CFE223 in cold weather??

[Idaho Lefty]

I haven't shot my 22-250 in at least 25 years. I was thinking CFE223 Might work ? 1 in 14 twist

Try H-4895 or, IMR 4895 as, THEY work, BEST, in my 1-14 twist, .22-250 Rem. 700,.. One Hole groups with, 52 Sierra MK's, 52 gr. A-Maxes or, the Berger 55's, Varmint / Match, Flat Base, HP.

 

[Crockett12]

I've got 2 different factory 22-250's. One of them with a heavy target barrel shoots 1/4 inch 3 shot groups with H-4895 and any 50 grain bullet I feed it -- if I do my part. If I don't do my part it shoots 1/2 inch groups with the same load --with velocity around 3850 fps! The other rifle is a lightweight hunting rifle and doesn't do as well with H-4895 but likes H-380 better -- still 3/4 inch groups though! However, I've never hunted or done any load work with either rifle in the cold!

 

[Calvin45]

Interesting, I've been using them in Montana winters for 44 years with nary a hiccup.....

I must say I've never known anyone having an issue with their .223s or .204 rugers up here in Saskatchewan either.

What I can say is that in real cold, big magnums with compressed loads of slow burning ball powder definitely should be loaded with magnum primers. That probably goes for all temps. I've had duds and worse…the dreaded "click-pause-kaboom". Don't care for that.

A lot of folk tho don't realize that for many applications magnum primers are totally unnecessary even in magnums.

Before the introduction of the big .378 wby in 1953 there were no magnum or standard primers. There were just primers. Federal invented the 215 due to ignition issues with that case and how slow burning the powders being used in it were.

But before that everything based on the .375 h and h including the weatherbys, as well as such monsters as the 416 rigby, the 404
Jeffrey, the nitro express rounds, and even the mighty 505 Gibbs were all touched off with what by todays standards were non-magnum primers.

 

[WYO300RUM]

I'd think it would be worth a go. Blow the dust off that thing!

Been thinkin bout it. Was a thread on 22-250 few days ago made me think about it. Been concentrating on larger alibers for last few years.

 

[WYO300RUM]

Try H-4895 or, IMR 4895 as, THEY work, BEST, in my 1-14 twist, .22-250 Rem. 700,.. One Hole groups with, 52 Sierra MK's, 52 gr. A-Maxes or, the Berger 55's, Varmint / Match, Flat Base, HP.

Thanks ! I actually saw IMR4895 about a month ago in LGS. I still have a pound. H380, IMR4064, 4350 were my go to back then. I'm sure Varget and others good now. I'll probably never get to reloading again for 22-250. Too far into 300 RUM, 300 Win Mag, 7 Rem Mag, 6.5 PRC, 6.5 Creed. Just recently started getting back into 243.

 

[Idgunner]

Or mag primers .

I tried CCIBR4 and CCI450 with the same bad results. So........

 

[WYO300RUM]

I tried CCIBR4 and CCI450 with the same bad results. So........

So...... What ?

 

[Idaho Lefty]

For some reason, Missfires, Hangfires and poor, ES's,.. don't "Happen" to, Everyone shooting, Small Primers with, SOME Powders, in Winter !
A small Percentage of Reloaders, ARE having,. "Issues" like what, the Op posted, here.
IDK if, they store their ammo differently in Extreme Cold weather, Bad lots of Primers or, Powder, etc.,.. BUT,..
I do KNOW that,. I AIN'T having any of, IT,.. Fudge,.. THAT !
I DO know, what "works" for Me ( Large, American made Primers ) and,.. I'm stickin',.. WITH,.. IT !

 

[Idgunner]

For some reason, Missfires, Hangfires and poor, ES's,.. don't "Happen" to, Everyone shooting, Small Primers with, SOME Powders, in Winter !
A small Percentage of Reloaders, ARE having,. "Issues" like what, the Op posted, here.
IDK if, they store their ammo differently in Extreme Cold weather, Bad lots of Primers or, Powder, etc.,.. BUT,..
I do KNOW that,. I AIN'T having any of, IT,.. Fudge,.. THAT !
I DO know, what "works" for Me ( Large, American made Primers ) and,.. I'm stickin',.. WITH,.. IT !

You will be happy to know that my 25-06 goes bang every time I pull the trigger.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

You could have your, 1-8 twist Criterion Barrel, Rechambered to, .22-250 Rem or, the AI version ( or, .22 Creed ) and it could be loaded up, or Down to, .223 Rem Velocities, using LARGE Rifle Primers to Lite off, your Powders. Your Bolt Face, needs to be Opened up to .473 Dia., also.
I load my .22-250 Rem at, 3,300 FPS with, 50 / 52 grain bullets to, AVOID Muzzle Jump on my Braked Rifle for, Sage Rats to SEE, impacts !
Load 55 / 60 grainer's at, 3,500/ 3,700 FPS with, H or, IMR 4895, IMR 4350 or, H-380 and with, NO, Hangfire's in, the Freezing cold, Idaho Winters.
My 6 XC Criterion Barrel, IS my, most Accurate barrel and, I would buy, another one,.. in a New York, Minute !
Good luck with, whatever you decide !

 

[Idgunner]

You could have your, 1-8 twist Criterion Barrel, Rechambered to, .22-250 Rem or, the AI version ( or, .22 Creed ) and it could be loaded up, or Down to, .223 Rem Velocities, using LARGE Rifle Primers to Lite off, your Powders. Your Bolt Face, needs to be Opened up to .473 Dia., also.
I load my .22-250 Rem at, 3,300 FPS with, 50 / 52 grain bullets to, AVOID Muzzle Jump on my Braked Rifle for, Sage Rats to SEE, impacts !
Load 55 / 60 grainer's at, 3,500/ 3,700 FPS with, H or, IMR 4895, IMR 4350 or, H-380 and with, NO, Hangfire's in, the Freezing cold, Idaho Winters.
My 6 XC Criterion Barrel, IS my, most Accurate barrel and, I would buy, another one,.. in a New York, Minute !
Good luck with, whatever you decide

I appreciate the suggestions. My new barrel is chambered with my custom reamer that has produced exceptional accuracy for the last few years in two rifles. I'm also a cheap bastard and have purposely limited my rifle choices to my 223s and my 25-06. As a result there are several farmers strung across southern Idaho who appreciate my marksmanship. My 223s have been 'relatively' inexpensive to reload (at least until the last 3 years) and very accurate out to 500 yards and occasionally to 740. My 25-06 with 115g Bergers has killed chucks past that.
Right now I'm considering processing 5 of my 223 Lapua cases and cleaning out the primer pockets and using my flash hole uniforming tool to ream out any obstructions on the inside of the case that my deflect the primer spark to see if that helps with a consistent burn of the CFE223 in these temps. If it does, great, if not, then I will wait for warmer weather to verify my tried and true hunting loads.
My thanks to all who have responded to this string. I hope it will help someone else along the way.

 

[jrock]

I'm not a fan of CFE 223 for summer loads. It is very temp sensitive so I have a winter load and a summer load. I've had blow primers above 90 degrees so I play it safe with velocities on the high end in the summer. To me, there are better powders to use. I have only used CFE 223 with lighter bullets. I've always been able to find a good accuracy node with it.

 

[22-243middlestead]

I have used CFE223 for a few years to hunt chucks from the end of March to the end of July here in Idaho. I have 26 inch 8 twist barrels and shoot 75 gr Hornady ELDMs. The CFE223 has been a great powder for me. I just replaced one of my 223 barrels with a new 8 twist Criterion barrel and can't get that thing to shoot. Velocities and groups are all over the place. A friend who used to be a competition shooter has suggested that perhaps the CFE is not good when the outside temps hit the teens and low 20's. Chuck season usually varies from about 35 to 90 and it burns well though that temp range. I have some hunting loads from last season that are charged with AR-COMP behind 77g STMKs so tomorrow I'm going to try those and I've loaded up some of my annealed Lapua brass with the AR-Comp and the ELDMs. Hopefully I will finally be able to prove that this barrel will shoot.
Has anyone here had experience with CFE223 in low temps?

So here's my experience with CFE223. I live in Wyoming so the temperature can go from 100deg to -45. Several years ago I bought a very accurate 22-250. Spring time I worked up a load that shot one hole groups at 3,600fps. I shot that load all summer on prairie dogs. December I went coyote hunting temp was between 0-15 deg. I missed a coyote at 100 yards by a foot and the bolt was hard to lift, shell was black with residue on it. So I went to a indoor range. I intentionally left the shells outside to get cold again between 0-15deg. Shot and chronographed three rounds. They shot 2"+ group at something like 3,200FPS. Warmed the next three to body temp and I was back at 3,600 and one hole groups. CFE223 is the most temp sensitive powder I've ever used!!! It's almost to the point of being dangerous! That just my experience, take it for what you like.

 

[RiverShooter]

It works really well in the 7mm 08 and the 35 Whelen.