Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .50 BMG with .509 | 647gr | Barnes TSX FB bullet and 30 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2218, Vihtavuori N570 and Alliant Reloder-33.
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.
A valid access license is required to use the Personalized Load Calculator.
You can find more information in our FAQ: How can I use the Personalized Load Calculator?
Max Load - Barrel Length: 29"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 8700ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,978 psi | 88% | 2694 fps | 98.2% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 90% | 47,979 psi | 89% | 2684 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2218 | <<locked>> | 94% | 47,572 psi | 89% | 2795 fps | 99.1% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,152 psi | 88% | 2710 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 82% | 48,182 psi | 90% | 2602 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 86% | 48,341 psi | 90% | 2677 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | <<locked>> | 90% | 45,527 psi | 85% | 2713 fps | 98.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | <<locked>> | 94% | 45,092 psi | 84% | 2703 fps | 97.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 109 | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,470 psi | 87% | 2612 fps | 98.6% |
| Bofors RP15 | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,050 psi | 86% | 2631 fps | 100% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 88% | 48,037 psi | 90% | 2697 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 86% | 45,716 psi | 85% | 2644 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 86% | 47,529 psi | 89% | 2759 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 37,913 psi | 71% | 1716 fps | 100% |
| IMR 7828 SSC | <<locked>> | 82% | 47,688 psi | 89% | 2680 fps | 100% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 94% | 46,470 psi | 87% | 2694 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 86% | 47,979 psi | 89% | 2575 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 94% | 47,471 psi | 88% | 2713 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot Grand | <<locked>> | 82% | 48,370 psi | 90% | 2697 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 84% | 46,659 psi | 87% | 2631 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,928 psi | 73% | 1755 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 86% | 47,326 psi | 88% | 2743 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 80 | <<locked>> | 88% | 46,615 psi | 87% | 2717 fps | 99.7% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 98% | 45,774 psi | 85% | 2644 fps | 97.6% |
| Vihtavuori N165 | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,963 psi | 88% | 2572 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N170 | <<locked>> | 86% | 45,788 psi | 85% | 2595 fps | 97% |
| Vihtavuori N565 | <<locked>> | 84% | 46,528 psi | 87% | 2654 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N568 | <<locked>> | 88% | 47,645 psi | 89% | 2720 fps | 99.6% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | <<locked>> | 88% | 45,397 psi | 85% | 2723 fps | 98.1% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | <<locked>> | 82% | 47,659 psi | 89% | 2684 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 29"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 8700 | <<locked>> | 94% | 37,710 psi | 70% | 2510 fps | 95.6% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,866 psi | 63% | 2405 fps | 98.3% |
| ADI AR 2218 | 234.9 gr | 86% | 35,520 psi | 66% | 2526 fps | 95.2% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,096 psi | 58% | 2382 fps | 99.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,092 psi | 84% | 2556 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,247 psi | 73% | 2523 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | 233.7 gr | 84% | 36,347 psi | 68% | 2523 fps | 95.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,984 psi | 67% | 2513 fps | 95% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 109 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,511 psi | 81% | 2559 fps | 98% |
| Bofors RP15 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,091 psi | 80% | 2579 fps | 100% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,463 psi | 68% | 2474 fps | 99% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,869 psi | 69% | 2474 fps | 99.4% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,363 psi | 71% | 2589 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,456 psi | 53% | 1532 fps | 100% |
| IMR 7828 SSC | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,440 psi | 83% | 2625 fps | 99.8% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,587 psi | 53% | 2303 fps | 96.2% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,581 psi | 74% | 2434 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,819 psi | 54% | 2326 fps | 98.5% |
| Ramshot Grand | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,889 psi | 84% | 2638 fps | 99.9% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,161 psi | 75% | 2520 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,269 psi | 55% | 1568 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,521 psi | 70% | 2562 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 80 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,301 psi | 64% | 2464 fps | 97.2% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 92% | 37,144 psi | 69% | 2474 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N165 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,903 psi | 82% | 2520 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N170 | <<locked>> | 82% | 39,958 psi | 74% | 2484 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N565 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,567 psi | 76% | 2539 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N568 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,665 psi | 66% | 2480 fps | 97.1% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | 219.4 gr | 82% | 36,434 psi | 68% | 2533 fps | 95.4% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,135 psi | 82% | 2631 fps | 100% |
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 38 powders for .50 BMG loaded with the .509 | 647gr | Barnes TSX FB. ADI AR 2218 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,795 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,716 fps to 2,795 fps. Accurate 8700 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 38 of the 38 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (370 MPa), the top charges use 71–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 647.0 gr projectile in 0.51" calls for a 1:22.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 8700, 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. ADI AR 2218, Vihtavuori N570, Alliant Reloder-33 rank at the top here: for .50 BMG with the .509 | 647gr | Barnes TSX FB they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Hodgdon 50BMG, Hodgdon US 869, Lovex D100 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.