Anybody messed with CFE 223?

[1slow01Z71]

Looking for a good metering powder that isn't flashy and temp stable. Been using H335 for mass blasting but this will be for defensive loads. 335 is a flamethrower out of my SBRs and isn't all that temp stable. I'll be loading some 50gr vmax and 62gr trophy bonded bear claws. CFE per the load data makes good velocity, it meters like water and the price isn't a concern so the only thing I'm really worried about is it being a spherical powder and having big velocity swings. I shoot down into the teens and up above 100 so temp stability is of a concern for a defensive load.

Planning to load them in LC brass with Tula small rifle magnum primers if it matters.

[SeriousStudent]

I have about a dozen pounds of it myself, and will be loading into LC brass with CCI small rifle primers. The Tula SRM primers are harder to find, and I can walk to Cabela's to get the CCI primers.

I'll be happy to share the results after I get to the range.

I also snagged some CFE Pistol, since Bullseye and Win 231 have been hard to find of late.

[opngrnd]

I have a pound of it I'm hoping to try, but it's kind of a side project. TAC and XBR are always available where I'm at. I'd be interested in a direct comparison between TAC and CFE.

Regarding CFE PISTOL, it became a favorite of mine once I found 8 pounders for $139 out the door. I've had luck with it in 9mm, 45acp, and 38 Super.

[cwgibson]

Tagging along for info. I have a couple of pounds I picked up to load some of the Nosler 64gr bsb because they had that listed as the best powder for those. From my readings on other forums it meters like water, burns clean and produces good velocity.


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[1slow01Z71]

Yep the only thing I'm worried about is temp stability. Everything else is good to go with. I'm hoping using the magnum primers will help light off the charge a bit more even.

My 8 twist 16" 308 is almost done and per some load data I've seen cfe should be great under 208 amaxs for it as well. Really hoping this stuff pans out. Would be nice to only stock one powder for 223 and 308 but since that'd be too easy it probably won't work out.

[cwgibson]

Yep the only thing I'm worried about is temp stability. Everything else is good to go with. I'm hoping using the magnum primers will help light off the charge a bit more even.

My 8 twist 16" 308 is almost done and per some load data I've seen cfe should be great under 208 amaxs for it as well. Really hoping this stuff pans out. Would be nice to only stock one powder for 223 and 308 but since that'd be too easy it probably won't work out.


Not an issue from what I have read. Accuracy is nice as well, again this is just what I am reading and hearing.


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[1slow01Z71]

I've read it is and it isn't. Being a double base I'd lean towards temp sensitive but it's got some additional goodies added in. Some report big velocity swings others don't. Usually magnum primers can help reduce those swings some but I haven't been able to find much on that except one thread on accurate that said he got smaller SDs and ESs with magnum primers.

[HKGuns]

It is my new go to powder, when I want to push the charge a bit, based primarily on availability. Loading it primarily in once fired LC brass with CCI SRP's and 77 grain SMK's or the tipped SMK's in addition to Hornady 75 grainers.

- It meters extremely well, very similar to 335.

- It burns pretty cleanly and doesn't leave a lot of crud lying about your rifle. (It is even supposed to eliminate Cu Fouling, but I haven't noticed.)

- It is accurate, but I do not yet have any Chronograph data for this powder. I have a pretty large supply of it as well so will be using it quite a bit also and will eventually get some chronograph data.

I've not used it long enough to give any information as to the relative temp sensitivity.

[SeriousStudent]

It is my new go to powder, when I want to push the charge a bit, based primarily on availability. Loading it primarily in once fired LC brass with CCI SRP's and 77 grain SMK's or the tipped SMK's in addition to Hornady 75 grainers.

- It meters extremely well, very similar to 335.

- It burns pretty cleanly and doesn't leave a lot of crud lying about your rifle. (It is even supposed to eliminate Cu Fouling, but I haven't noticed.)

- It is accurate, but I do not yet have any Chronograph data for this powder. I have a pretty large supply of it as well so will be using it quite a bit also and will eventually get some chronograph data.

I've not used it long enough to give any information as to the relative temp sensitivity.

Thanks for the additional info. The 77-grain SMK is one of the projectiles I'll be trying out.

[markm]

Usually magnum primers can help reduce those swings some but I haven't been able to find much on that except one thread on accurate that said he got smaller SDs and ESs with magnum primers.

I've NEVER found magnum primers to help reduce SDs. The mildest primer you can reliably get ignition from is usually the best approach. I only run magnum primers for blaster ammo. The Wolf/Tula mild primers have given us outstanding SDs and accuracy.

Similar results in .300 WinMag. We had to stick to LR primers because the LRM didn't give us good groups.

[boombotz401]

I've found the opposite to be true I have always found magnum primers to raise the sd at any charge by atleast 15

In my testing CFE likes to be run on the hotter side but I haven't been all to impressed. It's the only powder the throws brass @ 2 o'clock for me where I can't retrieve it and the smell is kind of annoying


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[markm]

I've found the opposite to be true I have always found magnum primers to raise the sd at any charge by atleast 15

Yep. I never quantified it, but getting SDs in the 10 or lower range always involved a mild primer. Wolf SRM (Small Rifle Magnums) by the way are are mild primers, and apparently magnum in the cup thickness dimension only.

[HKGuns]

I just finished loading 100 tonight.

LC '13 Brass trimmed / chamferred on my Giraud to "book" spec
CCI SRP
23.8gr CFE223 *Not a single charge was off using my Charge Master with a golden arches straw
77 gr Sierra TMK
OAL 2.260

I put some extra time, that I don't normally, into this batch cleaning and uniforming the primer pockets. Generally I've found it to be a waste of time, but figured why not for this batch.

[waveslayer]

I just finished loading 100 tonight.

LC '13 Brass trimmed / chamferred on my Giraud to "book" spec
CCI SRP
23.8gr CFE223 *Not a single charge was off using my Charge Master with a golden arches straw
77 gr Sierra TMK
OAL 2.260

I put some extra time, that I don't normally, into this batch cleaning and uniforming the primer pockets. Generally I've found it to be a waste of time, but figured why not for this batch.

I'm rolling the same, just using 23.7 grains of CFE with some 77 SMKs. unbelievable combo.

I have had great success with that powder in my 5.56 as well as in my Grendel shooting the heavies like the new AR 130 VLD's

[1slow01Z71]

Loaded up some rounds for my gunsmith to test in his rifle in preparation for Manners finally getting me my stock after 10 months. Hes building mine with the same reamer and bartlein blank so why not use his barrel life to develop the loads instead of mine right? :)

My main intention with CFE 223 is to get a pretty accurate load that meters great on the Dillon 550 so I can spend less time loading and more time shooting.

25.4gr under 75gr Amax loaded to 2.46(for my 22" 223 bolt gun match chamber with long throat do not copy) got me respectable ESs and SDs. Seems to run just fine with the wolf SRM primers. Across the temp ranges we tested it at, it performed decently well. Not as good as the hodgdon extreme line of powders but this can also be loaded on the Dillon.

The numbers I got out of it aren't what Id call benchrest accurate but for a mass blasting 223 load for training I think itll be awesome. With this info I think itll work just fine as long as when I plan on stretching it out past 600yds I plug the temp into my ballistics calculator. For matches/hunting Ill probably load varget but for practice CFE looks like itll do great.
Ambient ~70*
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/1slow01z71/Reloading/IMG_72361_zpscwit8pjk.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/1slow01z71/media/Reloading/IMG_72361_zpscwit8pjk.jpg.html)
After laying on the hot radiator
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/1slow01z71/Reloading/IMG_54201_zps3pulrh0d.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/1slow01z71/media/Reloading/IMG_54201_zps3pulrh0d.jpg.html)
From the freezer
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/1slow01z71/Reloading/IMG_13381_zpspmvhxxnn.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/1slow01z71/media/Reloading/IMG_13381_zpspmvhxxnn.jpg.html)

Havent temp tested it in 308 yet but in 45* weather it shows some promise. Lapua brass, federal 210 primers with CFE again. These are out of an 8 twist 16" hart barrel so in my opinion theyre pretty damn fast given the barrel length. Top is 175 SMKs at 2.81 over 46.5gr, its a little warm for warmer weather and I don't intend on shooting 175s again so Im not going to mess with it. This barrel was made to shoot heavy for 308 weight pills and was just for break in but I imagine dropping the charge a couple tenths or stretching the COL out a bit more would allow me to run these in warmer weather but they were loaded just for barrel break in. The numbers I was really interested in were the 208 amaxs. 2350fps is the crossover point where I needed to get the 208s for them to outrun my 178 load from a 24" barrel and it achieved that easily. At 1000yds they have the same come up but 40% more energy and a few tenths less wind all from an 8" shorter barrel. With the faster twist it should make the supersonic transition well. May even get retarded and try em at a mile on a calm day but Ill need a custom base to get that crazy.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/1slow01z71/Reloading/received_10206801709016055_zpsoxmwjwhv.jpeg (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/1slow01z71/media/Reloading/received_10206801709016055_zpsoxmwjwhv.jpeg.html)
With a few more tweaks I think Im really going to like this rifle. Needs paint, bolt fluted and probably going to run my specwar on it for bench work and the omega for hunting. Once I see if I really like this combo, Ill redo it but in a Manners T2FA, stiller action and proof barrel with either NF ATACR F1 4-16 or MK6 3-18 and a TBAC ultra 5.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b368/1slow01z71/Guns/16%20308%20Match/FB_IMG_1448326951313_zps2hvpovzb.jpg (http://s23.photobucket.com/user/1slow01z71/media/Guns/16%20308%20Match/FB_IMG_1448326951313_zps2hvpovzb.jpg.html)

If it runs well in these two Im going to try it in some other 223 loads for the AR and a 125/130gr 308 load.

[hawkeb]

I have used it a little. With 62gr armscor bullets cci primers and 25.0 CFE-223 it looks like a good plinking round. Accuracy is decent, cycles in my BCM mid with H buffer. I still like w748 better but I found the cfe cheap and available when I needed it.

[Bigun]

I've had pretty good luck with it using LC 14 brass CCI 5.56 primers and 69 grain SMK's Running 24.7grains of CFE out of the Dillon 550. So far It has been right at an inch for 10 rounds out of an Aero 18" SPR ish build. Haven't been able to stretch it's legs past 240 yds yet but seems promising. I also agree it seems to run much cleaner at hotter load levels. Just ran up a couple of test loads with the 77 grain SMK and a the 73 grain Berger but haven't had a chance to get them to the range yet due to the funky weather.

[golfer]

This will be great help for me as I am hoping to use it with the Nosler 64 gr. BSB as well. Looking forward to feedback on this powder.

[hotrodder636]

Any new or fresh info on this powder?

[boombotz401]

Ran 27.2gr on a 55 hornady fmj @ 2.200


Ran about 2950 on a 16" AR

was nothing that stood out to me, had a smell that drove me nuts no other powder had

Stopped using it once I finished what I had and moved on

AR comp has become my go to over H335


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[opngrnd]

I loaded a bunch up for blasting ammo. It didn't do anything special for me but I'd be happy to use it again if it's what I could find.

[yellowfin]

I used it for a couple of years. H335 is more accurate for lighter bullets and burns cleaner so for I use that more than anything, but that's in 16" and 18" barrels so none of the flame issues other people have been reporting. I have been using XBR for 75's for DMR but would consider working up a load with CFE as I gather it's good for that. A fair number of guys get good results with it for 77 SMK's, but then again everything works well for that. Seems a lot of people like it in .308 too.

As for a direct comparison vs. XBR I can say that XBR runs WAY cleaner if you're shooting suppressed. Depending on what kind of volume you're shooting in a day that could add up quite a bit.

[hotrodder636]

Thank you for the velocity number. I still don't have a chrono yet, so this is helpful. I loaded some "range rounds" but stayed less than 26.5gr.


Ran 27.2gr on a 55 hornady fmj @ 2.200


Ran about 2950 on a 16" AR

was nothing that stood out to me, had a smell that drove me nuts no other powder had

Stopped using it once I finished what I had and moved on

AR comp has become my go to over H335


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[boombotz401]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170806/f369cf15cd9f5db6f8a9494cfa05e642.jpg

These are my findings for CFE223 in a 16" 5.56 barreled BCM AR 1/7

I found under 27 grains was dirty and unimpressive in my testing




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[mic2377]

I have also found that mild loading with CFE223 or 2000-MR (both dense ball powders) have shown mediocre accuracy as well as being dirty.

It does seem to generate good velocities but has to be loaded near max.

I also agree that 8208 XBR is an exceptionally clean powder.

[jaholder]

See my recent post on here. I'm playing with CFE as an option other than H335 for my 55 grain bullets in my AR's and my bolt gun.

So far it seems my bolt gun really likes the Nosler 55 grain ballistic tips at the Nosler listed max charge of CFE (28.0 grains). Sub MOA 3 shot groups from the bolt gun and right at around 1MOA 5 shot groups from the AR's. Primer used was a Remington 7.5 benchrest and OAL was 2.260"

I'm still working on a load for the Sierra 55 HPBT in the AR's but wouldn't surprise me if 28 grains ends up being what I use.

I've not played with it with 69's nor 77's as I've already got a couple 77 grain loads with TAC and RL15 that are out of this world.

[Travelingchild]

Just swapped my Razor Gen II 3 x18 (from my t3, 6.5 creedmoor) over to my faxon 18 gunner upper with specwar K suppressor
Just trying to zero it at 100 yard but winds came up

Third 3 shot group at 50,
benched bipod and rear sand bagged
http://i.imgur.com/hFYGqer.jpg

Fourth 3 shot group at 50
benched bipod and rear sand bagged
http://i.imgur.com/bex2J6J.jpg

Winds came up.. so I went and played in the pistol bay.

[aklaunch]

CFE is one of the slower burning 223 Rem powders.

Just sayin...