Hodgdon CFE Pistol 1st time

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Bronco89

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I just bought my first bottle of Hodgdon CFE Pistol. I got it home and loaded up 50 first test rounds, (44 spcl) 25, 200gr LRNFP & 25, 200gr Speer Gold Dot.

Anyone use this poweder for 38spcl or 44 spcl. Thats what I'll be using for.
Thanks in advance for any tips.:cool:
 
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I use it for .45 ACP and .45 Colt. It meters nicely for me and I have no accuracy problems that I can attribute to the powder type.
I started using it back when I couldn't find Unique anywhere.
I'd think it would do well for the .44 special loads.
I'm still using Bullseye for my .38 special loads, so can't comment my use of CFE Pistol for those, but Hodgdon has plenty of load data for the .38.

George
 
I've used it in 38 Special in the past and I don't remember any particular problems with it. I've found it to be a very versatile powder. I don't shoot a whole bunch of 38 Special, but I also use it to make lighter side 357 Mag loads. It's also a very good 9MM powder too.
 
In my 38 special short case and the long 357 magnum case loads.................

CFE pistol is a good medium range powder that has good accuracy and will match w231 powder in performance.

I do find it a little better in the 9mm over w231 but not by much.

Both work very well in my powder thrower.
I give it a thumbs up.
 
I like the over all performance of CFE Pistol in 38 special except for one thing and that is the fact that it left my hands covered in a gritty feeling residue after shooting it. Maybe it was the mild load I used but it did shoot kind of dirty for me.
 
I’ve used it many times in 45 Colt and 44 Mag. I down loaded it the Mag cases to replicate 44 SPL. I’m sorry I don’t recall the charge weight now, but I was pushing 200gr Xtreme plated slugs. This powder meters extremely well through a Dillon measure and is a bit slower than other popular mid range powders like Unique and BE86, which means it has a bit more velocity potential....also means it doesn’t do as well at the lower end of its load spectrum by my experience. Keep your loads warm in the 44SPL’s and you will be quite happy with your accuracy and lack of fouling!
 
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Its a very versatile powder. The hogdon website is a great resource to help develop loads.
 
That's what I was thinking

Bosquebass said:
I like the over all performance of CFE Pistol in 38 special except for one thing and that is the fact that it left my hands covered in a gritty feeling residue after shooting it. Maybe it was the mild load I used but it did shoot kind of dirty for me.
Click to expand...

Yea, I was worried about that. I may run into that with my 38/44 special loads. Soon, I am likely going to be reloading 9mm as well, and I expect I'll like it better for those loads, and go with a faster powder for my 38/44 load loads.
 
SLT223 said:
I’ve used it many times in 45 Colt and 44 Mag. I down loaded it the Mag cases to replicate 44 SPL. I’m sorry I don’t recall the charge weight now, but I was pushing 200gr Xtreme plated slugs. This powder meters extremely well through a Dillon measure and is a bit slower than other popular mid range powders like Unique and BE86, which means it has a bit more velocity potential....also means it doesn’t do as well at the lower end of its load spectrum by my experience. Keep your loads warm in the 44SPL’s and you will be quite happy with your accuracy and lack of fouling!
Click to expand...

I've loaded them up and went starting load or close. I'll work my way up. I've got Speer Gold Dot 200gr & Gold Dot 110gr, That'll be ear marked for this powder. I'll probably stick with Trail Boss for lead, in the future. I don't mind the smoke of TB and I've had really good luck with that powder. Thanks
 
I have been using it for a few years on 9mm and 45ACP. I find it likes to be run at the middle to upper end. I used up the last of an 8 lb bottle of Unique and have started playing with CFE for the 357. It is smoky for the lower 38 SPL and 38SPL+p rounds pushing 125gr bullets. It needs to be in the 357mag range to shoot cleanly. I can push a 125gr coated lead bullet in the 1200 to 1250fps range for good accuracy. I am planning to see what it does with 158gr FMJ on the next trip to the range.
 
As mentioned, I use this powder in 38,357 and 9mm loads.

As for light loads and dirty cases, I will show you one picture
even though I normally do not show my loading data, of a dirty case
from a 9mm that cleaned up with just a little more powder added to the load in a modern pistol that is +P rated.

 
Nevada Ed said:
As mentioned, I use this powder in 38,357 and 9mm loads.

As for light loads and dirty cases, I will show you one picture
even though I normally do not show my loading data, of a dirty case
from a 9mm that cleaned up with just a little more powder added to the load in a modern pistol that is +P rated.

Click to expand...

Wheeoow! Nevado Ed, you are way to organized for me. That is impressive. Makes my sharpie and chicken scratch look redneck. But back to the subject at hand. Thanks for the information. I'm going to experiment with this powder in 44spcl and 38spcl. I've already got a box of 50 44's loaded up at mid table, and if all goes well, I've got a speedloader with 5 rounds of just this side of DNE. (It's going on a 5 shot S&W 69, 44 mag.) For 38 spcl, I'm loading up some midtable next week but if it isn't as clean as I hope, I'll likely just stick with Trail Boss and lead rounds for 38's.
 
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