Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .50 BMG with .510 | 750gr | Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos bullet and 25 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% | 46,717 psi | 87% | 2493 fps | 99.1% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 88% | 47,587 psi | 89% | 2470 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2218 | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,094 psi | 88% | 2592 fps | 99.7% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 90% | 47,094 psi | 88% | 2497 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 84% | 48,167 psi | 90% | 2461 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | <<locked>> | 88% | 45,455 psi | 85% | 2516 fps | 99.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | <<locked>> | 92% | 45,411 psi | 85% | 2520 fps | 99% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 86% | 48,037 psi | 90% | 2490 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 84% | 45,368 psi | 85% | 2434 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 84% | 47,456 psi | 88% | 2543 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,145 psi | 71% | 1568 fps | 100% |
| IMR 7977 Enduron | <<locked>> | 84% | 46,644 psi | 87% | 2365 fps | 96.9% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,630 psi | 87% | 2493 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 84% | 48,066 psi | 90% | 2369 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,718 psi | 89% | 2510 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,412 psi | 86% | 2421 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,204 psi | 73% | 1604 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 84% | 47,166 psi | 88% | 2530 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 80 | <<locked>> | 86% | 46,485 psi | 87% | 2513 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 96% | 45,730 psi | 85% | 2454 fps | 98.6% |
| Vihtavuori 20N29ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,614 psi | 85% | 2480 fps | 97.4% |
| Vihtavuori N170 | <<locked>> | 84% | 45,498 psi | 85% | 2398 fps | 98.1% |
| Vihtavuori N565 | <<locked>> | 82% | 46,499 psi | 87% | 2448 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N568 | <<locked>> | 86% | 47,514 psi | 89% | 2516 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | <<locked>> | 86% | 45,368 psi | 85% | 2523 fps | 99.1% |
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>> | 88% | 32,938 psi | 61% | 2231 fps | 95.3% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,303 psi | 68% | 2277 fps | 99.7% |
| ADI AR 2218 | 205.6 gr | 82% | 33,156 psi | 62% | 2293 fps | 96% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,576 psi | 63% | 2260 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,090 psi | 78% | 2369 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | 204.2 gr | 80% | 33,953 psi | 63% | 2290 fps | 96.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | 213.8 gr | 84% | 34,069 psi | 63% | 2293 fps | 96% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,363 psi | 73% | 2343 fps | 99.9% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,479 psi | 74% | 2336 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,307 psi | 77% | 2444 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,689 psi | 53% | 1398 fps | 100% |
| IMR 7977 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,089 psi | 77% | 2264 fps | 95.4% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,270 psi | 58% | 2201 fps | 98.7% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,438 psi | 79% | 2287 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,720 psi | 59% | 2221 fps | 99.9% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,134 psi | 80% | 2372 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,559 psi | 55% | 1434 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,596 psi | 76% | 2425 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 80 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,318 psi | 70% | 2349 fps | 99.2% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,012 psi | 65% | 2251 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori 20N29 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,668 psi | 74% | 2375 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N170 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,856 psi | 74% | 2297 fps | 96.7% |
| Vihtavuori N565 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,526 psi | 81% | 2398 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N568 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,522 psi | 72% | 2356 fps | 99% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,666 psi | 68% | 2356 fps | 97.1% |
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 .510 | 750gr | Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos. ADI AR 2218 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,592 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,568 fps to 2,592 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 750.0 gr projectile in 0.51" calls for a 1:17.0 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 .510 | 750gr | Lehigh Defense Controlled Chaos 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.