Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .50 Beowolf with .500 | 500gr | Hornady FP XTP bullet and 5 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2, ReloadSwiss RS 14 and Hodgdon TrailBoss.
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% | 24,250 psi | 73% | 886 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 29,704 psi | 89% | 1371 fps | 95.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 23,003 psi | 69% | 902 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 96% | 29,530 psi | 89% | 1325 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 88% | 29,762 psi | 89% | 1358 fps | 99.8% |
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 | 9.4 gr | 80% | 17,129 psi | 51% | 784 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 92% | 27,818 psi | 83% | 1345 fps | 95.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 9.6 gr | 80% | 16,360 psi | 49% | 804 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | 23 gr | 80% | 19,145 psi | 57% | 1155 fps | 98.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,192 psi | 70% | 1260 fps | 98.4% |
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 5 powders for .50 Beowolf loaded with the .500 | 500gr | Hornady FP XTP. Lovex S053 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,371 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 886 fps to 1,371 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 5 of the 5 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (230 MPa), the top charges use 69–89 %, leaving at least 11 % 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. SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Hodgdon TrailBoss rank at the top here: for .50 Beowolf with the .500 | 500gr | Hornady FP XTP they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. 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.