Hodgdon CFE 223 powder

Has anyone reloaded with this CFE powder? If so what results have you seen in your AR? Have you tried it in other calibers? Please keep it about CFE powder.

I have been shooting it for about a year now out of my Smith mp. I am able to get just under mos at 100. Stuff really does eliminate copper I rarely clean my bore and I shoot about 1000 rounds a week in summer. Only draw back is velocity. I'm only getting 2863 fps out of a 18 inch tube. I can do much better with varget. Haven't tried it in other rounds but may this summer.

CFE 223 has no temperature stability. A chrome lined barrel does not need copper fouling eliminator in the first place. H4895 is the best all-around .223 powder. Go a range faster or slower depending on bullet weight, but stick with temp stable powders, Benchmark thru Varget for .223 Rem., depending on bullet weight.

If you shoot prairie dogs all day long at a narrow temperature range, then CFE .223 may be your powder. Even then, there are several others that work just as well and will work much better at temperature extremes. Fourth of July isn't that far away, and aalso ny CFE .223 you have laying around might make some good fireworks.

Remember when you were a kid and putting a primer in a cigar was a fun prank? CFE 223 is about as useful as a primer for similar purposes like spiking the fireworks. As a practical rifle powder, I got over it a long time ago.

The guys I know who like CFE 223 are reloading guys who brag about its consistent metering. Every throw is "right on the money" according to them. What the hell is consistent metering worth when the powder itself is another ball powder with known temp stabilitry issues??? Buy an ultrasonic cleaner and wean yourself from clean burning ball powder that does not cut it in performance next to the best stick powders, and trickle up your charges on an accurate beam balance scale. Just say no to temp sensitive ball powder.

CFE 223 has one very good quality in that anybody who swears by it is nobody you want to take reloading advice from. It gets a very high rating in the "******* advice to avoid" category, and for that it has some usefulness, from personal experience.

I have tried CFE in my AR. My groups will average between 1"-1.250" for 5 shots depending upon bullet used. I will say it does eliminate copper fouling. My sons AR had a fair amount of copper fouling and after 100 rounds almost all copper was gone. It's not my favorite powder for my AR though. I like Varget when shooting Sierras 69 grain bullets and 8208 when shooting 77.

This is all good information. Thanks.

I suggest AR Comp powder and
TAC powder is also good

I shoot 77 gr Sierra MK in my AR MK 12.........

AR comp is also good in the 308 Win.

How is CFE in a Bolt Gun ? I have 8 lbs. and was going to try it with 75 gr. Amax's.

I would say like any firearm you will just have to see. What twist is your barrel on your bolt gun? My experience with shooting the heavier bullets you need at least an 8 twist. I know some have gotten the heavier bullets shoot with 1-9 twist.

The barrel is a 1-8 twist 26" Benchmark that I put together for Mid-Range FTR shooting. I already have an accurate load with H4895 but bought the CFE before putting the rifle together thinking I would use it. As the temps start getting up here in N. Fl. I'll start working on a load to see what happens.

You should do well. I looked for my loading data for CFE 223 but I can't seem to find it. You know how you lose things in a move. Please post your results. Best of luck.

I tried CFE 223 in my 17 Remington.......................worked up a load when the temp. was about 50 degrees out .............Next time out it was hot about 80-85 degrees Those loads that were ok at 50 degrees blew the Primer pockets at 80.............That was it for me. Pulled all the bullets and sent it to the Land Fill

264WM said:

Has anyone reloaded with this CFE powder? If so what results have you seen in your AR? Have you tried it in other calibers? Please keep it about CFE powder.

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I've probably used 32 pounds of cfe 223 in the past 4 years. I had to dig out my chrono testing notes. I use a dillon 550 progressive reloader and I only use one type of case for all testing. Remington bench rest primers

I have stainless match wylde barrels in 18, 20 , and 24 inch lengths. I never have excessive copper fouling, so the copper fouling reducer function is not important to me.

In my note I tested anywhere from 62 degrees to 96 degrees. 27.4 grains of cfe gained 73 fps from 62 to the 96 degree day. That is another moot point because they are not over pressure. CFE has super consistent ES I have some 10 shot strings within 7 ES of velocity.

typical 55 gr and 20 inch barrel with 28 gr. of cfe AVG is 3164 fps and out of my 24 inch is 3339 fps for 10 shot AVG. These are my ground squirrel and PD rounds.

Bench rest shooting you can get dime size groups if you and your equipment are up to it. I've also used probably 32 pounds of AR-comp, TAC, and win 748. an 8 pound jug is only something like 2000 rounds at 27.6 grains

I really liked CFE223 in my .223. Accurate and consistent.

I've been out shooting with people who pop primers. They are the clueless ones loading way over the max listed in the powders online reloading tables. I believe that you can load a little over the listed lawyer friendly manuals, but I don't do it to the point of shortening case life. If you feel the need to brag about how fast your bullets go why not just buy a longer barrel and get the same velocity with less powder and stress on your gun and cases?

If you are worried about temp sensitivity. Load and chrono test on hot summer days and then you know that they are safe year around. I always sight in a rifle before using it in case it whacked during transportation or temp change is really great. Changing weather and elevation has a big effect.

I really don't think that a critter or you can tell the difference in a loss of 70 fps. CFE is a powder that can produce very low ES velocities which is much more important