New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

[frankythefly]

Just saw this:

The technology developed for the U.S. Military that greatly deters copper fouling is now available in CFE™223 for your reloads!

Introduced in January 2012, this versatile spherical rifle propellant incorporates in its formula CFE, Copper Fouling Eraser. This ingredient, originally used in military propellant, greatly deters copper fouling. It contributes to longer periods of top accuracy with less barrel cleaning time. Being a spherical powder, metering is superbly accurate. CFE 223 yields top velocities in many cartridges such as the 204 Ruger, 223 Remington/5.56mm NATO, 22-250 Remington and the 308 Winchester/7.62mm NATO, plus many, many more. Match, Varmint and AR shooters will love this one!

http://www.hodgdon.com/new_prod.html

 

[nitro-express]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

I bought a lb at the Brandon gun show on the weekend. I want to try it in my 8x57. I looks alot like BLC-2. My 8 doesn't foul much but I was impressed by the velocity CFE 223 gives with 150 gr bullets. I use BLC-2 with 175's now and am happy with the load except that BLC-2 is a sooty powder, leaves alot of residue behind. I'm wondering if CFE 223 is a bit cleaner burning.

 

[Jimlaw83]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

The news of the powder's existence has been posted before but when I contacted Hodgdon they said they weren't sending to distributors before the first of the year. This is an interesting development that it may be available now. I was planning on doing full load dev with 223 50 gr vmax and 75 gr bthp, and also with 308 175 SMKs, then posting it all on here. Might have to stop by the local shop and see if they have it yet. Law school finals are done this week so I'll have a little free time!

 

[armydog]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

I was about to buy some AR Comp for testing, but after a serch this came up. I may have to get some too to try.

 

[wakajawaka]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

CFE, Copper Fouling Eraser...
I'm wondering if this is chemical, mechanical or some other mechanism?

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

What I've read seems to support the claims. I have an aversion to copper fouling, with some strong suspicions about its relationship to bore pitting.

Having a powder that virtually eliminates lingering copper fouling generates a huge degree of intrest in me.

Greg

 

[frankythefly]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

I want to try a pound, not only for my .223 but also for my .308. I am shooting Dynamic research Solids that are of a copper alloy and seem to start to foul up the barrel faster than normal copper plated bullets. I wonder how temp sensitive this powder will be? I would think it would be pretty insensitive being a powder for military use, however my understanding is that ball powder is always going to be a little sensitive to temp.

 

[Iamironman]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jimlaw83</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The news of the powder's existence has been posted before but when I contacted Hodgdon they said they weren't sending to distributors before the first of the year. </div></div>

They must have seen the demand for it. Both Midway and Powder valley have it in stock. I didn't check anywhere else.

 

[Jimlaw83]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

Just checked and by golly you're right! I'll stop by my local shop on the way home and see if they have a pound. If so I'll work up some 175 smk loads for 308 and 75 grain bthp 223 loads for this weekend. I'll post results and chrono data on here as soon as I'm done.

 

[feelinducky]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

I'll check the local sportsmans

 

[shamblin]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

I paid the haz mat fee and bought 2 pounds from Powder Valley.
Much cleaner than BLC2.
I tested 168 and 175 grain.
100 fps faster than BLC2 on both
I posted the results on long range hunting.com
175 SMK AVG 2794 fps with ES of 23 and SD of 9.32
Quarter size groups at 100 yds
DPMS 308LR
168 BST Avg 2853 fps with ES of 20.2 and SD of 9.32
Tim

 

[Emouse]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

Nitro Chemie ( Switzerland) have been doing this for their MILSPEC powders particularly that which is loaded into RUAG .338 for military consumption.

 

[LOBO]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shamblin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I paid the haz mat fee and bought 2 pounds from Powder Valley.
Much cleaner than BLC2.
I tested 168 and 175 grain.
100 fps faster than BLC2 on both
I posted the results on long range hunting.com
175 SMK AVG 2794 fps with ES of 23 and SD of 9.32
Quarter size groups at 100 yds
DPMS 308LR
168 BST Avg 2853 fps with ES of 20.2 and SD of 9.32
Tim </div></div>

What was your starting charge weight with the 175 gr SMK?

 

[frankythefly]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shamblin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I paid the haz mat fee and bought 2 pounds from Powder Valley.
Much cleaner than BLC2.
I tested 168 and 175 grain.
100 fps faster than BLC2 on both
I posted the results on long range hunting.com
175 SMK AVG 2794 fps with ES of 23 and SD of 9.32
Quarter size groups at 100 yds
DPMS 308LR
168 BST Avg 2853 fps with ES of 20.2 and SD of 9.32
Tim </div></div>

I am liking that velocity, would be interested in recipe information as well. Where the loads compressed at all?

 

[fnbrowning]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LOBO</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: shamblin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I paid the haz mat fee and bought 2 pounds from Powder Valley.
Much cleaner than BLC2.
I tested 168 and 175 grain.
100 fps faster than BLC2 on both
I posted the results on long range hunting.com
175 SMK AVG 2794 fps with ES of 23 and SD of 9.32
Quarter size groups at 100 yds
DPMS 308LR
168 BST Avg 2853 fps with ES of 20.2 and SD of 9.32
Tim </div></div>

What was your starting charge weight with the 175 gr SMK? </div></div>

Tag for my interest also.

 

[fireguyty]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

I wonder how temp stable it is.......

 

[nitro-express]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

I just used the last of the LB I had, and am having a dickens of a time finding another. It does seem to produce less soot and less copper. According to the ads it will not remove previous copper fouling, only from the shot just fired. From my observations that seems to be exactly what it does. It does give velocity, 57 gr behind a 150 in the 8x57 gave >2950fps, 55.5 gives >2850fps. Those are down from claimed in the data but that's not unusual. 53 gr of BLC-2 gives app 2650 fps, I didn't test that any further. Accuracy is acceptable, perhaps good (open sights, old eyes) in the 8x57, good in the 22-250. Availability is an issue. I should be dandy in the 300 Savage.

 

[powderBurnz]

Re: New Hodgdon Powder for .223 and .308 CFE 223

Got 3 #s last month, have yet to try it out. From what I am reading its giving more FPS than 2000MR even, in most cases.