Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.6 x 50 R Mag. with .224 | 64gr | Berger Varmint bullet and 43 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are IMR 3031, Winchester 748 and Hodgdon H322.
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>> | 88% | 42,250 psi | 86% | 2841 fps | 99.6% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 86% | 42,917 psi | 87% | 2871 fps | 97.9% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,018 psi | 87% | 2913 fps | 99.9% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,655 psi | 84% | 2894 fps | 97.2% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 98% | 43,163 psi | 88% | 2940 fps | 98.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,772 psi | 89% | 2799 fps | 99.1% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 82% | 44,135 psi | 90% | 2805 fps | 97.6% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,148 psi | 85% | 2887 fps | 98.7% |
| ADI Benchmark 8208 | <<locked>> | 90% | 44,048 psi | 89% | 2894 fps | 95.9% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,411 psi | 90% | 2966 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 84% | 42,337 psi | 86% | 2864 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,656 psi | 87% | 2782 fps | 99.1% |
| Hodgdon Benchmark | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,613 psi | 88% | 2841 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon BL-C2 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,553 psi | 84% | 2897 fps | 96% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,236 psi | 88% | 2907 fps | 98.9% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 84% | 44,512 psi | 90% | 2930 fps | 98.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,170 psi | 67% | 1890 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,410 psi | 88% | 2972 fps | 99.5% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,410 psi | 88% | 2844 fps | 100% |
| IMR 8208 XBR | <<locked>> | 90% | 44,048 psi | 89% | 2894 fps | 95.9% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,120 psi | 87% | 2874 fps | 96.7% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,353 psi | 90% | 2946 fps | 97.8% |
| Lovex S062 | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,439 psi | 88% | 2897 fps | 95.9% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 92% | 42,859 psi | 87% | 2897 fps | 98.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,793 psi | 67% | 1926 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 86% | 43,555 psi | 88% | 2890 fps | 97.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,411 psi | 90% | 3015 fps | 97.1% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 90% | 44,121 psi | 89% | 2887 fps | 98.1% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,353 psi | 90% | 2946 fps | 97.8% |
| Shooters World Precision | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,439 psi | 88% | 2897 fps | 95.9% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 82% | 42,757 psi | 87% | 2890 fps | 97.9% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 84% | 43,250 psi | 88% | 2877 fps | 99.4% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 90% | 42,815 psi | 87% | 2805 fps | 97.9% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 98% | 44,541 psi | 90% | 2848 fps | 99.1% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 90% | 41,727 psi | 85% | 2802 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 82% | 43,932 psi | 89% | 2799 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 88% | 44,469 psi | 90% | 2844 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,570 psi | 90% | 2858 fps | 99.8% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 96% | 43,990 psi | 89% | 2923 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,801 psi | 87% | 2871 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori N530 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,134 psi | 87% | 2890 fps | 95.8% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 94% | 42,177 psi | 86% | 2884 fps | 97.9% |
| Winchester 748 | <<locked>> | 88% | 43,250 psi | 88% | 2940 fps | 96.7% |
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% | 32,735 psi | 66% | 2635 fps | 97.9% |
| Accurate 2460 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,027 psi | 71% | 2700 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate 2495 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,990 psi | 51% | 2477 fps | 95.2% |
| Accurate 2520 | <<locked>> | 86% | 35,998 psi | 73% | 2772 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate 4064 | <<locked>> | 88% | 31,038 psi | 63% | 2664 fps | 95.1% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,292 psi | 84% | 2749 fps | 98.7% |
| Accurate LT-32 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,655 psi | 84% | 2756 fps | 97.1% |
| ADI AR 2219 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,189 psi | 79% | 2825 fps | 98.1% |
| ADI Benchmark 8208 | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,089 psi | 83% | 2831 fps | 95% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,834 psi | 61% | 2648 fps | 99.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,507 psi | 76% | 2762 fps | 99.6% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,914 psi | 81% | 2730 fps | 98.7% |
| Hodgdon Benchmark | <<locked>> | 84% | 38,943 psi | 79% | 2743 fps | 95% |
| Hodgdon BL-C2 | <<locked>> | 88% | 38,653 psi | 78% | 2838 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon H322 | 21.4 gr | 80% | 33,431 psi | 68% | 2690 fps | 96.4% |
| Hodgdon H335 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,580 psi | 78% | 2808 fps | 97% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,294 psi | 49% | 1686 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | 21.1 gr | 82% | 27,949 psi | 57% | 2589 fps | 95% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,406 psi | 78% | 2746 fps | 99.9% |
| IMR 8208 XBR | <<locked>> | 88% | 41,089 psi | 83% | 2831 fps | 95% |
| Lovex D073.5 | <<locked>> | 82% | 37,391 psi | 76% | 2753 fps | 95% |
| Lovex D073.6 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,998 psi | 73% | 2772 fps | 95.5% |
| Lovex S062 | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,959 psi | 83% | 2848 fps | 95.1% |
| Norma 202 | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,982 psi | 67% | 2674 fps | 95.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 24,526 psi | 50% | 1732 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 40 | <<locked>> | 82% | 38,232 psi | 78% | 2776 fps | 95.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 60 | <<locked>> | 98% | 41,452 psi | 84% | 2946 fps | 96.1% |
| Rottweil R 901 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,563 psi | 70% | 2677 fps | 95.4% |
| Shooters World Match Rifle | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,998 psi | 73% | 2772 fps | 95.5% |
| Shooters World Precision | <<locked>> | 94% | 40,959 psi | 83% | 2848 fps | 95.1% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,871 psi | 81% | 2828 fps | 97.2% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,768 psi | 77% | 2762 fps | 98.5% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 3000 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,185 psi | 67% | 2595 fps | 95.1% |
| SNPE Vectan Tubal 5000 | <<locked>> | 86% | 30,632 psi | 62% | 2546 fps | 95.5% |
| Somchem S335 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,574 psi | 62% | 2546 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,307 psi | 84% | 2753 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,041 psi | 71% | 2654 fps | 99.1% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,892 psi | 59% | 2507 fps | 96.4% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,063 psi | 53% | 2500 fps | 95.5% |
| Vihtavuori N140 | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,924 psi | 67% | 2654 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N530 | <<locked>> | 86% | 40,582 psi | 82% | 2838 fps | 95% |
| Vihtavuori N540 | <<locked>> | 88% | 34,954 psi | 71% | 2723 fps | 95.8% |
| Winchester 748 | 25.5 gr | 86% | 40,306 psi | 82% | 2877 fps | 95.9% |
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 43 powders for 5.6 x 50 R Mag. loaded with the .224 | 64gr | Berger Varmint. ReloadSwiss RS 60 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,015 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,890 fps to 3,015 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 43 of the 43 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (340 MPa), the top charges use 67–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 64.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:11.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, ReloadSwiss RS 60 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. IMR 3031, Winchester 748, Hodgdon H322 rank at the top here: for 5.6 x 50 R Mag. with the .224 | 64gr | Berger 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.