Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.6 x 70 R with .224 | 50gr | Hornady ECX bullet and 7 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 2495 | <<locked>> | 88% | 33,982 psi | 90% | 3054 fps | 97.7% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,793 psi | 87% | 3071 fps | 99.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,851 psi | 87% | 2224 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,431 psi | 89% | 3091 fps | 96.2% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,706 psi | 87% | 2270 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 82% | 34,011 psi | 90% | 2979 fps | 97.2% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,851 psi | 87% | 3025 fps | 97.1% |
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 2495 | <<locked>> | 84% | 29,196 psi | 77% | 2917 fps | 95.8% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,458 psi | 81% | 2999 fps | 98.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | 9.3 gr | 80% | 24,163 psi | 64% | 2001 fps | 100% |
| IMR 3031 | <<locked>> | 82% | 31,067 psi | 82% | 3018 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 9.4 gr | 80% | 23,815 psi | 63% | 2037 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,676 psi | 84% | 2917 fps | 96.3% |
| Vihtavuori N135 | <<locked>> | 82% | 28,572 psi | 76% | 2897 fps | 95.3% |
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.
This overview compares 7 powders for 5.6 x 70 R loaded with the .224 | 50gr | Hornady ECX. IMR 3031 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,091 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,224 fps to 3,091 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 7 of the 7 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (260 MPa), the top charges use 87–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 50.0 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 | 50gr | Hornady ECX 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.