I've played around with this powder a couple years ago, but didn't really dig that deep. But I'm now finding I really like CFE pistol.

Out of my Sp. XDM 10mm with a 155 gr XTP I'm getting 1,315 FPS with a mild load of CFE. Low velocity was 1,302 High was 1,330 out of 6 rounds. It burns pretty clean and seems well suited to the 10mm. Not a ton of recoil/muzzle blast/flame throwing. I'll probably go up a couple 1/10ths and check out velocity jump and group size.

And out of my Sig P365 9mm with a fairly stout load of CFE I'm getting 1,146 FPS with a 115 gr. XTP. Again it seems to be very stable. High velocity of 1,157 Low of 1,129. Not a ton of muzzle blast, recoil in the small gun is good, comfortable. Accuracy is good as well.

I believe I'm going to experiment some more with this powder. I'm impressed with how it's performing so far.

When it first hit the market, I viewed it as a gimmick.
Copper fowling at handgun velocities just isn't the thing it can be in a rifle.
But, lo and behold, the stuff makes some serious numbers in a lot of handgun cartridges. so a few 8 pounders followed me home.
I use it for less than magnum loads in 357 and 44, it's the standard fuel in 45 auto, 9mm and 38 special and even finds use in 400 Corbon.
It seems to do alright where I would have used Unique or power pistol.

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it just needs more voltage

I need to look at it again it seems. It looks like it might be a generic powder to make decent loads in most calibers I will be loading for.

Anyone try it in .357 Sig?

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NRA RSO

Agree

I'm not so sure it's going to shove 2400 or H110 off the magnum peak. But it seems (in somewhat limited testing) to achieve decent velocity without a bunch of ROAR.

Like I said I'm going to dig a little deeper with it.

In my 5" 9mm with a 115 gr FMJ bullet with CFE-p powder,
6.1grs gave me 1252fps.

It works well in the 38 and 357 for target loads with plated bullets, also.

A few years back I found it on sale and with gift card in hand stockpiled a hefty amount of CFE Pistol.

I load mostly high capacity cases and like the increase in load density provided by CFE compared to many other favored powders. Never been concerned with number of rounds per pound. I have a disdain for a mere dusting of powder in .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .38 Special and similar old war horses.

The only time I shy away from it is if I'm looking for powder puff velocity
rounds. A Colt SAA .45 is one that I choose a different powder for. The sights simply aren't regulated for the higher velocities CFE delivers.

I recently told someone that if I had to choose a single non magnum powder for most handgun applications today it would knock Universal and Unique off their perch.

There are other really good powders, but out of the gate Hodgdon marketing provided a world of data for CFE Pistol making it very easy to transition to.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

I have never tried CFE Pistol. I have my 3 favorite powders and until they fail me I see no reason to change. Of course I do have many more than 3 but only for specialty loads such as Speer 38/357 GDHP short barrel replica ammo or because I wanted to try them. That's how I finally settled.upon my favorite powders.

I can load any handgun cartridge and do it well with W231/HP-38, W540/HS-6 or W296/H110.

I'm not against different powders and I have heard many good things about CFE Pistol but I have so much of the older powders, and so many loads worked up for about a dozen different cartridges I find it hard to change. I already have 13 different handgun powders so I'm not going to buy more unless I absolutely have to. The last "new" powders I purchased were W244 and W572 to see how similar they were to W231 and HS-6.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

CFE-P is flash suppressed.

It's a good medium speed multi-purpose powder but slower powders are better for full power 10AUTO loads.

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Waiting for the break of day

Have been using CFE Pistol for a few years now and it has worked well where I have used it. Seems like at max load you can hit just over 1400 FPS with the 155 in a 5" 10mm. I also have used BE-86 (basically Alliant's version of it) and the performance of it is about the same as CFE Pistol.

Longshot has been my go to for 200 grain 10mm loads, I haven't tried CFE-P or BE-86 with 200 grain yet.

Rosewood

I don't blame you. With today's prices, wow. But that's another thing for me. It's available, and I don't have a ton of other stuff stockpiled. And it's priced somewhat reasonable considering today's prices.

I've used CFP-p in a few calibers and I like it. These loads are pleasant, low flash, and have shown good accuracy:

9mm Glock 19, 124gr FMJ, 4.8 gr, COAL 1.115 at 984 ft/sec
38 Sp S&W 19-4 6", 158gr LSWC, 5.2 gr, COAL 1.390, 1,010 f/s
44 Sp S&W 624 6.5", 205 gr LRNFP, 6 gr, COAL 1.537, 1035 f/s

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What could possibly go wrong?

In that case I would do the same.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

Probably a couple of years back I found a 4lb container of W572 priced @ $64.

I did a quick check to see if it was a decent match for .45 ACP .38 Super and a couple of other I love to shoot and picked it up.

I was asked cash or card and replied cash. $64/$16 per pound out the door!

I have found W572 to be an excellent powder. If you haven't tried it yet, I think you'll find a lot to like about it too.

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GOA
USA Shooting Supporter

I'm somewhat like ArchAngel... I have a lot of old favorites...or even worse Old powders. I am slowly working my way through 6 lbs of HS-5...But the reason I still have some old powder is I just keep trying new stuff. Some of the newer powders are very good ...but I continue to gravitate back to the old favorites such as Unique...and others. I have used CFE-P esp in jacketed warmer 38 Sp and 357...works good. Used BE -86 too. Have an 8 lb of Longshot to try in something.... I just don't get into the barn burners in most handgun loads....well maybe in the Contenders using Lil Gun or 296 in things like 357 Max...otherwise these medium powders just keep me happy with their fun loadings. A lot of powders are becoming available again...albeit at significantly higher prices

First, thank you for the info on W572.

I bought W572 to see if it can be a suitable substitute for HS-6 and W244 to see if it will be able to.replace W231.

When a company comes out with "new" powders which are extremely close to ones they already have I start thinking history is repeating itself and eventually the switch will happen. (think W230 and W231) The release said these powders are easier to produce and cleaner. That's another reason I think what I said above.

While now my powders are W231, HS-6 and W296 I guess I can be just as happy with W244, W572 and W296...

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

See I started out reloading for pistols oh 10-12 years ago but it was all revolvers. 44mag, 45LC, 357. 2400. H110, and titegroup covered like 90% of what I loaded. I was a lot more into the BOOM back then with a small sprinkle of lead for plinking.

Now, I'm over that. And I've just recently (2,3 years ago) gotten into reloading for semi-autos. Pretty much a different animal. So I didn't have a lot of powder stockpiled for that realm.

I'm working up some 45acp loads using CFE and XTP/hardball now. I believe I'm going to like it.

First handgun I loaded for was 44 Mag.****gers Flat Top in 1962..next 41 Mag later 45 auto... I got 45 and 30 carbine free from a fellow who worked at Aberdeen Proving Ground... Free mags too... Till he died in a car wreck in 1966.

It's at the core of my 45ACP standard ball.
It's a tickle and a half warmer than previous powders seemed to allow.
It's the right medicine behind my 200G coated cast HP

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it just needs more voltage

I carried my 1911 years ago as a much younger man. It's just too big and especially heavy for me as EDC now. However, I'd still like to carry my 1911 for short little jaunts here and there. I've been shooting them since the mid 80's and I can shoot them well.

I'm probably going to find some 200 gr lead to carry on my little woods journeys with 1911.

Especially coated. where you gain a few FPS here and a few FPS there between powder and bullet construction, it elevates into a nice little butterzone. You'll love it.

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it just needs more voltage

Just had a little trigger time with my new Tisas 1911 and old Springfield 1911.

Was shooting a fairly stout load of CFE and 230 gr. XTP's getting an average of 938.5 FPS from Tisas and basically same thing from Springfield, couple feet per second less. The deviation was small. Less than 30 FPS.

I didn't save targets a buddy plowed some more holes in them but they shot really nice 25 yard groups from bench.

I found some 200 gr. lead HP's- coated I'm going to try with CFE pistol. I'd guess it's gonna be a nice load for 45acp.

If CFE proves to be unobtainable or a bit too expensive Winchester Autocomp is said to be the same powder without the cleaner and loads with the same data.

I've loaded both CFE-P & A-C but never tested them head-to-head.

This article did & found A-C out-performed CFE-P:

"CFE produced less velocity than AC for the same charge weight, an average of 32 feet-per-second (fps) less in the 9mm and 38 fps less in the .38 Super."

They said they were similar but nothing about the same minus any additives. Maybe they missed a memo somewhere? Duh no.

Making Major with Hodgdon CFE Pistol Powder - Handguns

.



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Waiting for the break of day

I have found cfe to be excellent in .44 mag for mid range loads. My idea of mid range is a 240 gr slug at 1100-1200 fps. I had no trouble working cfe up to 1200, could have gone further, but ended up backing off and settling on about 1150 fps. A fantastic loading in my 629 with 6 1/2 inch barrel.

Regarding autocomp, I also experimented with a pound of that in .44 mag a few years ago and worked up some very good loads with that powder also. I had never heard it was supposed to be similar to cfe, but in looking back at my data the charge weights and velocities are pretty close.

32 FPS could be lot to lot variation. And unless they compare pressures, their chart really doesn't tell the full story. A couple of tenths might get the CFE up to the AC with the same pressure.

Rosewood

I'm not saying anything they or you say is incorrect, however. Those listed charge weights for the 115 gr 9mm are A LOT heavier than what I've been testing. And what's on the Hodgdon website.

I shot a 10-round group at 25 yards/sand bagged rest with my SA 10mm yesterday using a medium load of CFE pistol and WOW!! 155 grain XTP and CCI LP primer.

The Springfield has a new HEX dragonfly R.D. on it, and you could have covered 6 or 7 of those rounds with a 50-cent piece. The entire 10 shots was about 2.5 inches outside diameter with one flyer a bit high and left or it would have been excellent - for me.

This is going to be my 10mm powder. It's not too pricey and it's available.

I started using CFE-P inn38super major loads a few years ago. I’d been using old 540/HS-6 but sold my comp gun and had 1000 hot loads to shoot through a pistol without a comp. When shooting without a comp the flash was fierce on the order of a hot 44mag. So after shooting all of my stock (shoot hot loads in a fully supported chamber only) I started looking around and CFE-P ticked all the boxes.

I’m not shooting those hot loads now but find CFE-P really good in moderate loads in 44specisl, 44 mag, 38 super, 45 LC, 45 acp and 357mag. I’ve not tried 38 special but suspect it would be fine there. I’m especially fond of it in larger cases and 35 super.

I used to be a dedicated user of 231 but havebfound powders like CFE-P to really shine where I was using 231.

Tried CFE-P as I said. Doesn't do a lot more than my old favorites and different older powders. I've got 3 kilos of Alcan 5 about the same Alcan 8...they still work for specialty loads. And I continue buying old cans of Hercules/Alliant powders. They never go bad and most sell cheap...because they are old. There are some younger reloaders that know nothing about older powders i.e. Unique, Herco even Red Dot. They got started on newer powders and calibers

CFE-P will work in a +P+ load with the correct pistol and barrel for the higher pressures.

For those of us shooting "Stock" 9mm pistols, I treat it like W231.
Both powder do great with laight to medium target loads and will get factory loads out of a 4" barrel, if there is a good fit.

Trying to get a +P load out of a 124 gr bullet be it FMJ or a Speer Gold Dot,
with a OAL of 1.12" needs a chrony, work up, to see how the fps and ejections work out
to see if your pistol can swallow a +P load with these powders.

I found that the CFE-p powder spikes at the top end of my data and the
target groups, start to open up., to where I needed to go to a slower burning powder
to get groups that I liked.

I find CFE-p powder very accurate for light target to factory, loadings,
in my 3, 3.5 & 5" 9mm pistols.

Oh I agree totally. If I had a bunch of unique or whatever I wouldn't change. However, if you're like me and don't have a stock of old stuff it seems to be a good powder to stock up on while you can.

Like probably many of us, I have several powders, gotten as they became available. Problem is, I have too many. My favorite, UNIQUE, I have the most of, but in attempting to find a replacement, probably one more won't hurt or matter.
I shoot mostly .38 Spl +P level loads in 357 magnum brass, because I don't care for the drama of "full snort" 357s.
It looks like a true toss up between CFE-P and BE 86...if and when they are stocked at any of the LGS. Any choice between them?
For years, my go-to load has been 5.5 gr. Unique...860 fps chrono'ed from a 4" barrel, standard primer. Thinking of increasing that to 6.0 gr., for no higher than 1,000 fps Jacketed and plated/cast I wonder if BE 86 or CFE-P will be good for that level of velocity, providing I can't find any Unique?

I'm finding plenty of the Hodgdon powders out there and they are not a vista outdoors company ... that im aware of.
So ... I'd opt for CFE for those political reasons.
Otherwise, the two powders are brothers from another mother.

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it just needs more voltage

BE-86 in my 9mm pistols will beat Unique powder in fps with a heavy 147 gr plated bullet

only because the "Fat" flakes of Unique fill the short 9mm case
more than the fine grained BE-86 powder.

CFE load data is too "Safe" to let it beat out these two other powders in fps. However it does a good job with a lighter 124 gr, plated bullet, in getting top fps, in or near +P.

My practice load for .38 Special is five grains of BE-86 under a 158-grain Rainier plated RN. This is halfway between Alliant's max standard pressure load and their max +P load, and I chose it because it effectively matches my .38 Special carry load, the R-P version of the FBI load which runs ~830 fps from my 3" M10-7. Hitting 1000 fps using .357 brass would be no problem, and is well within Alliant's .357 data.

My sole experience with CFE-P is with .40 S&W using coated 180-grain LTCs in my M&P40 1.0. Using 5.8 grains, which is .1 grain less than Hodgdon's starting load, it was one fps off Federal's 180-grain HST (979 fps vs. 980). It's a good load.

I've settled on BE-86 as my "one powder to rule them all". But if I got a better deal on CFE-P, I'd be comfortable going with it.

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Regards,

Chuck