CFE 223 and 222.
- Thread starter Smellydog
- Start date
Milk no sugar please
Well-Known Member
I used CFE223 in my 223 with CCI400 SR primers and they worked well together. Some of the loads that combination produced were stunningly accurate. I also used Fiocchi and RWS SR primers to good effect. The only reason I stopped was Viht powder was more locally abundant.
Good to go imho matey
Good to go imho matey
I’ll be surprised if you can get anything better than mediocre results in the .222 with cfe223. It gives the best velocity in all my data but I can barely get an inch group out of it and I’ve tried so many different bullets, primers and even seating depths to no avail. Eventually I gave up and gave it to my mate with a .308. N130 however is excellent and throws the bullets through the same hole if I do my bit.
You should be fine, I've tried it with CCI 400, Fiocchi and Rem 71/2 with little difference between them.
My experience is that to get the best from it in .222 I need to have a fairly compressed load.
That’s interesting, I didn’t try a compressed load I don’t think.
Phil fox man
Well-Known Member
I don't know if this will help, mike @ Brock and Norris did some load development for me when he rebareled my 22/250 and used CFE 223 and s&b lrp's.( I know lazy of me ).
phil.
phil.
How did you get on with it in a 22250? What load did you settle on?
Len the dog
Well-Known Member
I am using CFE223 for my 22-250 as it's all I could get with relative ease, accuracy is spot on with 50gr Vmax & 55gr Blitzking, both over a very stout load of 39.2 gr. The load isn't compressed but it does fill right up to the top of the shoulder, primers are Federal gold medal LR, again all I could get.
As I worked the load up I was getting very poor groupings at the lower end but the accuracy peaked at 39.2 gr, I continued up a bit more but started to get a stiff bolt so backed it off a touch and no other signs of over pressure.
Coincidentally, at peak groupings they are also matching my benchmark of Norma 50gr Vmax factory for velocity, so settled on that load without messing about with seating depth.
The powder definitely performs better with a full case from my experience but the large 22-250 capacity possibly reaches its limit for this powder before you reach a compressed load.
As I worked the load up I was getting very poor groupings at the lower end but the accuracy peaked at 39.2 gr, I continued up a bit more but started to get a stiff bolt so backed it off a touch and no other signs of over pressure.
Coincidentally, at peak groupings they are also matching my benchmark of Norma 50gr Vmax factory for velocity, so settled on that load without messing about with seating depth.
The powder definitely performs better with a full case from my experience but the large 22-250 capacity possibly reaches its limit for this powder before you reach a compressed load.
Phil fox man
Well-Known Member
len beat me to the post.
phil.
It works well in my .204 replacing BLC (2), but it needs a full case and Rem 7 1/2 primers....
Will PM....
CFE223 is the only powder that I have been able to use in order to match both the velocity and the accuracy of Hornady Superformance ammo in my .204 (32grain V-Max bullets). Some would give the speed but scatter like thrown bricks, others gave accuracy but were pretty disappointing when chrono-ed. My load of CFE is within 10fps of the factory stuff and gives lovely little clover leaf patterns at 100yds. That'll do nicely Sir ! 
I’ve had great results using CFE with 55 & 69gr bullets in .223. It throws extremely well too.
DG
CFE223 is the only powder that I have been able to use in order to match both the velocity and the accuracy of Hornady Superformance ammo in my .204 (32grain V-Max bullets). Some would give the speed but scatter like thrown bricks, others gave accuracy but were pretty disappointing when chrono-ed. My load of CFE is within 10fps of the factory stuff and gives lovely little clover leaf patterns at 100yds. That'll do nicely Sir !
CFE223 was the original Hornady 204 Ruger powder in its factory loads. The anti copper fouling ingredient was a vital factor to avoid the .17 Remington issues of a generation before - claims of excessive barrel copper fouling in US gun magazines ruining the cartridge's reputation and sales. It also met Hornady's MV requirements to allow the claim of fastest production cartridge on sale. So, it's unsurprising your handloads match factory performance.
On a wider note, CFE is a 'Marmite' powder - users seem to find it either excellent or useless. It sees little, more likely nil, use in precision loads for the 223, 308 and suchlike, but that applies to most ball-type powders before the 'Accuflat' (Winchester StaBALL) range, and we still have to see if the StaBALLs live up to the claims.
My most accurate load in 204 is using CFE223 powder, Hornady brass, Fed s/r primer and a 32g Varmageddon. These run at 3850 fps through my 19" barrel. Factory Superformance 32g are doing 3800 fps. Charlie doesn't like 'em up him!
I've also tried the same powder in my 22/250 and found it lacking in speed and accuracy to N140.
cjs
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