96.9% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 88% | 56,376 psi | 90% | 2854 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 92% | 53,214 psi | 85% | 2927 fps | 100% |
| Norma 202ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 47,326 psi | 76% | 2864 fps | 96.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,894 psi | 51% | 1837 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 86% | 55,085 psi | 88% | 2904 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 98% | 56,202 psi | 90% | 2986 fps | 97.5% |
| Rottweil R 901ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,793 psi | 83% | 2910 fps | 97.5% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 92% | 56,130 psi | 90% | 2992 fps | 97.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,085 psi | 87% | 2671 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,419 psi | 89% | 2992 fps | 98.2% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 96% | 54,128 psi | 87% | 2953 fps | 99.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,647 psi | 81% | 2828 fps | 97.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,495 psi | 65% | 2657 fps | 96.1% |
| Somchem S321 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,345 psi | 86% | 2953 fps | 95.8% |
| Somchem S335ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 48,921 psi | 78% | 2822 fps | 98% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,332 psi | 89% | 2762 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 92% | 56,246 psi | 90% | 2897 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,085 psi | 87% | 2894 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 49,632 psi | 80% | 2831 fps | 99.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,568 psi | 67% | 2776 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori N140ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,628 psi | 72% | 2785 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% | 42,815 psi | 69% | 2671 fps | 99.1% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 84% | 31,792 psi | 51% | 2507 fps | 95.1% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,800 psi | 67% | 2736 fps | 95.1% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 92% | 30,792 psi | 49% | 2546 fps | 95.2% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 96% | 45,223 psi | 73% | 2835 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,869 psi | 59% | 2543 fps | 95.3% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 86% | 44,686 psi | 72% | 2700 fps | 95.4% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,464 psi | 62% | 2657 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 84% | 38,725 psi | 62% | 2700 fps | 95.5% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 82% | 27,253 psi | 44% | 2451 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,314 psi | 52% | 2536 fps | 96.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,639 psi | 64% | 2648 fps | 98.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,085 psi | 56% | 2516 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon Benchmark | <<locked>> | 96% | 48,762 psi | 78% | 2815 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon H322 | 21 gr | 86% | 37,710 psi | 60% | 2677 fps | 95.2% |
| Hodgdon H335 | 23 gr | 88% | 41,060 psi | 66% | 2746 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,669 psi | 65% | 2638 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,598 psi | 38% | 1611 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 92% | 35,998 psi | 58% | 2694 fps | 95.5% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,214 psi | 55% | 2546 fps | 98.1% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,643 psi | 73% | 2723 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 86% | 45,672 psi | 73% | 2818 fps | 95.3% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 94% | 48,399 psi | 78% | 2851 fps | 95.3% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,049 psi | 72% | 2690 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,709 psi | 59% | 2625 fps | 98.5% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 96% | 41,437 psi | 66% | 2753 fps | 95.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,351 psi | 37% | 1644 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,281 psi | 73% | 2749 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,122 psi | 74% | 2818 fps | 95.3% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,265 psi | 69% | 2756 fps | 95.5% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | 22.6 gr | 86% | 45,672 psi | 73% | 2818 fps | 95.3% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,568 psi | 67% | 2490 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,206 psi | 68% | 2762 fps | 95.3% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 82% | 35,012 psi | 56% | 2592 fps | 95.3% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,525 psi | 68% | 2684 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 98% | 38,377 psi | 62% | 2615 fps | 95.5% |
| Somchem S321 | <<locked>> | 96% | 49,937 psi | 80% | 2900 fps | 95% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 92% | 38,319 psi | 61% | 2621 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 52,388 psi | 84% | 2723 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,551 psi | 62% | 2621 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,995 psi | 50% | 2448 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,460 psi | 52% | 2493 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 92% | 32,503 psi | 52% | 2572 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,771 psi | 67% | 2733 fps | 95.8% |
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 | Speer FMJ. ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,995 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,795 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 51–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 62.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:9.0 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 H335, Hodgdon H322, Shooters World AR Plus rank at the top here: for 5.56 x 45 NATO with the .224 | 62gr | Speer FMJ 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.