Load data for 5.6 x 50 R Mag. + .224 | 50gr | Hornady Varmint

5.6 x 50 R Mag. cartridge drawing
Hornady logo

Load Specifications

Bullet Manufacturer:Hornady
Bullet Weight:50 gr
Bullet Diameter:0.224"
Bullet Length:<<locked>>
Case Length (l3):1.968"
Cartridge Length (C.O.L.):<<locked>>
Case Capacity:34 Grains of Water
Primer Size:Small Rifle (SR)
Barrel Length:23.62"
Max. allowed Pressure:49,313 psi

Load data in caliber 5.6 x 50 R Mag. with .224 | 50gr | Hornady Varmint bullet and 28 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Hodgdon H322, Alliant AR-Comp and SNPE Vectan SP 3.

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: 23.62"

PowderChargeFRMaxP%V(0)z
Accurate 2015<<locked>>94%44,208 psi90%3202 fps98.7%
Accurate 2495ᴾ<<locked>>100%41,872 psi85%3215 fps98.7%
Accurate LT-30<<locked>>84%41,829 psi85%3071 fps96.9%
ADI AR 2207<<locked>>84%43,932 psi89%3202 fps100%
ADI AR 2219<<locked>>86%42,308 psi86%3209 fps96.8%
Alliant AR-Comp<<locked>>96%43,743 psi89%3294 fps100%
Alliant Reloder-10x<<locked>>88%41,872 psi85%3186 fps99.1%
Alliant Reloder-7<<locked>>82%43,091 psi87%3153 fps99.5%
Baschieri & Pellagri 106<<locked>>86%43,279 psi88%3097 fps97.6%
Hodgdon H322<<locked>>92%42,801 psi87%3219 fps96.9%
Hodgdon H4198<<locked>>84%43,105 psi87%3120 fps96.5%
Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ<<locked>>100%31,691 psi64%2126 fps100%
IMR 3031ᴾ<<locked>>100%42,250 psi86%3268 fps97.7%
IMR 4198<<locked>>88%43,337 psi88%3179 fps99.7%
Norma 200<<locked>>86%44,585 psi90%3222 fps99.7%
Norma 202<<locked>>96%42,293 psi86%3196 fps95.8%
ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ<<locked>>100%31,575 psi64%2175 fps100%
Rottweil R 901<<locked>>94%43,555 psi88%3192 fps95.8%
SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2<<locked>>82%43,947 psi89%2949 fps100%
SNPE Vectan SP 3<<locked>>88%42,815 psi87%3196 fps97.8%
SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000<<locked>>94%42,830 psi87%3110 fps95.7%
SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000ᴾ<<locked>>100%41,742 psi85%3097 fps96.7%
Somchem S335<<locked>>96%44,527 psi90%3166 fps97.2%
Vihtavuori N120<<locked>>86%43,598 psi88%3143 fps100%
Vihtavuori N130<<locked>>92%44,614 psi90%3176 fps99.3%
Vihtavuori N133<<locked>>98%43,758 psi89%3163 fps98.6%
Vihtavuori N135ᴾ<<locked>>100%43,018 psi87%3232 fps98.8%
Vihtavuori N140<<locked>>98%42,090 psi85%3163 fps96.2%

Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.

Start Load - Barrel Length: 23.62"

PowderChargeFRMaxP%V(0)z
Accurate 2015<<locked>>84%31,850 psi65%2910 fps95.2%
Accurate 2495<<locked>>92%31,473 psi64%2963 fps95.7%
Accurate LT-30<<locked>>80%36,970 psi75%2956 fps95.4%
ADI AR 2207<<locked>>80%38,537 psi78%3091 fps100%
ADI AR 2219<<locked>>82%36,869 psi75%3077 fps95%
Alliant AR-Comp23 gr82%27,731 psi56%2864 fps96.1%
Alliant Reloder-10x<<locked>>80%32,314 psi66%2949 fps96.6%
Alliant Reloder-7<<locked>>80%40,248 psi82%3091 fps99.1%
Baschieri & Pellagri 106<<locked>>80%35,360 psi72%2920 fps95.3%
Hodgdon H32224.7 gr88%37,681 psi76%3100 fps95.3%
Hodgdon H4198<<locked>>82%40,698 psi83%3064 fps95.8%
Hodgdon TrailBoss<<locked>>80%23,438 psi48%1913 fps100%
IMR 3031<<locked>>94%35,099 psi71%3091 fps95.4%
IMR 4198<<locked>>80%34,345 psi70%2969 fps98.1%
Norma 200<<locked>>80%36,651 psi74%3048 fps98.6%
Norma 202<<locked>>94%39,900 psi81%3143 fps95%
ReloadSwiss RS 14<<locked>>80%23,482 psi48%1962 fps100%
Rottweil R 901<<locked>>92%41,205 psi84%3140 fps95.1%
SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2<<locked>>80%41,495 psi84%2907 fps100%
SNPE Vectan SP 322.4 gr82%35,027 psi71%3009 fps95.4%
SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000<<locked>>92%40,422 psi82%3058 fps95%
SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000<<locked>>96%36,782 psi75%2982 fps95.1%
Somchem S335<<locked>>90%36,869 psi75%2995 fps95%
Vihtavuori N120<<locked>>80%36,071 psi73%2989 fps100%
Vihtavuori N130<<locked>>80%30,530 psi62%2835 fps95.7%
Vihtavuori N133<<locked>>88%32,445 psi66%2897 fps95.3%
Vihtavuori N135<<locked>>90%30,850 psi63%2930 fps95%
Vihtavuori N140<<locked>>96%39,334 psi80%3100 fps95.3%

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.

<<locked>> you need an access license to unlock this data.

This overview compares 28 powders for 5.6 x 50 R Mag. loaded with the .224 | 50gr | Hornady Varmint. Alliant AR-Comp delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,294 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,126 fps to 3,294 fps. Accurate 2495 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 28 of the 28 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.

Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (340 MPa), the top charges use 64–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Accurate 2495, Hodgdon TrailBoss, IMR 3031 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. Hodgdon H322, Alliant AR-Comp, SNPE Vectan SP 3 rank at the top here: for 5.6 x 50 R Mag. with the .224 | 50gr | Hornady Varmint they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.

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