Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.6 x 50 R Mag. with .224 | 55gr | Hornady Varmint bullet and 38 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Alliant AR-Comp, Hodgdon H322 and IMR 3031.
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"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,989 psi | 85% | 3038 fps | 99% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,091 psi | 87% | 3074 fps | 96.8% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 98% | 42,699 psi | 87% | 3110 fps | 99.4% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,872 psi | 85% | 3094 fps | 96% |
| Accurate 4064ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,612 psi | 86% | 3127 fps | 97.5% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 84% | 44,367 psi | 90% | 3009 fps | 98.3% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 82% | 41,858 psi | 85% | 2956 fps | 95.8% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 82% | 44,382 psi | 90% | 3081 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,453 psi | 86% | 3097 fps | 97.8% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,106 psi | 89% | 3176 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,482 psi | 86% | 3077 fps | 99.6% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,308 psi | 88% | 2992 fps | 98.5% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 90% | 43,453 psi | 88% | 3120 fps | 98% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 84% | 41,785 psi | 85% | 3074 fps | 96.7% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,178 psi | 88% | 3009 fps | 97.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,256 psi | 65% | 2041 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 98% | 43,091 psi | 87% | 3173 fps | 98.7% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,627 psi | 88% | 3064 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,091 psi | 87% | 3084 fps | 96% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 96% | 44,440 psi | 90% | 3146 fps | 96.7% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,293 psi | 86% | 3051 fps | 99.8% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,120 psi | 87% | 3100 fps | 97.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,242 psi | 65% | 2087 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 88% | 44,164 psi | 90% | 3100 fps | 96.1% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,280 psi | 90% | 3094 fps | 97% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,091 psi | 87% | 3084 fps | 96% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 96% | 44,440 psi | 90% | 3146 fps | 96.7% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,279 psi | 88% | 3100 fps | 96.9% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,917 psi | 87% | 3077 fps | 98.6% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 92% | 43,265 psi | 88% | 3012 fps | 96.9% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,829 psi | 85% | 2989 fps | 97.7% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,771 psi | 85% | 2999 fps | 97.5% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 84% | 44,034 psi | 89% | 3022 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 90% | 44,614 psi | 90% | 3054 fps | 99.7% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 96% | 44,338 psi | 90% | 3058 fps | 99.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 98% | 43,526 psi | 88% | 3123 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,409 psi | 86% | 3061 fps | 97.3% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,598 psi | 86% | 3087 fps | 96.9% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 23.62"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,240 psi | 61% | 2756 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 84% | 37,565 psi | 76% | 2949 fps | 95.1% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 86% | 28,181 psi | 57% | 2759 fps | 95.3% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 90% | 39,015 psi | 79% | 3031 fps | 95.1% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 94% | 34,896 psi | 71% | 2949 fps | 95.1% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,233 psi | 80% | 2900 fps | 97.2% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,595 psi | 80% | 2907 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,350 psi | 84% | 3022 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,941 psi | 75% | 2969 fps | 96.3% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | 22.4 gr | 80% | 27,891 psi | 57% | 2769 fps | 97.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,824 psi | 71% | 2904 fps | 98.3% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,710 psi | 76% | 2874 fps | 97.2% |
| Hodgdon H322 | 23.6 gr | 84% | 35,650 psi | 72% | 2940 fps | 95.8% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 82% | 39,015 psi | 79% | 3012 fps | 95.9% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,350 psi | 82% | 2946 fps | 96.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,917 psi | 49% | 1834 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | 23.8 gr | 88% | 31,444 psi | 64% | 2877 fps | 95% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,608 psi | 74% | 2910 fps | 99.3% |
| Lovex D073.4 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,147 psi | 81% | 3022 fps | 95.1% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,350 psi | 84% | 3084 fps | 95.9% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,479 psi | 80% | 2992 fps | 99.6% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 90% | 37,594 psi | 76% | 2979 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,018 psi | 49% | 1883 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 86% | 41,263 psi | 84% | 3038 fps | 95.3% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 88% | 39,175 psi | 79% | 2982 fps | 95.6% |
| Shooters World AR Plus | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,147 psi | 81% | 3022 fps | 95.1% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 94% | 41,350 psi | 84% | 3084 fps | 95.9% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,391 psi | 76% | 2966 fps | 95.1% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,462 psi | 72% | 2910 fps | 96.7% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 88% | 38,043 psi | 77% | 2897 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,751 psi | 70% | 2831 fps | 95.6% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,621 psi | 70% | 2835 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,696 psi | 78% | 2920 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 80% | 32,735 psi | 66% | 2789 fps | 97.5% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,676 psi | 62% | 2740 fps | 95.7% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 86% | 29,385 psi | 60% | 2782 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 92% | 37,420 psi | 76% | 2949 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 92% | 37,231 psi | 76% | 2966 fps | 95.2% |
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 5.6 x 50 R Mag. loaded with the .224 | 55gr | Hornady Varmint. Alliant AR-Comp delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,176 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,041 fps to 3,176 fps. Accurate 4064 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 (340 MPa), the top charges use 65–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Accurate 4064, 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. Alliant AR-Comp, Hodgdon H322, IMR 3031 rank at the top here: for 5.6 x 50 R Mag. with the .224 | 55gr | 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.