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CFE 223 in the .308

G

Goodwood

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 11, 2012
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Utah, USA
Anyone using CFE 223 to load in the .308? I think I'm going to try a few, as I have CFE, and I do not have Varget.

Can anyone recommend a good source for info on loading .308 with CFE 223 and 155gr. to 175gr. projectiles? I haven't got any CFE 223 lists in my reloading manuals, although they are not very current.

Thanks guys.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

I personally have only loaded in in 223, but there are a couple articles about it ins hodgdons 2013 annual manual that I read the other day. Also on Hodgdons website there is data for both cartridges and bullet weights you are looking for.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

I use 47grs with Lapua brass and 168AMAXs, pretty accurate load, netted a 4.7" group @600yds last year.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

Perfect. That was exactly what I was after. Must have been having a brain-fart last night. Seems like I looked everywhere besides the source.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JGorski</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use 47grs with Lapua brass and 168AMAXs, pretty accurate load, netted a 4.7" group @600yds last year. </div></div>

This is with the SPSS I'm guessing right? That is one of the guns I will be loading for, so this gives me some hope the experiment will work out well. Wish I would have been been reloading during the last election so I would have known to stock up on Varget...
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

Search "cfe223 range report". I did a work up on 175's. 47.3 grn. works best for me with fired Win. brass.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: caseyru</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Search "cfe223 range report". I did a work up on 175's. 47.3 grn. works best for me with fired Win. brass. </div></div>

Perfect. That is what I was looking for.

I'm pretty excited to try this stuff out now. I was a little bummed that I had loaded my last Varget for the time being. I had been playing with loads for my AAC-SD quite extensively, and I had a "sweet spot" around 44.3 - 44.5 gr that that was giving me really good consistency (.45 five-shot, and .80 ten-shot 100 yd groups measured CTC) with the 175 SMK at 2.805 COL in LC brass.

I have some IMR 4064 and 4895, so I was going to brew up some M118LR look-alikes to shoot for the time being, but I think now I will just start over with the CFE 223, and keep the Varget info on file for later.

I've got 120 pieces of fired Win brass to boot! It's going in the tumbler today!
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

I have a couple hundred rounds down the pipe on my precision .308 rig now with CFE and love it so far. Clean, burns completely, and leaves nothing but carbon in the barrel when I run a patch through it. I get 5 holes that all touch each other @ 100 yards and 3 holes out of 5 that touch each other @ 200 yards with it. I am betting all 5 holes would touch @ 200 if I could do a better job on my end. @ 400 yards I can hold a 4" 5 shot group.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

44.1 IMR 4064 under a 178 AMAX loaded .02 off lands is working great in my 308 AAC-SD. 47.2 gr of CFE has shown promise. playing with seating depth soon
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: The Woodyguy</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JGorski</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I use 47grs with Lapua brass and 168AMAXs, pretty accurate load, netted a 4.7" group @600yds last year. </div></div>

This is with the SPSS I'm guessing right? That is one of the guns I will be loading for, so this gives me some hope the experiment will work out well. Wish I would have been been reloading during the last election so I would have known to stock up on Varget... </div></div>

Indeed, and I had the oal at 2.825" which is way off the lands.
But I was using CFE223, Varget totally sucks in both my 308s.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

Your Varget sentiments are rather odd. Varget is the go to powder for most folks loading 308. It has been far and away the best overall performer in five different 308 rifles for me.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shoot4fun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Your Varget sentiments are rather odd. Varget is the go to powder for most folks loading 308. It has been far and away the best overall performer in five different 308 rifles for me.
</div></div>
The lot I have works great in a buddies 708 with 139 SPs, though.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

I have a pound of CFE223 unopened. I did try 2000MR in my 223 on the advice of a shooting bud. I was very disappointed with the velocity but accuracy was fantastic.
I see you are using more CFE223 in a 308 case than I would Varget. 44.7 Varget gets me 2730 FPS from the 175SMK. How much more velocity are you getting?
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shoot4fun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a pound of CFE223 unopened. I did try 2000MR in my 223 on the advice of a shooting bud. I was very disappointed with the velocity but accuracy was fantastic.
I see you are using more CFE223 in a 308 case than I would Varget. 44.7 Varget gets me 2730 FPS from the 175SMK. How much more velocity are you getting? </div></div>

Not woody, but Ive used 47.5grs 2000MR with 178HPBTs, velocity was about the same as your varget load. 26" tube.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shoot4fun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a pound of CFE223 unopened. I did try 2000MR in my 223 on the advice of a shooting bud. I was very disappointed with the velocity but accuracy was fantastic.
I see you are using more CFE223 in a 308 case than I would Varget. 44.7 Varget gets me 2730 FPS from the 175SMK. How much more velocity are you getting? </div></div>

I'm guessing you we're talking to Twitch, but my velocity out of an AAC-SD is about 2620 at 44.5 Varget and 175 SMKs.
 
Re: CFE 223 in the .308

Twitch,

Do you know what your over-all length is to be .02 off lands in the AAC-SD, just for comparison with mine? I'm wondering how much different my gun is going to be, and would love to have the info when I measure mine.

I was about to get started experimenting with seating depth on my Varget loads. Now I think I will need to be setting up a new base-line because I'm going to be running low on Varget soon, hence the interest in CFE223.

When I set up the new starting point for my gun, I'm going to compare my measurements with several other AAC-SDs to see if there is any similarity. If I find there is only a couple thousandths difference, I would love to come up with a "standard" AAC-SD load, as I have several friends shooting this gun, and wanting help with loads. It would be nice to go back to a "standardized" load that will likely shoot well in any of our guns.

Does this seem like a worthwhile venture? Or a waste of time for limited accuracy gains?
 
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