210 g cast lead SWC, bowling pins.

Hodgdon's recipes go from 7.1~8.2
and from under 1100 to nearly 1250 fps.

Who has used this & what tips/comments/warnings/insightful reloading observations do you have to share?

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

I used 210, 215, 225 and 230 grain .41 LSWC loads on pins.
They all worked fine if I hit the pins.

Powder was Unique and velocity was around 1,000 fps.
Primers were Remington, CCI, or Winchester LPs.

I have found that CFE pistol powder does very well at medium target speeds but..........

in the 38, 357 and 9mm, it stalls out at the high fps listed in the Hodgdon data, at least in my weapons.

It matches w231 in my 357 with a full load, coming in around 1225 fps with a 6" barrel........ but both are very accurate.

Have fun.

"They all worked fine if I hit the pins."....w...wa....wait.....

y'mean there's SOMETHING ELSE besides just 'really good recipes'????

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Dum vivimus Vivamas

I've had the same experience with CFE Pistol.

I also found the same thing it made good powder puff 357 Mag loads that shot nice grouped good and had minimum muzzle blast but couldn't get them over 1126 fps with 7.5grs of CFE Pistol under a 125gr X-treme FP with a 4" GP100. That is .1gr under max. Of course Hodgdon is testing it with a 10" barrel. Don

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USN Retired/VN VET
M&P X5

A little late to the conversation here....

But did recently complete a test of CFE Pistol in 41 mag.

S&W M58 using MBC 215gr SWC

Outstanding accuracy in the 7.5 to 7.8 gr loadings out to 15 meters. Not a full power load by any means but a clean/complete burn and fun shooting. Best of all it shot POA for the fixed sight M58. This load will be replacing my earlier mid-range loads of universal and unique as it is more accurate. A nice compliment to my full power loads using 2400.

Safe shooting.

Groo here
CFE looks like a powder that works best "around" 20,000 psi..
That would mean ,normal speeds from 32's,38's, 44spec ,45acp,45 colt ect or equal speeds.

That would depend on your definition of "best". I use it for loading 380 ACP because it's the only powder I have in my stash that can produce a load with enough energy for reliable ejection from my Sig Sauer P290. That it does well as long as my powder measure doesn't throw a charge that is a measly tenth of a grain light. But is also about the foulest shooting powder I have ever used. I suspect that is the Copper Eliminator in play but that is purely a hunch. What is dead certain is that 100 rounds downrange leaves my P290 looking likes it has been dipped in oil soaked coal dust.

Groo here
The place where the load gives the best FPS for the pressure.
As in the 45 acp load with a 200gr SWC lead bullet that breaks 1000fps.
But is said to be non-+p.