45Colt Hodgdon CFE Pistol=WOW

[Brokenbear]

All I can say is you got to try it

Starting load 250gr Berry's/8.4gr/930 fps./10,300psi

Max load 250gr Berry's/9.2gr/1014f psi./13,000psi

I started at 9.0 gr in a Ruger New Vaquero Birdshead 4.62" as a starting load ...to read primers on all six chambers and get a general idea of smoke/sound/recoil/cleaness etc.

Probably not the best first load to shoot in the NV since I had converted it to a Birdshead!!!!

WOW what a romping fast load ....at 100 yards I honestly could tell little difference in bullet arrival time vs that of my full house loads out of my 6" 44mag!

I think the starting load will do nicely for both my range loads as well as my bear/mtn lion loads ...yes bears and cougars in Missouri ...

Twice in the last 3 years I have had cougars track me to my treestand ...and me with a bow both times

I have reported for 5 or 6 years both critter types on my farm to the game department ...but we have neither they always say ... ha ha ...in the last 4 months the state conservation magazine has articles on ....yup ...how Missourians can get along with Bears ...then one on mtn lions

I've loaded bath tubs full of HERCO and UNIQUE over the years but this stuff is different ...zero smoke (more herco than unique)..clean up good ...and a slap recoil allowing faster follow up sight picture

Bear

 

[scattershot]

Is CFE Pistol equivalent to a current powder ? I have heard that CFE 223 is basically BLc2 with additives. Sounds like a good powder to try. Thanks.

 

[Bosquebass]

I have 4 pounds of it in the locker but I haven't loaded any of it yet.
I guess it's time to break a can open and see what it will do.

 

[BZimm]

I bought one pound of CFE Pistol last week. I want to load some 38 special with it. It shows up in some of the newer loading manuals.

BZimm

 

[TAROMAN]

CFE P is now my most used powder in 44 Magnum.
I shoot mostly mid-range (960 F/S) loads for bowling pins.

 

[Brokenbear]

Is CFE Pistol equivalent to a current powder ? I have heard that CFE 223 is basically BLc2 with additives. Sounds like a good powder to try. Thanks.

Not qualified to answer but by studying load data along with pressure etc ....there is nothing of any brand that will touch 250gr/1014fps for only 13,000 psi in a 45 Colt ctg

I LIKE high RPM's at low psi !!!

Bear

 

[SLT223]

Is it really doing that over a chronograph? I see where it's published on the hodgdon site.

 

[Inyo Boy]

Good to hear another positive review about CFE. I have a few test ladders ready to try out in 9 and 45 acp. Can't wait to see how it performs. If happy with results then I will try it in 357. Just need the weather to dry out so I can go shooting.

 

[Mark in GA]

Hodgdon's listed velocities for pistol loads are not even close to reality over a chrono based on my testing. Especially from normal barrel lengths like 3" up to 6". Your load is probably NOT going at the speeds you think.

Mark in GA

 

[Nevada Ed]

I have shot CFE pistol in a 38 J frame 1 7/8" barrel up to the 6" 357 Magmum.
Just got through with a 3" Kahr and 3.5" C9 9mm with 115 to 147gr bullets.

The accuracy is there along with a clean burn with medium to full loads.
Starting and low 9mm loads can have a little soot on the cases
but .2 grs more powder will usually solve the problem.

I give CFE pistol a thumbs up, also.

I rate it between............. w231 and Unique,
with the fine grains, just don't spill any.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

CFE Pistol has a slower burn rate, similar to HS-6 and Auto Comp.

If you're referring to Hodgdon's Burn Rate chart listings it does show it's slower than HS-6, burn rate wise. However burn rate charts never agree because there's no apparent standardization.

In the published handloading tests I've seen where CFE-P is loaded along side other powders, with the same components & firearm, it's pretty much on par with the same weight charge as Unique.

In fact look no farther than Hodgdon's Reloading Data Center, ie: the 40 S&W. It takes 1.2grs more of HS-6 to equal CFE-P's velocity (slower powders need more to equal a faster powder for a given velocity), & it's actually still slower, with a 165gr JHP at max. load.

Autocomp's charge, & performance, is virtually the same as CFE-P, according to this same data.

HS-6 is definitely slower than CFE-P.

.

 

[Greenjoytj]

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

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Not qualified to answer but by studying load data along with pressure etc ....there is nothing of any brand that will touch 250gr/1014fps for only 13,000 psi in a 45 Colt ctg

I LIKE high RPM's at low psi !!!

Bear

While I have no doubt you found a good load I'm also fairly sure you are not generating those velocities posted on the Hodgdon site. I used many powders in the 45 Colt, now I use nothing but HS-6 because it's extremely accurate with good velocity.

 

[cowboy4evr]

Look at Alliants load for the 45 colt with a 250 gr cast bullet using Blue Dot , and Herco powder . Notice they don't use 10" barrels like some powder co's . They're achieving over 1000 fps in a 5.5" barrel . I'm sure that was a test barrel ( no cylinder gap ) but the figures are still very impressive . I contacted Ben @ Alliant and he assured me they did not go over SAAMI std. 14K psi for the 45 Colt .

 

[StakeOut]

I always see the CFE Pistol at the local Academy Sports store for $23.99/lb but have never bought any.

In 45 Colt I used Unique and BE86 under 200gr,230gr and 250gr lead bullets

Berry's plated are quality bullets but IMO just too expensive if you do a lot of shooting.

$30/500 200gr .452 hard cast lswc
$34/500 233gr .452 hard cast lrn

 

[EazyT]

Well I have a chrono and 45 Colt is my favorite caliber so I am just going to have to try this powder.

Like one of the previous posters I too settled on HS-6 for my full power standard pressure loads. Maybe CFE will change that, or not, we will just have to wait and see.

 

[Brokenbear]

EazyT ....whats the verdict ???

Bear

 

[hoytx10]

I LOVE CFE Pistol for the 45 colt and for lite 44 magnum loads. I have found 200gr bullets work the best in the 44 magnum with CFE Pistol and a magnum primer.