Load Specifications
Load data in caliber 8.6 mm Blackout with .338 | 185gr | Hornady GMX 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 ADI AR 2207.
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% | 53,301 psi | 86% | 2234 fps | 99% |
| Accurate LT-30ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 53,519 psi | 86% | 2228 fps | 97% |
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 82% | 52,344 psi | 84% | 2205 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 82% | 55,651 psi | 90% | 1680 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 86% | 53,272 psi | 86% | 2146 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,288 psi | 88% | 2313 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2219ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,169 psi | 81% | 2293 fps | 95.9% |
| Alliant AR-Compᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,505 psi | 57% | 2100 fps | 96.6% |
| Alliant Reloder-10xᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 44,643 psi | 72% | 2215 fps | 98% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 98% | 53,824 psi | 87% | 2283 fps | 99.5% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,981 psi | 82% | 2218 fps | 96.7% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 98% | 55,840 psi | 90% | 2270 fps | 96.8% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,008 psi | 48% | 1329 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 47,776 psi | 77% | 2215 fps | 99.1% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 94% | 56,043 psi | 90% | 2260 fps | 100% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 86% | 53,476 psi | 86% | 2251 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex D063 | <<locked>> | 82% | 53,592 psi | 86% | 2241 fps | 99.6% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 94% | 53,621 psi | 86% | 2218 fps | 100% |
| Norma 200ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 50,502 psi | 81% | 2287 fps | 99.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,791 psi | 48% | 1362 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 94% | 55,390 psi | 89% | 2290 fps | 100% |
| Shooters World Blackout | <<locked>> | 82% | 53,592 psi | 86% | 2241 fps | 99.6% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 86% | 53,476 psi | 86% | 2251 fps | 99.6% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 86% | 54,375 psi | 88% | 2238 fps | 99.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 98% | 54,244 psi | 87% | 2103 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 46,456 psi | 75% | 2221 fps | 96.3% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 88% | 53,301 psi | 86% | 2149 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 54,520 psi | 88% | 2280 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N130ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 43,453 psi | 70% | 2142 fps | 97.4% |
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>> | 82% | 36,042 psi | 58% | 1982 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate LT-30 | <<locked>> | 94% | 44,440 psi | 72% | 2106 fps | 95% |
| Accurate No. 11 FS | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,168 psi | 79% | 2165 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450 | <<locked>> | 80% | 53,577 psi | 86% | 1657 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2205 | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,585 psi | 72% | 2037 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2207 | 26.7 gr | 80% | 28,993 psi | 47% | 1913 fps | 97.3% |
| ADI AR 2219 | 36.1 gr | 98% | 46,586 psi | 75% | 2241 fps | 95% |
| Alliant AR-Comp | <<locked>> | 98% | 33,678 psi | 54% | 2064 fps | 95.8% |
| Alliant Reloder-10x | <<locked>> | 92% | 34,780 psi | 56% | 2047 fps | 95.3% |
| Alliant Reloder-7 | <<locked>> | 82% | 32,605 psi | 53% | 1949 fps | 95.1% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 106 | <<locked>> | 96% | 44,976 psi | 73% | 2136 fps | 95.3% |
| Hodgdon H4198 | <<locked>> | 94% | 49,313 psi | 80% | 2185 fps | 95.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,886 psi | 35% | 1181 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4198 | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,010 psi | 52% | 1939 fps | 95.2% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 36,637 psi | 59% | 1985 fps | 98.3% |
| Lovex D060 | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,802 psi | 72% | 2126 fps | 98.6% |
| Lovex D063 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,835 psi | 80% | 2192 fps | 99.3% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 35,752 psi | 58% | 1969 fps | 99.9% |
| Norma 200 | <<locked>> | 86% | 32,314 psi | 52% | 1991 fps | 95.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 21,553 psi | 35% | 1211 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | 27.8 gr | 80% | 35,708 psi | 58% | 2005 fps | 97.9% |
| Shooters World Blackout | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,835 psi | 80% | 2192 fps | 99.3% |
| Shooters World Buffalo Rifle | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,802 psi | 72% | 2126 fps | 98.6% |
| Shooters World SOCOM | <<locked>> | 80% | 44,628 psi | 72% | 2110 fps | 99% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 33,591 psi | 54% | 1841 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3 | <<locked>> | 98% | 43,598 psi | 70% | 2178 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori N110 | <<locked>> | 80% | 42,366 psi | 68% | 2014 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,312 psi | 47% | 1900 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N130 | <<locked>> | 94% | 35,969 psi | 58% | 2018 fps | 95.3% |
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.
This overview compares 29 powders for 8.6 mm Blackout loaded with the .338 | 185gr | Hornady GMX. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 2,313 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,329 fps to 2,313 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 48–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 185.0 gr projectile in 0.338" calls for a 1:14.0 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, ADI AR 2207 rank at the top here: for 8.6 mm Blackout with the .338 | 185gr | Hornady GMX 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.