Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.6 x 70 R with .224 | 46gr | Peregrine VLR-5 bullet and 5 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ReloadSwiss RS 14 and Hodgdon TrailBoss.
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>> | 82% | 33,388 psi | 89% | 3077 fps | 96% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 84% | 32,967 psi | 87% | 3159 fps | 98.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,648 psi | 87% | 2297 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,474 psi | 86% | 2343 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 88% | 32,576 psi | 86% | 3104 fps | 96% |
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% | 31,401 psi | 83% | 3018 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,790 psi | 76% | 3028 fps | 96.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | 9.1 gr | 80% | 23,888 psi | 63% | 2064 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 9.3 gr | 80% | 23,873 psi | 63% | 2113 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 86% | 30,574 psi | 81% | 3041 fps | 95.1% |
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 17 powders for 5.6 x 70 R loaded with the .224 | 46gr | Peregrine VLR-5. IMR 3031 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,176 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,297 fps to 3,176 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 17 of the 17 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (260 MPa), the top charges use 84–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 46.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:10.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. 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. ReloadSwiss RS 14, Hodgdon TrailBoss rank at the top here: for 5.6 x 70 R with the .224 | 46gr | Peregrine VLR-5 they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate 2520, Accurate 4064, Norma 202 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.