Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .50 BMG with .509 | 870gr | Peregrine Glider GRM 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, Alliant Reloder-50 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.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 29"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 8700 | <<locked>> | 98% | 47,776 psi | 89% | 2326 fps | 99.8% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 86% | 45,455 psi | 85% | 2247 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2218 | <<locked>> | 92% | 48,080 psi | 90% | 2418 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 90% | 48,269 psi | 90% | 2316 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,977 psi | 86% | 2234 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | <<locked>> | 88% | 46,369 psi | 86% | 2343 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,064 psi | 86% | 2346 fps | 99.7% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 84% | 45,716 psi | 85% | 2260 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 84% | 46,398 psi | 86% | 2257 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,368 psi | 85% | 2313 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,130 psi | 71% | 1427 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon US 869 | <<locked>> | 94% | 45,556 psi | 85% | 2280 fps | 96.7% |
| IMR 7977 Enduron | <<locked>> | 84% | 47,355 psi | 88% | 2195 fps | 98.1% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,500 psi | 89% | 2313 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D100 | <<locked>> | 88% | 46,949 psi | 87% | 2244 fps | 97.3% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 84% | 48,559 psi | 90% | 2185 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 90% | 45,484 psi | 85% | 2280 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot LRT | <<locked>> | 92% | 48,051 psi | 90% | 2362 fps | 97.5% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 82% | 47,239 psi | 88% | 2241 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,262 psi | 73% | 1463 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 84% | 48,399 psi | 90% | 2346 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 80 | <<locked>> | 86% | 47,355 psi | 88% | 2333 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World 50 BMG | <<locked>> | 88% | 46,949 psi | 87% | 2244 fps | 97.3% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 96% | 46,456 psi | 87% | 2283 fps | 99.5% |
| Vihtavuori 20N29ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,398 psi | 86% | 2316 fps | 98.6% |
| Vihtavuori 24N41 | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,427 psi | 87% | 2287 fps | 96.8% |
| Vihtavuori N170 | <<locked>> | 84% | 46,079 psi | 86% | 2228 fps | 99.1% |
| Vihtavuori N565 | <<locked>> | 82% | 47,166 psi | 88% | 2270 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N568 | <<locked>> | 86% | 48,356 psi | 90% | 2336 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | <<locked>> | 86% | 46,267 psi | 86% | 2349 fps | 99.8% |
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>> | 84% | 28,935 psi | 54% | 1982 fps | 95.2% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,869 psi | 69% | 2113 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2218 | 184.7 gr | 80% | 31,212 psi | 58% | 2090 fps | 96.9% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,084 psi | 64% | 2100 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,931 psi | 80% | 2192 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | 188.1 gr | 80% | 34,461 psi | 64% | 2136 fps | 98.1% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | 187.6 gr | 80% | 29,631 psi | 55% | 2034 fps | 95.8% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,914 psi | 74% | 2172 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,205 psi | 75% | 2165 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,250 psi | 79% | 2267 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,674 psi | 53% | 1273 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon US 869 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,467 psi | 79% | 2231 fps | 95.8% |
| IMR 7977 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,626 psi | 78% | 2106 fps | 96.9% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,647 psi | 59% | 2044 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex D100 | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,828 psi | 76% | 2146 fps | 95.8% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,801 psi | 80% | 2110 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,169 psi | 60% | 2064 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot LRT | <<locked>> | 86% | 39,001 psi | 73% | 2208 fps | 95% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,874 psi | 82% | 2198 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,559 psi | 55% | 1306 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,481 psi | 77% | 2251 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 80 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,884 psi | 71% | 2185 fps | 99.8% |
| Shooters World 50 BMG | <<locked>> | 84% | 40,828 psi | 76% | 2146 fps | 95.8% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,908 psi | 58% | 2005 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori 20N29 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,969 psi | 65% | 2119 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori 24N41 | <<locked>> | 88% | 40,321 psi | 75% | 2185 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N170 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,321 psi | 75% | 2136 fps | 98.1% |
| Vihtavuori N565 | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,063 psi | 82% | 2224 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N568 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,131 psi | 73% | 2192 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,362 psi | 70% | 2195 fps | 98.5% |
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 31 powders for .50 BMG loaded with the .509 | 870gr | Peregrine Glider GRM. ADI AR 2218 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,418 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,427 fps to 2,418 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 31 of the 31 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 870.0 gr projectile in 0.509" calls for a 1:14.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Vihtavuori 20N29 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, Alliant Reloder-50, Alliant Reloder-33 rank at the top here: for .50 BMG with the .509 | 870gr | Peregrine Glider GRM they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Hodgdon 50BMG 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.