Any experience with CFE223?

[TheYellowDart]

Hey all,

Wanted to see if anyone here has any experience with Hogdon's new CFE223, and more specifically if you have or know where to get data for it?

I picked up a couple 1lb cans at the last gun show, and was going to put together some .223 rounds, but I can't find the load data for the 55gr FMJBT bullets that I have.


My Lymans 49th ed obviously doesn't list CFE, and Hogdon's website doesn't list 55gr FMJBT for the CFE. The closest the website has is the Barnes 55gr TSX. For that the min charge is listed as 24.7gr to a max of 27.4gr.


From what I can see it looks like CFE requires a few more grains of powder than all the competitors (i.e. for the same bullet, varget, benchmark, & H335 use 2-4grains less powder) So I was thinking starting at 25grains would be appropriate. But I'm just not sure since they're boat tail...

[Don the savage]

Cfe is a slower burning powder than varget. If you can find hodgons annual manual there is a section on cfe223 in it.

[rudynix]

I have been using it for my AR and am satisfied with the performance. You can get loading data here:

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

[CptDan]

This powder has been my most accurate powder for my .223 and my .308

[TheYellowDart]

I have been using it for my AR and am satisfied with the performance. You can get loading data here:

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

I checked Hogdons site, but did not see 55gr FMJBT listed on there. Only thing they had in that gr was not BT, so I'm concerned that the BT will increase the pressure.

[Agustav]

I used CFE223 on 52gr SMK HPBT using 27.0 gr of powder. Very accurate and meters great!

[Knife Edge]

Not temperature stable. It is more like a toned down BLC-2 with an anti-copper chemical.

[TheYellowDart]

I used CFE223 on 52gr SMK HPBT using 27.0 gr of powder. Very accurate and meters great!

Cool, thanks for the heads up. I've put together a few batches of .223 going from 25.0gr up to 27.0gr in .5gr intervals. Hopefully, it should give me an idea of what will work best with with my AR.

[short circuit]

I use the CFE on 223 rem 69 grain BTHP and a 6 shot group is one ragged hole that a dime will cover at 100 yards. Very happy with the powder.