Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 7.21 Firebird with .284 | 180gr | Berger VLD Hunting bullet and 43 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2218, Vihtavuori N570 and Ramshot LRT.
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"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 3100 | <<locked>> | 82% | 59,176 psi | 89% | 2867 fps | 100% |
| Accurate 8700 | <<locked>> | 98% | 56,840 psi | 85% | 2959 fps | 99.7% |
| ADI AR 2213 | <<locked>> | 82% | 58,885 psi | 88% | 2982 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 90% | 59,422 psi | 89% | 2979 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2218 | <<locked>> | 92% | 56,521 psi | 85% | 3071 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 92% | 59,959 psi | 90% | 3002 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-22 | <<locked>> | 82% | 59,437 psi | 89% | 2972 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 82% | 58,044 psi | 87% | 2867 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 86% | 59,495 psi | 89% | 2956 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | <<locked>> | 90% | 58,566 psi | 88% | 3038 fps | 99.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | <<locked>> | 94% | 59,451 psi | 89% | 3048 fps | 99.8% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 109 | <<locked>> | 84% | 58,392 psi | 88% | 2946 fps | 99.9% |
| Bofors RP15 | <<locked>> | 84% | 59,030 psi | 88% | 2966 fps | 100% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 88% | 59,480 psi | 89% | 2995 fps | 100% |
| Bofors RP5 | <<locked>> | 82% | 59,437 psi | 89% | 2972 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 86% | 56,608 psi | 85% | 2933 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H4831 SC | <<locked>> | 82% | 59,741 psi | 90% | 2949 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 86% | 60,017 psi | 90% | 3061 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 38,290 psi | 57% | 1893 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon US 869 | <<locked>> | 96% | 57,072 psi | 86% | 2959 fps | 96.9% |
| IMR 4955 Enduron | <<locked>> | 82% | 60,336 psi | 90% | 2936 fps | 100% |
| IMR 7828 SSC | <<locked>> | 82% | 57,812 psi | 87% | 2969 fps | 100% |
| IMR 7977 Enduron | <<locked>> | 88% | 59,176 psi | 89% | 2910 fps | 98.4% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 94% | 58,842 psi | 88% | 2999 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D100 | <<locked>> | 90% | 57,580 psi | 86% | 2917 fps | 97.4% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 86% | 57,827 psi | 87% | 2851 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 92% | 56,811 psi | 85% | 2963 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot Grand | <<locked>> | 82% | 59,727 psi | 90% | 2995 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot LRT | <<locked>> | 94% | 60,089 psi | 90% | 3068 fps | 97.7% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 84% | 58,015 psi | 87% | 2920 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,479 psi | 59% | 1936 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 84% | 56,623 psi | 85% | 2986 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 80 | <<locked>> | 88% | 59,770 psi | 90% | 3031 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World 50 BMG | <<locked>> | 90% | 57,580 psi | 86% | 2917 fps | 97.4% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 98% | 58,218 psi | 87% | 2963 fps | 99.6% |
| Vihtavuori 20N29ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,593 psi | 83% | 2943 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori 24N41 | <<locked>> | 94% | 57,493 psi | 86% | 2966 fps | 96.9% |
| Vihtavuori N165 | <<locked>> | 84% | 59,712 psi | 90% | 2894 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N170 | <<locked>> | 88% | 59,364 psi | 89% | 2953 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N565 | <<locked>> | 84% | 57,203 psi | 86% | 2946 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N568 | <<locked>> | 88% | 59,756 psi | 90% | 3031 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | <<locked>> | 88% | 57,580 psi | 86% | 3048 fps | 99.7% |
| Winchester Supreme 780 | <<locked>> | 82% | 59,074 psi | 89% | 2900 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 26"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 3100 | <<locked>> | 80% | 55,245 psi | 83% | 2815 fps | 100% |
| Accurate 8700 | <<locked>> | 86% | 36,608 psi | 55% | 2579 fps | 95% |
| ADI AR 2213 | <<locked>> | 80% | 55,013 psi | 82% | 2927 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,916 psi | 63% | 2690 fps | 99.8% |
| ADI AR 2218 | 85.6 gr | 80% | 36,114 psi | 54% | 2644 fps | 95.4% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 80% | 39,378 psi | 59% | 2667 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-22 | <<locked>> | 80% | 55,695 psi | 83% | 2917 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-23 | <<locked>> | 80% | 54,360 psi | 81% | 2818 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-25 | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,602 psi | 73% | 2799 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,596 psi | 61% | 2707 fps | 97% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | <<locked>> | 82% | 38,377 psi | 58% | 2648 fps | 95.6% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 109 | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,358 psi | 77% | 2835 fps | 99.4% |
| Bofors RP15 | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,982 psi | 78% | 2861 fps | 100% |
| Bofors RP30 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,397 psi | 68% | 2762 fps | 100% |
| Bofors RP5 | <<locked>> | 80% | 55,695 psi | 83% | 2917 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H1000 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,658 psi | 68% | 2759 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon H4831 SC | <<locked>> | 80% | 55,956 psi | 84% | 2897 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Retumbo | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,559 psi | 73% | 2887 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,906 psi | 43% | 1696 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon US 869 | <<locked>> | 92% | 49,574 psi | 74% | 2831 fps | 95.1% |
| IMR 4955 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 56,637 psi | 85% | 2881 fps | 100% |
| IMR 7828 SSC | <<locked>> | 80% | 53,983 psi | 81% | 2913 fps | 100% |
| IMR 7977 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,832 psi | 69% | 2680 fps | 95.6% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,666 psi | 55% | 2595 fps | 98.7% |
| Lovex D100 | <<locked>> | 86% | 49,879 psi | 75% | 2789 fps | 95.7% |
| Lovex S071 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,877 psi | 72% | 2703 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,536 psi | 56% | 2621 fps | 99.9% |
| Ramshot Grand | <<locked>> | 80% | 55,463 psi | 83% | 2936 fps | 100% |
| Ramshot LRT | 96.1 gr | 90% | 52,025 psi | 78% | 2930 fps | 95.9% |
| Ramshot Magnum | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,198 psi | 75% | 2805 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,747 psi | 45% | 1736 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 76 | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,646 psi | 73% | 2864 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 80 | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,469 psi | 67% | 2772 fps | 99.4% |
| Shooters World 50 BMG | <<locked>> | 86% | 49,879 psi | 75% | 2789 fps | 95.7% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 86% | 38,609 psi | 58% | 2602 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori 20N29 | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,918 psi | 67% | 2753 fps | 95.9% |
| Vihtavuori 24N41 | <<locked>> | 90% | 49,966 psi | 75% | 2838 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N165 | <<locked>> | 80% | 52,301 psi | 78% | 2789 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N170 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,397 psi | 68% | 2713 fps | 97% |
| Vihtavuori N565 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,893 psi | 75% | 2831 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N568 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,136 psi | 68% | 2785 fps | 99.2% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | 83.8 gr | 80% | 43,236 psi | 65% | 2779 fps | 97.4% |
| Winchester Supreme 780 | <<locked>> | 80% | 55,288 psi | 83% | 2848 fps | 100% |
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 7.21 Firebird loaded with the .284 | 180gr | Berger VLD Hunting. ADI AR 2218 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,071 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,893 fps to 3,071 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 (460 MPa), the top charges use 57–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 180.0 gr projectile in 0.284" calls for a 1:9.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Vihtavuori 20N29 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. ADI AR 2218, Vihtavuori N570, Ramshot LRT rank at the top here: for 7.21 Firebird with the .284 | 180gr | Berger VLD Hunting 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.