Cfe pistol

[JO JO]

Anyone ever try cfe pistol ?
I will be using it in 40sw does it burn clean and does it work well for target loads
I am using WFS now thinking of trying cfe pistol ?

 

[vaalpens]

I just started using it in 40S&W, and the accuracy was there with the plated bullets I normally load. I did chrono it when I was doing my initial load workup, but have not chrono'd my preferred load yet. Following is one of my loads while working on it. The ES/SD numbers were not good, but you can get some idea of the velocity:

40SW, 3.9", SIG P229
COL: 1.142"
Xtreme, 165gr, RNFPHPCB, CFEpistol, 6.5gr, CCI500
Average: 948
ES: 30
SD: 11.5
Force: 329
PF: 156
Velocities: 937, 967, 942, 951, 945

It works well in 9mm and 357sig, so it is a good powder to have.

This was my accuracy test at 15 yards from a rest. Good enough for me.

 

[[email protected]]

"RNFPHPCB" Wow that is a lot of letters to describe a bullet. The only work up I have done with CFE is in 380. It worked good in that application.

 

[vaalpens]

"RNFPHPCB" Wow that is a lot of letters to describe a bullet. The only work up I have done with CFE is in 380. It worked good in that application.

RNFPHPCB = X-Treme, Round Nose Flat Point Heavy Plate Concave Base.

 

[kcofohio]

CFE Pistol, IMO, is a decent target powder. About mid-range pistol powder in burn rate.

Though I have loaded up some 40 S&W, I haven't taken them to the range yet. I have shot many rounds with CFE in 380, 38 Spl., 357 mag., and 45 with good results.

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

I started using it in 9mm and 40 S&W after I got a good deal on an 8 lb keg.

I'm happy with it in both calibers, its just as accurate as Unique or Longshot and burns clean.

Its a high energy powder, even the start loads give a pretty strong velocity.

 

[derek45]

I bought it when powders were hard to find

I found it similar to UNIQUE, but meters better and burns cleaner

I've come to really like it for a medium burn rate pistol

works well with 357mag, 38 special, and 44 mag cast/coated loads

 

[RPegram]

I use it for 9mm, 45acp and 38 special. It is very good in all of them.

 

[s9ortner]

I've been using it for .40 and for 10mm. While it doesn't deliver the greatest velocities in 10mm, it makes for some extremely accurate plinking loads.

 

[Zendude]

Is CFE Pistol much cleaner than Universal, HP38, and Bullseye ?

 

[Kaldor]

I use CFE Pistol for 9mm. Works very well with 124gr bullets.

 

[JO JO]

Sounds like decent reviews here and its one of the cheaper powders I will need to try a pound

 

[bsctov]

I use it for .38 special. Great powder..meters well, also the small added benefit of reducing copper fouling. I have noticed

 

[ky8]

I used a Competition Pro chronograph and distance to graph was
fifteen feet. These are all CFE pistol powder. Order is round, load, and barrel
o.a.l. and fps. CP is copper plated. All CP were X-Treme bullets.
Three rounds per string. All CCI 500 primers.

38sp 158gr LSWCP 4.8 grains 3.75inch 1.431 691, 678, 669FPS
38sp 158gr LSW (Speer) 4.8 grains 3.75” 1.435 787, 783, 744

40s&w 155gr. LRNFPCP 6.6 grains 3.1” 1.027 938, 896, 873
6.9 grains 3.1” 1.125 1004, 981, 953
7.1 grains 3.1” 1.127 1020, 996, 978

45acp 230gr LRNCP 5.6 grains 4” 1.265 675, 661, 657
6.0 grains 4” 1.265 732, 719, 713

9mm 124gr LRNCP 5.2 grains 3.5” 1.145 989, 981, 979
4” 1085, 1077, 1062
3.1” 1010, 998, 977

I think overall I like this powder. It did not seem that dirty and accuracy was
pretty good across the board.

These loads are not intended to be specified loads. Always work from a manual
and work up your own loads. Your results may vary. Always be careful.

 

[horseman1]

It works great for me in 9mm and the previous posters in this thread are from people I respect for their knowledge and experience. I don't have chronograph numbers, but in my experience loading with cfe pistol, I think it is a very good powder and would work well for your application.


S9, welcome to THR!

 

[Dudedog]

Is CFE Pistol much cleaner than Universal, HP38, and Bullseye

Much cleaner than Bullseye, (what isn't??) about the same as Universal clean wise.

I have had good results in 9mm, but it seems to work better on the mid to high end of the charge range. If you look at Hodgdons data some of the CFE-Pistol loads show better vels than anything else but they are letting the CFE-P loads run higher pressures in some cases.
It also works in .45 ACP in the ranges listed. Not one of my top choices for that caliber but it will work.

 

[ATLDave]

Vaalpens, I'm surprised to see such clean holes in your target paper. I've never loaded any CFE, but I have scored targets from some guys who do. One thing that I have noticed is that they have a really strong crown/grease-ring. I had assumed that the amalgam/gunk was coming out stuck to the bullet and getting wiped on the target.

Maybe you just keep your barrel really clean...

 

[Reefinmike]

Sounds like decent reviews here and its one of the cheaper powders I will need to try a pound

It may seem cheap but it isnt. In 38 special for example, it takes 5.6gr of CFE to push a bullet as fast as 3.7gr hp-38 or 3.5gr bullseye. A $18 pound of bullseye gets you 2,000 loads and a $16 pound of cfe gets you 1250 loads.

I have a pound on my shelf that I intend to burn up with some 124gr plated 9mm.

 

[judgedelta]

I think I read in an advertisement that it cleans copper fouling at velocities of 1100+ FPS. Doesn't do much good for plinking loads, but does shoot good...

 

[vaalpens]

I think I read in an advertisement that it cleans copper fouling at velocities of 1100+ FPS.

Interesting.

When I bought CFE-P for the first time, part of my plan was to test the CFE claim in my 357sig since I also load plated bullets. I do see some copper fouling when shooting plated bullets.

I will report back once I get time to do my non-scientific CFE test.

 

[Jim Watson]

A friend went to CFE-P for 9mm when he could not find HP38 or W231 during the Panic.
He now prefers it.

 

[horseman1]

If you look at Hodgdons data some of the CFE-Pistol loads show better vels than anything else but they are letting the CFE-P loads run higher pressures in some cases.

I noticed that too. I am hoping this isn't a case of their marketing department slipping one by the engineering or legal department. New high zoot powder is OK to run at higher pressures.... My 9mm 115gr plated loads worked up real well, but I was under max.

H1

 

[RPegram]

My go to powder for all my pistol loads was 231/hp38, but when it started getting hard to find I knew it was time to find a new powder that worked well in multiple calibers. Wife and I were out riding around one Saturday last winter and saw CFE-P at a LGS, did some quick research on my phone, was impressed with loads listed on Hodgdon's site, so picked up a pound to try. I first tried it in 9mm under a 124 LRN and was extremely impressed with accuracy at 5.0 gr. It groups better than any other powder I've ever tried in 9mm. As stated above, I found best loads at high end in 9mm and on the low end for 45acp. I was also happy to see how well 5.6gr under 125gr lead flat point in 38 special performed. I got very good grouping in a 2" snubbie.