CFE223 true to its word.

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  • usmcm16a2
    Warrior
    • Aug 2015
    • 538

    CFE223 true to its word.

    Folks,



    CFE 223 is a great powder, it is very easy to work with, meters well. But true to its word, little to no copper fouling. I shot 150 rounds of the MKZ yesterday and zilch on the copper fouling. A2
  • kmon
    Chieftain
    • Feb 2015
    • 2095

    #2
    Yup, one test I saw right after it came out they shot a rifle something like 200 times with standard factory ammo and took pics with a bore scope then I think 200 rounds loaded with CFE and another scope of the barrel, almost no copper fouling. Said you could use it to clean your barrel of copper fouling just by shooting enough. I don't doubt it, in my 17 Remington running 25gr bullets at 4250fps copper fouling would be so bad accuracy degraded after no more than 20 shots, with CFE loads at the same velocity still accurate at 75 rounds and still going.

    The powder fouling is a bit more of a pain to remove though not that bad.

    Comment

    • Klem
      Chieftain
      • Aug 2013
      • 3506

      #3
      I stopped removing copper some time ago. Every time I removed copper it was a PITA to fill up all the micro pores again with fouling shots until the barrel settled to something that was like the end of the previous session. It might be an issue in .22 but in the larger calibres I have never seen copper fouling degrade precision, or accuracy. In fact I leave my barrels fouled from session to session, as long as it's not raining. The cold bore shot has never been more predicable and the group sizes have not suffered. It's been hard coming from a military culture of dogmatic cleaning every single time but once you make peace with it there's the added bonus of having more time on your hands.

      Comment

      • Kilco
        Chieftain
        • Jan 2016
        • 1201

        #4
        CFE223 is a great powder to work with. I like the low pressures you can achieve great velocity.

        Oddest thing though... my father used CFE223 under a 107 SMK for awile in his Vepr. Once he took it apart to clean it, the gas tube had this "sludge" all through it unlike any other powder/load before.

        Didn't hamper function at all, it was just unique to this powder.

        Comment

        • 6mmintl
          Unwashed
          • Oct 2017
          • 14

          #5
          Its called graphite, not carbon fouling

          Comment

          • pinzgauer
            Warrior
            • Mar 2011
            • 440

            #6
            I was very surprised to find the hardcore 556 reloaders don't like CFE very much. General theme is that it's just ok, they don't think it's as accurate as other options.

            I'm finding it to be a very flexible powder, but I'm not a super accuracy reloader for most of my calibers. And I really like the fact that it's both inexpensive and works well in a large number of my calibers from 556 to Grendel to 308 size cases.

            Comment

            • grayfox
              Chieftain
              • Jan 2017
              • 4295

              #7
              Originally posted by pinzgauer View Post
              I was very surprised to find the hardcore 556 reloaders don't like CFE very much. General theme is that it's just ok, they don't think it's as accurate as other options.

              I'm finding it to be a very flexible powder, but I'm not a super accuracy reloader for most of my calibers. And I really like the fact that it's both inexpensive and works well in a large number of my calibers from 556 to Grendel to 308 size cases.
              Inexpensive, works well, and AVAILABLE...!!!I can find xbr from time to time, and 2520 sometimes (even more rare than xbr over here it seems), but cfe is pretty much always around. Most of the inaccuracy I encounter, once I find a good load, is my fault not the powder or bullet or rifle.
              "Down the floor, out the door, Go Brandon Go!!!!!"

              Comment

              • Sticks
                Chieftain
                • Dec 2016
                • 1922

                #8
                As much as the Hazmat fee sucks, you can always order it in.

                I arranged a group buy to spit up the Hazmat from Powder Valley with 8 other guys on a local forum. This is how I ended up with 24# of 2230, 10k BR primers and 10k 450 primers. Total order was north of $1200.

                The local Sportsmans Warehouse has 2520 in stock. Have a pound I am playing with.
                Sticks

                Catchy sig line here.

                Comment

                • heyyouguesswho
                  Unwashed
                  • Nov 2017
                  • 19

                  #9
                  I’m running CFE223 and having good accuracy with 130 grain Berger Hybrids. My only issue is the graphite accumulations that occur with CFE, it really gunks up the gas system. After a lengthy range session last weekend I didn’t have time to break down the rifle for cleaning. She sat until this morning and I had a heck of a time getting the bolt pulled aft to tear it down. Lots of black soot between bolt and carrier, cam pin was gunky enough to make it challenging.

                  Anyone else have this issue?

                  FYI, I have an adjustable gas system and it’s not been tuned down with these loads. I’m still working up loads and know that I am definitely overgassed.

                  Comment

                  • StoneHendge
                    Chieftain
                    • May 2016
                    • 2009

                    #10
                    I find it annoying that CFE seems to get everywhere when I work with it, but I cooked up a big batch of 300 BLK a week or so ago with H110 and that stuff REALLY gets everywhere, so now CFE doesn't seem so bad! I also don't find it as nearly as temp sensitive as the 1.7 or so on the chart that shows up out there on the world wide web - seem like its more around 1 fps per degree to me. Haven't gotten too analytical about it, but temp doesn't seem to have a major affect on SDs, accuracy or POI for me. i'll usually just adjust my ballistics program 1 fps per degree from the velocity from when I worked up the load at 75 degrees and its usually spot on..

                    I wouldn't consider myself a "hardcore" 556 reloader, but I do churn out a lot of it out. Mine gobble up XBR at near max charges with none of the pressure signs I get with it in Grendel (I can't get anywhere near max with XBR in both my Grendels), so I just keep the CFE for the Grrrrs
                    Let's go Brandon!

                    Comment

                    • brut28481
                      Warrior
                      • Mar 2016
                      • 117

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Kilco View Post
                      CFE223 is a great powder to work with. I like the low pressures you can achieve great velocity.

                      Oddest thing though... my father used CFE223 under a 107 SMK for awile in his Vepr. Once he took it apart to clean it, the gas tube had this "sludge" all through it unlike any other powder/load before.

                      Didn't hamper function at all, it was just unique to this powder.
                      What was his CFE/107 SMK load?

                      Comment

                      • HowaGrendel
                        Bloodstained
                        • Sep 2017
                        • 99

                        #12
                        I don't try to remove copper out of my Howa HB, I just run dry patches to get out the carbon, CFE223 has not proven to be accurate in my rifle up to this point...I only use it in 5.56 for FMJ training ammo, accuracy compared to Varget and other powders is not very good in my use so far...

                        Comment

                        • heyyouguesswho
                          Unwashed
                          • Nov 2017
                          • 19

                          #13
                          Originally posted by StoneHendge View Post
                          I find it annoying that CFE seems to get everywhere when I work with it, but I cooked up a big batch of 300 BLK a week or so ago with H110 and that stuff REALLY gets everywhere, so now CFE doesn't seem so bad! I also don't find it as nearly as temp sensitive as the 1.7 or so on the chart that shows up out there on the world wide web - seem like its more around 1 fps per degree to me. Haven't gotten too analytical about it, but temp doesn't seem to have a major affect on SDs, accuracy or POI for me. i'll usually just adjust my ballistics program 1 fps per degree from the velocity from when I worked up the load at 75 degrees and its usually spot on..

                          I wouldn't consider myself a "hardcore" 556 reloader, but I do churn out a lot of it out. Mine gobble up XBR at near max charges with none of the pressure signs I get with it in Grendel (I can't get anywhere near max with XBR in both my Grendels), so I just keep the CFE for the Grrrrs
                          I feel your pain on the H110. I get major static cling issues inside various powder dispensers when using H110. It's so fine that any errant flakes are distributed EVERYWHERE on my bench!

                          Comment

                          • kmon
                            Chieftain
                            • Feb 2015
                            • 2095

                            #14
                            For your static issues have ou tried dryer sheets? Rub them all over the powder drop then rubber band them around the hopper. Seems toi help me a lot with the static, been doing that for years.

                            Which powder drops are you using with the ball powders, Lee drop sucks with the fine ball powders, RCBS works pretty well.

                            Comment

                            • xlcc
                              Warrior
                              • Feb 2016
                              • 210

                              #15
                              I have found CFE an easy powder to use.Pressures build very evenly with 123 gr. bullets,the only bullets I have used with this powder so far averaging 26 fps increase per .3 grs.My Howa for some reason does not prefer CFE as for accuracy is much better with other powder.

                              Comment

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