Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .50 Beowolf with .500 | 420gr | Lehigh Defense Xtreme Penetrator bullet and 4 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 and ReloadSwiss RS 14.
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: 16"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 24,265 psi | 73% | 1001 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,061 psi | 69% | 1020 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 28,790 psi | 86% | 1473 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 88% | 28,776 psi | 86% | 1506 fps | 98.9% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 16"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,434 psi | 52% | 889 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 10.6 gr | 80% | 16,708 psi | 50% | 909 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 25.3 gr | 80% | 18,927 psi | 57% | 1280 fps | 96.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | 26.4 gr | 80% | 22,669 psi | 68% | 1394 fps | 96.9% |
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 6 powders for .50 Beowolf loaded with the .500 | 420gr | Lehigh Defense Xtreme Penetrator. Lovex S053 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,512 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,001 fps to 1,512 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 6 of the 6 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (230 MPa), the top charges use 69–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 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. Vihtavuori N110, SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .50 Beowolf with the .500 | 420gr | Lehigh Defense Xtreme Penetrator they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, ADI AR 2205, Lovex S053 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 stay subsonic at start load. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.