Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 8.6 mm Blackout with .338 | 185gr | Barnes X 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 ADI AR 2219, SNPE Vectan SP 10 and Norma 200.
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: 16"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 1680 | <<locked>> | 92% | 55,347 psi | 89% | 2254 fps | 99.3% |
| Accurate 2015ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,599 psi | 72% | 2182 fps | 96.9% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,201 psi | 89% | 2244 fps | 97.4% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,636 psi | 88% | 2152 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,969 psi | 87% | 2297 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 55,912 psi | 90% | 2362 fps | 97.2% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 41,133 psi | 66% | 2192 fps | 98.4% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,966 psi | 82% | 2290 fps | 99% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,722 psi | 87% | 2267 fps | 99.5% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,156 psi | 86% | 2241 fps | 97.3% |
| Hodgdon H322ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,546 psi | 82% | 2293 fps | 96.2% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 94% | 54,317 psi | 88% | 2247 fps | 96.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 32,053 psi | 52% | 1348 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 52,750 psi | 85% | 2274 fps | 99.7% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,665 psi | 88% | 2238 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,665 psi | 88% | 2260 fps | 99.7% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 90% | 53,171 psi | 86% | 2201 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,245 psi | 89% | 2326 fps | 99.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 31,778 psi | 51% | 1378 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 90% | 54,128 psi | 87% | 2264 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 84% | 54,665 psi | 88% | 2260 fps | 99.7% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 84% | 56,014 psi | 90% | 2251 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,954 psi | 87% | 2090 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 56,014 psi | 90% | 2362 fps | 96.1% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 51,967 psi | 84% | 2290 fps | 97.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 86% | 55,854 psi | 90% | 2162 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 96% | 53,954 psi | 87% | 2260 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 49,240 psi | 79% | 2211 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N133ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 42,801 psi | 69% | 2123 fps | 96.1% |
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% | 38,261 psi | 62% | 2005 fps | 96.4% |
| Accurate 2015 | <<locked>> | 96% | 39,798 psi | 64% | 2103 fps | 95.6% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 90% | 44,121 psi | 71% | 2090 fps | 95.1% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,776 psi | 79% | 2083 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,142 psi | 55% | 1995 fps | 98.8% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 35.6 gr | 94% | 46,209 psi | 75% | 2228 fps | 95.1% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 92% | 32,967 psi | 53% | 2028 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 86% | 34,461 psi | 56% | 2014 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,042 psi | 58% | 1991 fps | 96.5% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 92% | 44,280 psi | 71% | 2116 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H322 | <<locked>> | 98% | 47,297 psi | 76% | 2244 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 90% | 48,515 psi | 78% | 2169 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,786 psi | 38% | 1201 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 80% | 31,053 psi | 50% | 1900 fps | 95% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 41,336 psi | 67% | 2051 fps | 99.2% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,791 psi | 79% | 2178 fps | 99.2% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,654 psi | 66% | 2028 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200 | 28.7 gr | 80% | 33,054 psi | 53% | 1972 fps | 95.7% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 23,699 psi | 38% | 1230 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 40,828 psi | 66% | 2073 fps | 99% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,791 psi | 79% | 2178 fps | 99.2% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,226 psi | 79% | 2162 fps | 99.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 38,232 psi | 62% | 1890 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 10 | 38.4 gr | 98% | 52,576 psi | 85% | 2320 fps | 95.4% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 92% | 41,292 psi | 67% | 2126 fps | 95.1% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,398 psi | 76% | 2060 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 34,243 psi | 55% | 1972 fps | 99.5% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 88% | 35,099 psi | 57% | 1982 fps | 95.2% |
| Vihtavuori N133 | <<locked>> | 98% | 40,437 psi | 65% | 2083 fps | 95.5% |
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 X BT. ADI AR 2219 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,362 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,348 fps to 2,362 fps. Accurate 2015 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 51–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 185.0 gr projectile in 0.338" calls for a 1:15.5 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Accurate 2015, ADI AR 2219, Alliant AR-Comp 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 2219, SNPE Vectan SP 10, Norma 200 rank at the top here: for 8.6 mm Blackout with the .338 | 185gr | Barnes X 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.