Does anyone know where Hodgdon CFE PISTOL powder would fall on the relative burn rate chart? It does not appear in Lyman's 50th edition chart.

Here is a link that shows it.

https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploa...rate-color.pdf

In my 38. .357 and 9mm loads..................

It is close to w231 in performance and fps.

Starting loads in the 9mm can be "Sooty" but clean up and shoot better with a medium load.

It works best for me in all my tests with medium target loads to "Standard" factory loads, out of my weapons.
Full loads did not have the the accuracy of my other powders, so I used it for my accurate target loads.

Good luck.

Anyone else notice HP38 is missing from this chart?

I know it's the same as W231, but they have H110 and W296 listed.

I have two or three lbs of CFE Pistol that I picked up because it was there, but I've yet to try it. Looks like it may fit in well sliding between AA #5 and #7 for higher velocity .45 ACP and .38 Super.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

My normal powder for 38 super is CFE pistol. I was using 540/HS6 but getting a lot of flash with heavier loads. CFE pistol doesn’t produce a noticeable flash. With the loads I’m running it burns very clean and is very accurate. I think the one advantage for me over other powders is that lack of flash.

I’ve had very good results in every caliber I’ve tried.

I am running CFE for 9mm, mild 10mm, 38+p, mild 357M, and 45. It runs cleaner at the upper end and meters consistently. I am going through 8 pounds about every 10 months.

I think if I were told I could only use one powder for all my pistol re-loads, CFE pistol would be it. It works well in my 9mm, 38 sp, 357, and 45 ACP. I also like how clean it burns.

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What could possibly go wrong?

CFE-P is between Unique & Power Pistol, burn rate wise.

I've generally had very good accuracy/grouping results with it, & I keep some on-hand, but it's not my go-to powder for anything.

While others love it's low/no flash property, it's not my preference.

And like most ball/spherical powders I find it's residue stains the outside of the cases in my full loads.

Give it a try & decide for yourself.

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Waiting for the break of day

Are you sure you're not talking about Alliant BE-86? That has a flash suppressant and it's burn rate is between Unique and Power pistol. CFE pistol is slower burning than all of those three and has a copper fouling retardant.

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What could possibly go wrong?

I've never used BE-86. Have used several pounds of CFE-P.

Sorry, you're not correct.

The attached reloading data clearly shows that CFE-P is in-between Unique & Power Pistol's burn rate, definitely not slower.

And as the article below says, or anyone who has used it knows, it has low flash, especially compared to either Unique or Power Pistol.

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"Hodgdon recently introduced a new gunpowder to pistol shooters known as CFE Pistol.

This is a spherical powder that has a Copper Fouling Eraser (CFE) formula, and follows the 2012 introduction of the rifle version CFE 223.

Hodgdon bills CFE Pistol as a perfect propellant for target and self-defense loads, providing clean burning and low muzzle flash."

A 'Fast' Look at Hodgdon CFE Pistol Powder

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from Sierra's Reloading Manual, 6th Edition, 1st Printing
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Waiting for the break of day

I'm not picking a fight. Just quoting published burn rate data that I have. Maybe yours is right and mine is wrong. However, the chart I have, which I've tried to attach to this post shows CFE Pistol further down the burn rate chart from Unique and Power Pistol. Not all that important to the discussion at hand. I use a lot of CFE Pistol too, and I think it's a very versatile powder.

Attached Files

POWDER BURN RATES.pdf (420.3 KB, 30 views)

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What could possibly go wrong?

Burn rate charts are notorious for being inconsistent, mainly because there's no standard for establishing it & everybody can use different sized vessels for their tests which makes a difference.

Whether it's in a 9mm, 40 S&W or 45ACP, reloading data shows it's in-between Unique & Power Pistol.

So many obvious misplacements in that chart too.

LongShot & Power Pistol typically have very close load data, yet that chart shows LongShot is slower than Blue Dot. No way.

And how is Silhouette faster than Green Dot??

Professional reloading data gives you a better idea of a powder's burn rate than burn rate charts.

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Waiting for the break of day

OK so in the interest of learning, the basis for you placing CFE's burn rate between power pistol and unique is the amount of powder needed for a given velocity for that 165 gr JHP ogive. Is that correct? What if you looked up the data for each powder to achieve the same velocity in a 230 grain 45 ACP load? Would CFE Pistol still fall between the other two, or would differences in burn rate change the order and make the slowest burning powder need the least amount of powder to achieve a given velocity? Understand my question? Is velocity for a given powder not dependent on the mass of the ogive being used?

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What could possibly go wrong?

"Burning Rate" (actually it should be called relative quickness) data is inconsistent, and depends on the cartridge and bullet weight used. Powder A may be "quicker" than Powder B in .38 Special with a 158 grain lead bullet, but reversed in .45 ACP with a 230 grain FMJ. Those comparison charts are just rough guides to making propellant substitutions.

Thanks. Kinda what I thought.

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What could possibly go wrong?

Unfortunately Sierra V6.1 doesn't have a listing using CFE-P in the 45ACP, with any bullet, but has the other two.

The three are listed in Sierra v6.1 for the 44 Special & CFE-P was close to or at Power Pistol charge weight. Obviously this is a larger volume case with a small volume load.

Hornady v10 lists all (3) in the 45ACP with a 230gr JHP & CFE-P is clearly in-between Unique & P-P.

Now go do some research for yourself & see what you conclude.

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Waiting for the break of day

I don't put too much trust into burn rate charts............
they are a dime a dozen and have powders listed in several different ways per the powders listed.

I go by my chrony and the energy that the powder gives off and....
the fps that the amount of powder gives off in my test loads.

In my 3.5" 9mm pistol with a 115gr plated ball bullet........
w231 will get 1104 fps
CFE P. will get 1139
Unique will get 1263

In my 686 6" .357 Magnum with a 125gr JHP............
w231 will get 1244 fps
CFE P. will get 1221
Unique will get 1355
2400 will get ... 1502