CFE 223

[FrancoisBuys]

Good day.

I need some info on CFE 223.

I loaded CFE 223 on my .303 british and took it to the range to do some load development. I loaded from 42.8gr to 44gr, the max charge on the website. Everything was going well. I got close to the speed that the reloading manual claims right up to 43.7gr where I had a drop in speed of 60fps and then the same with 44gr.

When I shot the first shot and saw the drop in speed I took some factory ammo and shot it over the chronograph to test the chrono but it gave the same speed as claimed on the box of ammo

My speeds where as follow.

42.8gr: 2555
43.1gr: 2583
43.3gr: 2601
43.7gr: 2542
44gr: 2571

Is this drop in speed a pressure sign? I had a real nice group at 43.7gr but I do not tust the sudden drop in speed.

 

[Blue68f100]

Using mixed brass will/can cause this. 60 fps drop is quite a bit, normally when you hit a node it flattens out. My experience with the CFE223 is it has always gave me larger velocity spread than my extruded powders. You did not say what your group size was. Was all of these hand weighted?

 

[FrancoisBuys]

Its not mixed brass and the brass are all fire formed and bumped to 0.002. the group sizes wasnt bad for an old 303, ironically 43.7gr gave me the best group at .78" Im happy with the group size, but with that big drop in speed I do not trust the group and cant help to wonder if the group will stay the same when I load it again. On CFE223 I get the best spreads when using magnum primers. I actually use Norma 202 and with the same brass and bullet I do not have this problem with the Norma powder.

Ive since contacted Hodgdon and they were fast to reply with this explanation:

"We have seen this before, but typically it is in large overbore cartridges and happens towards the max pressures, basically the gas volume is too much to leave the case in an efficient manner. Sometimes the lighter load simply lets the gas escape the case in a more efficient manner. Weird but not unheard of."