Load data for 7.21 Firebird + .284 | 130gr | Speer Hot-Cor

7.21 Firebird cartridge drawing
Speer logo

Load Specifications

Bullet Manufacturer:Speer
Bullet Weight:130 gr
Bullet Diameter:0.284"
Bullet Length:<<locked>>
Case Length (l3):2.8"
Cartridge Length (C.O.L.):<<locked>>
Case Capacity:121 Grains of Water
Primer Size:Large Rifle Magnum (LRM)
Barrel Length:26"
Max. allowed Pressure:66,717 psi
Recommended Twist Rate:1:13.5

Load data in caliber 7.21 Firebird with .284 | 130gr | Speer Hot-Cor bullet and 51 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Hodgdon Retumbo, ADI AR 2218 and ReloadSwiss RS 80.

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: 26"

PowderChargeFRMaxP%V(0)z
Accurate 3100<<locked>>86%57,696 psi86%3258 fps100%
Accurate MAGPRO<<locked>>84%56,898 psi85%3373 fps99.3%
ADI AR 2209<<locked>>84%58,349 psi87%3356 fps100%
ADI AR 2213<<locked>>86%57,232 psi86%3369 fps99.8%
ADI AR 2217<<locked>>94%56,855 psi85%3346 fps99.9%
ADI AR 2218<<locked>>98%57,914 psi87%3474 fps98.7%
ADI AR 2225<<locked>>96%56,347 psi84%3366 fps100%
Alliant Reloder-19<<locked>>84%57,943 psi87%3340 fps100%
Alliant Reloder-22<<locked>>86%57,740 psi87%3363 fps100%
Alliant Reloder-23<<locked>>88%59,698 psi89%3317 fps100%
Alliant Reloder-25<<locked>>90%56,869 psi85%3343 fps100%
Alliant Reloder-26<<locked>>82%56,811 psi85%3350 fps100%
Alliant Reloder-33<<locked>>96%60,046 psi90%3448 fps98.7%
Alliant Reloder-50<<locked>>98%55,956 psi84%3360 fps97.5%
Baschieri & Pellagri 109<<locked>>88%57,754 psi87%3320 fps98.4%
Bofors RP15<<locked>>88%57,305 psi86%3353 fps100%
Bofors RP30<<locked>>92%56,695 psi85%3360 fps99.9%
Bofors RP5<<locked>>86%57,740 psi87%3363 fps100%
Hodgdon H1000<<locked>>92%58,305 psi87%3369 fps100%
Hodgdon H4831<<locked>>86%59,857 psi90%3360 fps99.7%
Hodgdon H4831 SC<<locked>>86%58,755 psi88%3340 fps99.6%
Hodgdon Hybrid 100V<<locked>>82%58,566 psi88%3251 fps100%
Hodgdon Retumbo<<locked>>90%56,246 psi84%3438 fps100%
Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ<<locked>>100%37,768 psi57%2198 fps100%
IMR 4350<<locked>>82%60,118 psi90%3323 fps100%
IMR 4955 Enduron<<locked>>86%59,872 psi90%3333 fps99.8%
IMR 7828 SSC<<locked>>88%59,944 psi90%3419 fps99.9%
IMR 8133 Enduronᴾ<<locked>>100%59,248 psi89%3409 fps100%
Lovex S071<<locked>>92%59,553 psi89%3287 fps100%
Norma 217<<locked>>98%56,768 psi85%3373 fps100%
Norma MRP<<locked>>84%58,102 psi87%3383 fps100%
Ramshot Grand<<locked>>86%57,276 psi86%3376 fps99.9%
Ramshot Magnum<<locked>>90%60,350 psi90%3360 fps100%
ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ<<locked>>100%38,783 psi58%2251 fps100%
ReloadSwiss RS 76<<locked>>90%57,595 psi86%3419 fps100%
ReloadSwiss RS 80<<locked>>92%56,826 psi85%3379 fps99.4%
Rottweil R 904<<locked>>84%58,726 psi88%3323 fps99.8%
Rottweil R 905<<locked>>84%57,769 psi87%3333 fps100%
SNPE Vectan SP 13ᴾ<<locked>>100%51,706 psi78%3212 fps96.1%
SNPE Vectan Tubal 8000<<locked>>84%57,377 psi86%3327 fps100%
Somchem S361<<locked>>82%56,478 psi85%3241 fps99.4%
Somchem S385<<locked>>84%58,175 psi87%3297 fps100%
Vihtavuori N165<<locked>>88%58,392 psi88%3281 fps100%
Vihtavuori N170<<locked>>92%58,073 psi87%3307 fps97%
Vihtavuori N555<<locked>>84%57,711 psi87%3297 fps100%
Vihtavuori N560<<locked>>84%57,348 psi86%3383 fps99.6%
Vihtavuori N565<<locked>>90%58,885 psi88%3376 fps99.8%
Vihtavuori N568<<locked>>92%57,029 psi85%3383 fps99.1%
Vihtavuori N570<<locked>>94%58,624 psi88%3455 fps98.1%
Winchester StaBALL HD<<locked>>86%56,927 psi85%3356 fps100%
Winchester Supreme 780<<locked>>86%58,102 psi87%3291 fps100%

Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.

Start Load - Barrel Length: 26"

PowderChargeFRMaxP%V(0)z
Accurate 3100<<locked>>80%46,963 psi70%3074 fps100%
Accurate MAGPRO<<locked>>80%49,110 psi74%3222 fps98%
ADI AR 2209<<locked>>80%50,966 psi76%3225 fps99.6%
ADI AR 2213<<locked>>80%46,311 psi69%3159 fps98.3%
ADI AR 2217<<locked>>82%37,072 psi56%2933 fps96%
ADI AR 2218104.2 gr92%46,079 psi69%3225 fps95.4%
ADI AR 2225<<locked>>80%31,836 psi48%2822 fps96.9%
Alliant Reloder-19<<locked>>80%50,850 psi76%3215 fps99.6%
Alliant Reloder-22<<locked>>80%47,094 psi71%3166 fps99.3%
Alliant Reloder-23<<locked>>80%45,730 psi69%3091 fps100%
Alliant Reloder-25<<locked>>80%39,943 psi60%3025 fps99.9%
Alliant Reloder-26<<locked>>80%52,837 psi79%3287 fps100%
Alliant Reloder-33<<locked>>90%47,776 psi72%3215 fps95.9%
Alliant Reloder-50<<locked>>94%48,022 psi72%3202 fps95.4%
Baschieri & Pellagri 109<<locked>>80%44,208 psi66%3054 fps95.1%
Bofors RP15<<locked>>80%43,700 psi66%3091 fps98.6%
Bofors RP30<<locked>>80%37,362 psi56%2949 fps96.1%
Bofors RP5<<locked>>80%47,094 psi71%3166 fps99.3%
Hodgdon H1000<<locked>>80%37,579 psi56%2949 fps96.8%
Hodgdon H4831<<locked>>80%48,805 psi73%3159 fps98.3%
Hodgdon H4831 SC<<locked>>80%47,863 psi72%3140 fps98.1%
Hodgdon Hybrid 100V<<locked>>80%54,752 psi82%3196 fps100%
Hodgdon Retumbo85.5 gr80%38,972 psi58%3074 fps98.4%
Hodgdon TrailBoss<<locked>>80%28,427 psi43%1978 fps100%
IMR 4350<<locked>>80%56,420 psi85%3264 fps100%
IMR 4955 Enduron<<locked>>80%49,284 psi74%3143 fps98.5%
IMR 7828 SSC<<locked>>80%45,005 psi67%3136 fps98%
IMR 8133 Enduron<<locked>>86%36,477 psi55%2936 fps95.6%
Lovex S071<<locked>>80%40,321 psi60%2936 fps99.5%
Norma 217<<locked>>82%31,981 psi48%2825 fps95.9%
Norma MRP<<locked>>80%50,401 psi76%3248 fps100%
Ramshot Grand<<locked>>80%45,600 psi68%3156 fps98.5%
Ramshot Magnum<<locked>>80%41,278 psi62%3015 fps98.9%
ReloadSwiss RS 14<<locked>>80%29,124 psi44%2024 fps100%
ReloadSwiss RS 76<<locked>>80%38,696 psi58%3045 fps99.2%
ReloadSwiss RS 8096.9 gr84%41,742 psi63%3074 fps96.1%
Rottweil R 904<<locked>>80%51,517 psi77%3192 fps99.2%
Rottweil R 905<<locked>>80%50,502 psi76%3202 fps99.7%
SNPE Vectan SP 13<<locked>>98%48,153 psi72%3143 fps95.1%
SNPE Vectan Tubal 8000<<locked>>80%50,154 psi75%3199 fps99.6%
Somchem S361<<locked>>80%52,750 psi79%3176 fps99%
Somchem S385<<locked>>80%50,923 psi76%3173 fps99.9%
Vihtavuori N165<<locked>>80%44,657 psi67%3035 fps99.2%
Vihtavuori N170<<locked>>88%50,517 psi76%3163 fps95.1%
Vihtavuori N555<<locked>>80%50,502 psi76%3179 fps100%
Vihtavuori N560<<locked>>80%49,850 psi75%3241 fps98.6%
Vihtavuori N565<<locked>>80%41,655 psi62%3031 fps96.8%
Vihtavuori N568<<locked>>84%42,627 psi64%3091 fps95.8%
Vihtavuori N570<<locked>>88%46,934 psi70%3222 fps95.1%
Winchester StaBALL HD<<locked>>80%45,150 psi68%3159 fps100%
Winchester Supreme 780<<locked>>80%47,137 psi71%3097 fps99.3%

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.

<<locked>> you need an access license to unlock this data.

This overview compares 51 powders for 7.21 Firebird loaded with the .284 | 130gr | Speer Hot-Cor. ADI AR 2218 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,474 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 2,198 fps to 3,474 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 51 of the 51 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.

Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (460 MPa), the top charges use 57–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 130.0 gr projectile in 0.284" calls for a 1:13.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, IMR 8133 Enduron, 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. Hodgdon Retumbo, ADI AR 2218, ReloadSwiss RS 80 rank at the top here: for 7.21 Firebird with the .284 | 130gr | Speer Hot-Cor 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.

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