Anyone using CFE223
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MasterTech1960
Member
I raised my hand , not sure you could see it.
I am using it in the 223 and 308. It shoots good and appears to be accurate. It meters great. So far I am good with it. 
I am using it in the 223 and 308. It shoots good and appears to be accurate. It meters great. So far I am good with it. scooter123
Member
I've just started using it and believe that the copper fouling eliminator is more than Marketing Hype. I have an AR I built with a 1:8 20 inch Shilen Match barrel and when you are shooting to sub 1/2 MOA levels copper fouling in the barrel can become a Big Deal. After shooting loads featuring CFE223 I find it a lot easier to get my barrel completely spotless.
As for Function, if you don't have a Lee Factory Crimp Die you will want to purchase one. Because IMO CFE223 is distinctly sensitive to Pressure during the initial phase of Ignition and you need a good solid crimp to get stable velocity and a clean shooting load. I was in a rush one morning and forgot to crimp the batch of ammo I wanted to try out that day. The end result was ho hum accuracy and when I got home the Bolt Carrier Group looked like it had been mounted in the exhaust of a poorly tuned Diesel Engine, lots of oily feeling black soot.
Accuracy. I wasn't kidding about that sub 1/2 MOA potential of my rifle. After last weekend I'm starting to suspect that it may be a sub 1/4 MOA rifle. Because after spending most of my session fighting a tendancy to snatch the trigger I finally settled down. The last two 3 shot groups were cloverleafs, one with a span of 0.28 inch and the other with a span of 0.29 inch, at 100 yards off a sandbag with the stock on my shoulder. One of these days I may have to purchase or borrow a good Sled to get a better idea of what this rifle really can do. Because last weekends results are the best I'm capable of.
Loads, that pinpoint load features a 68 grain Hornady BTHP Match bullet over 23.7 grains of CFE223 in a Lake City case with a CCI 400 primer. Note, I have found this bullet to be distinctly speed sensitive. After the Soot experience I decided to try a heavier charge with this bullet to clean it up and a load using 25.8 grains of the CFE resulted in 5 inch groups at 50 yards. Yeah, I'm still baffled by that drastic shift but for some reason this bullet does not shoot well with a heavy charge. Thus my strong recommendation for Crimping with this powder. With a moderate crimp this powder shoots much cleaner and I cannot complain at all about the accuracy.
The second load I've worked up still needs some fine tuning because right now it's only grouping in the 3/4-7/8 inch range at 100 yards. This is a Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint bullet with a charge weight of 26.7 grains of CFE223, a near maximum charge. With a projected MV of 3100 fps it will certainly slam a coyote as hard as needed but I've had good success with Nosler bullets in 308 so I'm doing more trials to see if I can improve on the current accuracy. Unfortunately the weather forecast isn't good for this weekend so it may be a week or two before I'll have any results. However, I've got 12 test rounds each made at 26.2, 26.5, and 26.8 grains ready to test when the weather permits.
As for Function, if you don't have a Lee Factory Crimp Die you will want to purchase one. Because IMO CFE223 is distinctly sensitive to Pressure during the initial phase of Ignition and you need a good solid crimp to get stable velocity and a clean shooting load. I was in a rush one morning and forgot to crimp the batch of ammo I wanted to try out that day. The end result was ho hum accuracy and when I got home the Bolt Carrier Group looked like it had been mounted in the exhaust of a poorly tuned Diesel Engine, lots of oily feeling black soot.
Accuracy. I wasn't kidding about that sub 1/2 MOA potential of my rifle. After last weekend I'm starting to suspect that it may be a sub 1/4 MOA rifle. Because after spending most of my session fighting a tendancy to snatch the trigger I finally settled down. The last two 3 shot groups were cloverleafs, one with a span of 0.28 inch and the other with a span of 0.29 inch, at 100 yards off a sandbag with the stock on my shoulder. One of these days I may have to purchase or borrow a good Sled to get a better idea of what this rifle really can do. Because last weekends results are the best I'm capable of.
Loads, that pinpoint load features a 68 grain Hornady BTHP Match bullet over 23.7 grains of CFE223 in a Lake City case with a CCI 400 primer. Note, I have found this bullet to be distinctly speed sensitive. After the Soot experience I decided to try a heavier charge with this bullet to clean it up and a load using 25.8 grains of the CFE resulted in 5 inch groups at 50 yards. Yeah, I'm still baffled by that drastic shift but for some reason this bullet does not shoot well with a heavy charge. Thus my strong recommendation for Crimping with this powder. With a moderate crimp this powder shoots much cleaner and I cannot complain at all about the accuracy.
The second load I've worked up still needs some fine tuning because right now it's only grouping in the 3/4-7/8 inch range at 100 yards. This is a Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint bullet with a charge weight of 26.7 grains of CFE223, a near maximum charge. With a projected MV of 3100 fps it will certainly slam a coyote as hard as needed but I've had good success with Nosler bullets in 308 so I'm doing more trials to see if I can improve on the current accuracy. Unfortunately the weather forecast isn't good for this weekend so it may be a week or two before I'll have any results. However, I've got 12 test rounds each made at 26.2, 26.5, and 26.8 grains ready to test when the weather permits.
Magload
US Veteran
I don't know about the 223 YET but I love the CFE Pistol. BTW I have the jug of it right here and it says Copper Fouling Eraser. So maybe you still get copper fouling but it gets rid of it for you. Don
MichiganScott
Member
I've also been working up loads in .223. I've found that it may replace some old favorites because it may be more accurate and give more velocity. I need to shoot some more for confirmation before I can say for sure.
If you choose to use it with a 55gr FMJBT instead of match bullets, you still will get the advantage of the extra velocity and elimination of almost all of the copper fouling, even if you don't see better accuracy.
If you choose to use it with a 55gr FMJBT instead of match bullets, you still will get the advantage of the extra velocity and elimination of almost all of the copper fouling, even if you don't see better accuracy.
MasterTech1960
Member
I have been loading it under a 53 gr fmjbt in the 223 at the upper end of the Hodgdon recommended load data. I am all so at the upper end with the 308 . So far I have found it to preform better on the high end. I use the Lee factory crimp die for all my auto loaders. This is a pic of a ten shot group out of the 308. scope was not sighted in , but it grouped well.
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ostlund
Member
scooter123....thanks for the crimp tip.
fredj338
Member
It works fine. I think it is a bit more accurate w/ bullets over 55gr but it works. Try with & without crimp. I find it matters with some bullets not with others.
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Tex1001
Member
I've been a fan of Lee's FCD for years. I don't think that there's any other way to get truly consistent crimps.
I've been shooting CFE223 under the Sierra 168gr match through my Rem700HB and my friend's McMillan.
One hole groups.
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Snowshooter
Member
It works great for me with 68 HPBT like previously posted. With 55 gr it is slightly over gassed and gives me a forward ejection pattern. I also got pressure signs below max. Metering is excellent.
I didn't get good groups until I used magnum primers. Then they tightened up.
