I know this thread is a few months old but Hodgdon's CFE-Pistol powder is still quit new compared to others powders commonly used in the 45 Colt.

This post is about the velocity performance I got firing my new Ruger New Vaquero revolvers with BP, CFE-P and a factory load for comparison.

Test fired my new SASS set of Ruger New Vaquero's in 45 Colt with 5.5" barrels.
My load recipe is:
Cases - Starline. Almost all the starline cases did not require trimming as they were already a few thou shorter than the trim to length of 1.275" as shown in my manuals.
Primers - CCI 350 Magnum primers were used because I read a test were they proved best for BP in the 45 Colt.
Powder - Goex 2fg the charge weight was 35 grains. The charges were weighed on a digital scale.
Bullet - 261 grain LRNFP soft cast BHN ~11 from JetBullets.com. Purchased unsized and unlubed because I wanted to try out my new SAECO lubrisizer. Bullets sized to .452" and lube with SPG bullet lube which added the 1 grain of bullet weight.
The powder was compressed with a powder compression plug installed in the expanded die.
Bullets were seated directly on the powder no wads were used and a roll crimp applied on the bullets ogive just over the forward drive band, for a COL of 1.565”.
Black Powder Shooting Chrony results for 3 ten shot strings, velocity in feet per second:
String #1) Lo 803.7 Hi 832.2 Av 819.5 Es 28.51 Sd 8.77
String #2) Lo 809.5 Hi 835.2 AV 823.0 Es 25.70 Sd 9.05
String #3) Lo 776.1 Hi 834.0 Av 815.0 Es 57.92 Sd 17.11
I wish the BP average MV was higher but it is what it is with 2fg.




I also test fired a smokeless handload made using the same load recipe mentioned above just swapping out the BP for 9.0 grains of Hodgdon's CFE-Pistol powder. This charge weight is a little under the max charge in the Hodgdon's 2017 Annual Manual.
Smokeless Shooting Chrony results for 2 ten shot strings, velocity in feet per second:
String #1) Lo 1002 Hi 1061 Av 1040 Es 58.62 Sd 17.52
String #2) Lo 996.2 Hi 1070 Av 1043 Es 74.55 Sd 23.60
Note the average MV and I'm not even a Hodgdon's book max. Wow.




All chrono testing was done with the revolver with the odd serial number.
The even numbered revolver was just test fired for function.
Both guns were first fired with Wolf brand factory ammo made in Kingston Ontario.
The Wolf factory ammo was made with new Starline cases and have hard cast 250 grain LRNFP bullets.
Wolf Factory load Shooting Chrony results:
String #1) Lo 788.5 Hi 865.0 Av 823.8 Es 76.42 Sd 25.78