CFE Pistol Powder - First Test Loads

[73BLow]

Thought I would post these results since there isn't a lot of data out there on this new powder.

124 JHP's, CCI 500 spp w/ 1.125 COL. CFE Pistol Powder. I used the data on Hodgdon's website for the Hornady 125gr HAP bullets because it seemed to be the closest match to my bullets: 4.2 start (956fps) to 4.8 max (1096fps). As you can see from my results, I'll be bumping it up a little more to make 125pf

4.4gr - Avg. 931fps
4.5gr - Avg. 957fps
4.6gr - Avg. 980fps
4.7gr - Avg. 987fps
4.8gr - Avg. 999fps
5.0gr - Avg. 1056fps - 131pf

All rounds were fired with a Gen 4 G17. Chrono'd through a Competition Electronics ProChrono Digital at approx. 10ft.

I was happy with how it metered at 5.0gr. The lesser grain weights didn't meter as well.

I was pleased with my 4.8gr 15 round group at 25ft (square is 4x4 inches):

 

[SJan]

Where does the burn rate of CFE pistol fall on the burn rate charts?

How is the recoil impulse of the rounds at 124pf?
Are you going to try to bump the charge up a bit more to achieve a PF around 130?

 

[73BLow]

It's number 44 on Hodgdon's Burn Rate Chart:


I ran 10 rounds of Federal Champion 115gr FMJ's over the chrono before I tested my loads so I would have something to reference. Federal lists the muzzle velocity at 1125fps. At 10 feet, I got an average of 1165fps, which would be a 134pf. High was 1182, Low was 1152.

I definitely noticed less snap to the recoil at 124pf (as I would expect with 16% less velocity than the reference factory ammo). With the minimum IDPA SSP at 125pf, I am going to work up loads to 130pf and then decide where I want to be between 125 and 130 based on my accuracy and follow-up speed with each charge weight.

I am hoping to test and post data with higher charge weights this coming weekend.

Disclaimer: I am a reloading newbie and these are my very first reloads, so I can't compare to other powders. Thanks to "EddieCoyle's" reloading class, it's going well so far. I was talking to a guy on another forum who just tested the CFE powder at 4.6gr using Fiocchi primers and he was within 10fps of my 4.6gr load with CCI primers, so I will assume my data is relatively accurate.

 

[Smokewagon]

Thanks for sharing the info, always looking to see how pistol powders work up.

 

[73BLow]

Chrono'd 5.0gr loads today. Averaged 1056pfs. Shots were accurate and that is 131pf. It also metered well at 5.0gr, so I will stick with this for now. Perceived recoil was a little less than the Federal 115 FMJ's. I have enough of the CFE to load about 5500 rounds.

Now I need to make some more and take my bowling pins to the range and see if the 124 JHP's take them down any better than 115 FMJ's. (I know, just use a .45 - I haven't started reloading .45 yet)

My cost per round is 15.5 cents, but the bullet is 10 cents of that. Here's a close up of the powder and the bullet:

 

[jpm]

weird powder! no two grains look alike

 

[drgrant]

How about 1100ish? Is that possible with this stuff? Looks like it burns slow as ass, so should be safe enough.

-Mike

 

[73BLow]

How about 1100ish? Is that possible with this stuff? Looks like it burns slow as ass, so should be safe enough.

-Mike

I think I can safely get it up to 1100. Hodgdon's site shows some 1100 range velocities on their site for 125gr bullet max loads. No signs of over pressure at 5.0, so I can bump it up a little and test them out since I woke up so damn early for a Saturday.

 

[inline4]

just made up my first batch of cfe pistol load in 45acp.
6.8gr under a zero 230gr jhp at 1.220
20 shot group at about 30ft offhand


looks good to me

 

[6Gears1Speed]

weird powder! no two grains look alike

I was thinking the same thing. It has the appearance of crushed graphite.
I made up some 9's and 45's but haven't shot them yet.
I'm just starting out so I won't be able to give much of a comparison vs. other powder as far as how they shoot.
I used the starting grains number. I was told by the dealer that comments have been that it runs hot so I didn't want to go over.
Compared to the IMR 700X I used for my 38's that I had to hand meter, this stuff was great. Before I started I weighed ten drops from my Lee turret press auto disk powder dropper and they were all consistent on my beam scale.
I am using Berry's plated RN DS and used lead data as that's what worked for my 38's.
Since there is no data for the Lee dropper hole size I had to find the appropriate hole size. For 45's I used .43 and for 9's I used .40. These both got me to the starting grains indicated on the hodgdon site.
This stuff is heavy.

 

[6Gears1Speed]

So has anyone else experimented with this stuff since my last post? I don't have test equipment yet but the Hodgdon data for 115 gr. LRN is 4.9 gr. starting load for 1,124 V. I substituted with Berry's 115 gr. plated RN. Judging only by feel it's at least as powerful as factory Federal 115 gr. FMJ, maybe more, and cycles my Beretta 92 consistently. I'm thinking I could even go down in gr. and still function reliably and accurately. I think this stuff does in fact run hot and wondering what experienced loaders have to say. If I can go down in gr. and still be accurate and cycle properly I'll gladly take more rounds per pound. I'm going to brew up 20 rounds at 4.5 gr. and see how that does.

 

[duarteus]

9mm Using data from 115GR.LRN
105gr.
Load some at *5.0gr up to 5.5gr / 5.0GR seen to work best on my Ruger SR9C & CZ99

125gr. Using data from 125GR.LCN 4.4 max 5.0gr
*4.7gr up to 5.5gr / 4.7 is the one I like the most

.45 ACP Using data from 230gr .LRN 5.4 max 6.2gr
230gr.
5.4gr up to 6.0gr
On my Caspian build 1911 it shot best with 5.5gr

//...//

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/

 

[6Gears1Speed]

I made some up at 4.5 gr. with Berry's 115 gr DSRN. Both my Beretta 92FS and Sig 938 cycle fine and it's accurate. I don't know about velocity as I don't have a chrono yet. I spent that money on the Sig...
4.9 was noticeably more powerful than factory 9 so for the range I don't think I have to go higher than 4.5. I might even be able to go lower and get more rounds out of a pound. Next up 4.0 gr.

 

[duarteus]

I made some up at 4.5 gr. with Berry's 115 gr DSRN. Both my Beretta 92FS and Sig 938 cycle fine and it's accurate. I don't know about velocity as I don't have a chrono yet. I spent that money on the Sig...
4.9 was noticeably more powerful than factory 9 so for the range I don't think I have to go higher than 4.5. I might even be able to go lower and get more rounds out of a pound. Next up 4.0 gr.

Did a run with some 4.5gr with .105gr SWC & 124gr TC bolt size to .358 shoot at 25yards

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[6Gears1Speed]

This was with my new Sig P938 9mm pocket gun. Not exactly the proper gun for testing accuracy but it does show a difference in pattern.
On the left is 4.5 gr. CFE Pistol and on the right is 4.9 gr. CFE Pistol.
Berry's 115 gr. RNDS at 15 yards which is the distance the gun was zeroed at the factory.
I'm training to shoot with both eyes and I'm still getting used to the small size of the gun which explains the stray hits. I'm still jumping and moving too fast...

Clearly the starting grains of 4.9 is tighter so I'll stick with it.