Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 5.6 x 70 R with .224 | 85gr | Barnes Match Burner bullet and 7 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Somchem S365, 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.
A valid access license is required to use the Personalized Load Calculator.
You can find more information in our FAQ: How can I use the Personalized Load Calculator?
Max Load - Barrel Length: 23.62"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 82% | 33,634 psi | 89% | 2510 fps | 96.2% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 88% | 33,315 psi | 88% | 2444 fps | 96.1% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 96% | 33,359 psi | 88% | 1693 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 96% | 33,765 psi | 90% | 1732 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S365 | <<locked>> | 88% | 32,663 psi | 87% | 2490 fps | 97.5% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 84% | 33,605 psi | 89% | 2415 fps | 96.4% |
| Winchester StaBALL HDᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,794 psi | 90% | 2585 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant Reloder-17 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,372 psi | 83% | 2448 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon Hybrid 100V | <<locked>> | 86% | 31,343 psi | 83% | 2395 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | 8.6 gr | 80% | 26,295 psi | 70% | 1549 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 8.7 gr | 80% | 26,324 psi | 70% | 1578 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S365 | 26.6 gr | 84% | 28,631 psi | 76% | 2375 fps | 95.6% |
| Winchester 6.5 StaBALL | <<locked>> | 82% | 31,444 psi | 83% | 2359 fps | 95.4% |
| Winchester StaBALL HD | <<locked>> | 98% | 31,531 psi | 84% | 2513 fps | 95.4% |
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 20 powders for 5.6 x 70 R loaded with the .224 | 85gr | Barnes Match Burner. Winchester StaBALL HD delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,585 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,693 fps to 2,585 fps. Winchester StaBALL HD gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 20 of the 20 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (260 MPa), the top charges use 85–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 85.0 gr projectile in 0.224" calls for a 1:8.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Winchester StaBALL HD 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. Somchem S365, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Hodgdon TrailBoss rank at the top here: for 5.6 x 70 R with the .224 | 85gr | Barnes Match Burner they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate 3100, Accurate 4350, Alliant Reloder-16 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.