HOW does CFE prevent copper fouling?

[Fatelvis]

I know most of you guys are not chemical engineers, but for the handful that are: How is it possible to reduce or eliminate copper fouling during firing? It seems too good to be true, but people are confirming that it works. How the he** does Hodgdon do it? Thanks-

 

[[email protected]]

There was a write up on it in the Feb 2013 issue of handloaded magizine. They confirmed that it did work, but was unable to give a actual reason why, other than the chemical composition of the powder acted like a shielding gas.

 

[45lcshooter]

Your supposed to put a cleaning patch with solvent on it in the case before you seat the bullet. Lol cleans the barrel on the way out. Lol. I have a pound of CFE and I wonder the same question too on how it takes away copper fouling.

 

[grubbylabs]

I just bought a pound of it yesterday and loaded 10 rounds last night, they all shot well, so this afternoon when I get home from work I will go home and clean my rifle and see how dirty it was, I don't expect much since it was only 10 rounds, but who knows.

 

[jstein650]

I've read, and it seems to make sense, that the powder contains something that acts as an oxidizer, specific to the copper, that is nearly molten as the bullet rides down the barrel. It also has some kind of lubricant that prevents the jacket particles from adhering to the barrel steel.

 

[zxcvbob]

It has tin or bismuth mixed in with the powder to alloy with the copper fouling. It's nothing new, Hodgdon's marketing dept just decided to run with it. Maybe CFE223 has more decoppering additives than (for example) W748, I don't know.

I'd like to try it, but the only time I've seen any at the local gun shop, it was almost $30 a pound. I have plenty of good $10 powder already.

 

[jstein650]

$30/lb? OUCH! I've not tried it, but the last write up I saw on it looked pretty impressive, though at $30/lb, I think I could clean my barrel for far less. The load data/velocities are impressive as well. Which might be a technique to sell a new powder. I know I'm inclined to purchase the powder that gives me the highest velocity for any given load.

 

[Fatelvis]

I have plenty of good $10 powder already.

Where are you guys buying your powder?

 

[zxcvbob]

Quote:
"I have plenty of good $10 powder already."

Where are you guys buying your powder?

Last powder I bought was about 6 months; two 8 lb jugs of WC844 from either Wideners or Natchez. I don't remember the price but pretty sure it was less than $80 each.

I buy from Wideners, Natchez, Powder Valley, Grafs, and Hi-Tech Ammo whenever they have something I want cheap enough to pay the hazmat shipping. Most of the powder has been from Powder Valley, and the primers evenly split between PV and Grafs.

Every once in a while I buy a pound of powder I want to try from Cabelas or the local gun store, but they've gotten too expensive lately.

 

[.22-5-40]

zxcvbob has it right..it's nothing new..Dupont introduced the so called "Tin Can" powders desiginated by 1/2..15 1/2..17 1/2..this one was later replaced by IMR3031. Tin was incorporated in an effort to reduce the severe cupro-nickle fouling in the 30-06 following the first world war.