Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .50 BMG with .510 | 800gr | Lehigh Defense Match Solid bullet and 32 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-33 and Alliant Reloder-50.
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% | 46,122 psi | 86% | 2408 fps | 99.3% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 88% | 47,224 psi | 88% | 2382 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2218 | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,572 psi | 87% | 2503 fps | 99.9% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 90% | 46,630 psi | 87% | 2408 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 84% | 47,718 psi | 89% | 2372 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | <<locked>> | 90% | 48,298 psi | 90% | 2480 fps | 99.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | <<locked>> | 94% | 47,834 psi | 89% | 2480 fps | 99.6% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 109 | <<locked>> | 82% | 48,501 psi | 90% | 2369 fps | 99.8% |
| Bofors RP15 | <<locked>> | 82% | 48,399 psi | 90% | 2379 fps | 100% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 86% | 47,384 psi | 88% | 2398 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 86% | 45,324 psi | 84% | 2352 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H4831 | <<locked>> | 82% | 47,471 psi | 88% | 2333 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 84% | 47,036 psi | 88% | 2451 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,087 psi | 71% | 1503 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon US 869 | <<locked>> | 96% | 47,340 psi | 88% | 2411 fps | 96.3% |
| IMR 7977 Enduron | <<locked>> | 84% | 46,253 psi | 86% | 2280 fps | 97.3% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 92% | 45,992 psi | 86% | 2402 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D100 | <<locked>> | 88% | 45,672 psi | 85% | 2326 fps | 96.3% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 84% | 47,311 psi | 88% | 2280 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,007 psi | 88% | 2415 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot LRT | <<locked>> | 92% | 46,615 psi | 87% | 2444 fps | 96.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,146 psi | 73% | 1542 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 84% | 46,688 psi | 87% | 2438 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 80 | <<locked>> | 86% | 45,788 psi | 85% | 2421 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World 50 BMG | <<locked>> | 88% | 45,672 psi | 85% | 2326 fps | 96.3% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 98% | 48,211 psi | 90% | 2415 fps | 99.3% |
| Vihtavuori 20N29ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,889 psi | 84% | 2395 fps | 97.7% |
| Vihtavuori 24N41 | <<locked>> | 94% | 48,327 psi | 90% | 2421 fps | 96.5% |
| Vihtavuori N170 | <<locked>> | 86% | 47,979 psi | 89% | 2362 fps | 98.9% |
| Vihtavuori N565 | <<locked>> | 82% | 45,788 psi | 85% | 2359 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N568 | <<locked>> | 86% | 46,905 psi | 87% | 2425 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | <<locked>> | 88% | 48,066 psi | 90% | 2487 fps | 99.7% |
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% | 32,227 psi | 60% | 2149 fps | 95.8% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,781 psi | 67% | 2192 fps | 99.8% |
| ADI AR 2218 | 193 gr | 80% | 30,269 psi | 56% | 2152 fps | 95.3% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,938 psi | 61% | 2175 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,626 psi | 78% | 2283 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | 196.5 gr | 80% | 33,257 psi | 62% | 2205 fps | 96.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | 200.8 gr | 82% | 30,705 psi | 57% | 2149 fps | 95.2% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 109 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,426 psi | 85% | 2320 fps | 99.5% |
| Bofors RP15 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,310 psi | 84% | 2333 fps | 100% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,638 psi | 72% | 2254 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,796 psi | 69% | 2208 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H4831 | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,483 psi | 83% | 2287 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,770 psi | 76% | 2356 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,601 psi | 53% | 1339 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon US 869 | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,164 psi | 82% | 2359 fps | 95.4% |
| IMR 7977 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,698 psi | 76% | 2185 fps | 95.9% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,516 psi | 57% | 2116 fps | 98.9% |
| Lovex D100 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,540 psi | 79% | 2274 fps | 95.4% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,640 psi | 78% | 2195 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,951 psi | 58% | 2136 fps | 99.9% |
| Ramshot LRT | <<locked>> | 90% | 43,482 psi | 81% | 2388 fps | 95.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,428 psi | 55% | 1375 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,987 psi | 75% | 2336 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 80 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,593 psi | 68% | 2260 fps | 99.3% |
| Shooters World 50 BMG | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,540 psi | 79% | 2274 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 86% | 31,995 psi | 60% | 2119 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori 20N29 | <<locked>> | 94% | 36,245 psi | 68% | 2238 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori 24N41 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,991 psi | 84% | 2365 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N170 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,189 psi | 73% | 2215 fps | 97.1% |
| Vihtavuori N565 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,830 psi | 80% | 2310 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N568 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,855 psi | 71% | 2270 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,042 psi | 67% | 2267 fps | 97.4% |
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 33 powders for .50 BMG loaded with the .510 | 800gr | Lehigh Defense Match Solid. ADI AR 2218 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,503 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,503 fps to 2,503 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 33 of the 33 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 800.0 gr projectile in 0.51" calls for a 1:16.0 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-33, Alliant Reloder-50 rank at the top here: for .50 BMG with the .510 | 800gr | Lehigh Defense Match Solid 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.