Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 8.6 mm Blackout with .338 | 185gr | Barnes TSX BT bullet and 29 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ReloadSwiss RS 36, ADI AR 2219 and Alliant Reloder-7.
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: 16"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,810 psi | 87% | 2267 fps | 99.3% |
| Accurate LT-30ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,621 psi | 87% | 2254 fps | 97.4% |
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 82% | 53,882 psi | 85% | 2234 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,753 psi | 88% | 1693 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 86% | 54,389 psi | 86% | 2169 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,825 psi | 88% | 2343 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,517 psi | 82% | 2326 fps | 96.4% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 36,782 psi | 58% | 2139 fps | 97.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 45,919 psi | 73% | 2244 fps | 98.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,158 psi | 87% | 2310 fps | 99.7% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,605 psi | 83% | 2251 fps | 97.2% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 98% | 57,000 psi | 90% | 2300 fps | 97.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,472 psi | 48% | 1342 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 49,008 psi | 78% | 2244 fps | 99.4% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 92% | 54,157 psi | 86% | 2251 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 86% | 54,607 psi | 87% | 2280 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex D063 | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,636 psi | 87% | 2267 fps | 99.8% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,766 psi | 87% | 2244 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,228 psi | 83% | 2316 fps | 99.6% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,892 psi | 47% | 1371 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 94% | 56,811 psi | 90% | 2320 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Blackout | <<locked>> | 82% | 54,636 psi | 87% | 2267 fps | 99.8% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 86% | 54,607 psi | 87% | 2280 fps | 99.7% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 86% | 55,709 psi | 88% | 2264 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,477 psi | 88% | 2126 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 47,688 psi | 76% | 2251 fps | 96.8% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 88% | 54,795 psi | 87% | 2175 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,941 psi | 89% | 2303 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,628 psi | 71% | 2169 fps | 97.8% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 16"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,316 psi | 54% | 1959 fps | 95.2% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 94% | 45,585 psi | 72% | 2133 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,270 psi | 80% | 2188 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 53,722 psi | 85% | 1670 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,324 psi | 72% | 2060 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,805 psi | 47% | 1939 fps | 97.8% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 37.1 gr | 98% | 47,964 psi | 76% | 2277 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 96% | 32,503 psi | 52% | 2047 fps | 95.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 90% | 33,823 psi | 54% | 2037 fps | 95.2% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | 29.1 gr | 82% | 33,533 psi | 53% | 1978 fps | 95.7% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 94% | 43,221 psi | 69% | 2123 fps | 95.1% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 92% | 47,587 psi | 75% | 2175 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 22,162 psi | 35% | 1194 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,951 psi | 49% | 1926 fps | 95% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 37,753 psi | 60% | 2014 fps | 98.7% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,571 psi | 72% | 2152 fps | 98.8% |
| Lovex D063 | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,937 psi | 81% | 2221 fps | 99.5% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,593 psi | 58% | 1991 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 84% | 31,212 psi | 49% | 1975 fps | 95.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,843 psi | 35% | 1224 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 28.6 gr | 80% | 36,738 psi | 58% | 2031 fps | 98.3% |
| Shooters World Blackout | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,937 psi | 81% | 2221 fps | 99.5% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,571 psi | 72% | 2152 fps | 98.8% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 45,629 psi | 72% | 2136 fps | 99.3% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,519 psi | 55% | 1860 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 96% | 42,163 psi | 67% | 2165 fps | 95.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 43,018 psi | 68% | 2034 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,066 psi | 48% | 1923 fps | 98.8% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,853 psi | 55% | 2008 fps | 95.2% |
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 29 powders for 8.6 mm Blackout loaded with the .338 | 185gr | Barnes TSX BT. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,343 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,342 fps to 2,343 fps. Accurate LT-30 gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 29 of the 29 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (427 MPa), the top charges use 47–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 185.0 gr projectile in 0.338" calls for a 1:13.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate LT-30, ADI AR 2207, ADI AR 2219 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 36, ADI AR 2219, Alliant Reloder-7 rank at the top here: for 8.6 mm Blackout with the .338 | 185gr | Barnes TSX BT 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.