Just wondering what everyone's experience has been with this powder????, only have one rifle that loves it but seems to me that it leaves as much copper behind as most other powders.......Hodgdon propaganda ????? being copper fouling eraser

I've got a pound, but haven't tried it yet.

I'm using it in the 32 Winchester Special and getting very good accuracy. Haven't chronographed it yet. I'm getting ready to try it in the 8x57. I seem to recall that one of the bullet maker load data websites showed it as delivering good velocity in the 35 Whelen.

I've used it in my 223 and mostly my 8x57. It shoots fantastic in my Sauer 8x57. As to the copper fouling reduction I honestly can't tell on way or another because that particular gun rarely fouls much with any powder. I've speculated that it could be the German steel. I think the additives that powder companies use can work and do but I think it largely depends on the quality of the steel in your barrel and how the copper reducers react with the steel.

Using it in a new Tikka 204 Ruger I recently bought. I don't see much if any copper fouling and loads are fairly accurate. I bought 2 more pounds of it, so as to leave my AR Comp alone. Found some CFE223 here locally for a pretty good deal, so I bought it.

For me it's the 'go to' powder in 8x57 and 7.65 Belgian Mauser...accuracy, speed. Fouling? I kinda got bored with the whole bare metal cleaning hysteria a few years back, and all I do now is 'maintain' the bore annually, don't pay much attention to copper wash.

That may be one of the reasons you are having issues getting those Barnes bullets to shoot well in your rifle.

Works very well in my 308 with 150gn bullets and produces better velocity than any other powder.

True, it could be a contributing factor, but when I take the very same rifle, same day, fouled bore, and fire the old known cup and core accuracy loads to verify the rifle and scope (nothing destroys my confidence like a 2 1/2 or 3 inch group)...and it performs perfectly, it makes me think fouling is not a big factor. In real world, offhand game shooting, there is nothing wrong with a 2.5 moa rifle...but I just get so damn frustrated with that piss poor performance with a rifle capable of sub moa with just about any load including factory Gold Medal Match, Black Hills Gold, my own handloads with Speer, Sierra, Hornady. Obviously I am doing SOMETHING wrong with the Barnes...I'll either figure it out or go nuts trying.

flintlocke, try Hammer Bullets. You can buy sample packs of 15 bullets. They might shoot for you and you won't waste so much money buying boxes of 50.

OK, just ordered 50 because I am a slow learner.

Word . . . 3,000 fps is a good MV for the 150 TTSX

That is what I am using it in as well, a 204 Ruger. it shoots accurate with good speed but leaves as much copper in the barrel as several other powders Benchmark,8208xbr,Varget,VVN140,H322,BL-C2.etc. was just thinking that the CFE was more marketing than reality.......don't know about the 223 part of it either, doesn't work that well in any of my 223's but glad it does in my 204 Ruger
It is available here locally as well for a reasonably good price

I'm almost through my third 8 lb bottle. only powder I use in my 204's, shoots extremely well in all 3 and 4 barrels. I shoot alot. easy to clean barrels. I think it works.

CFE223 groups well and less fouling in my Ruger American 223. Less fouling than BLC-2, H335 and Varget. Didn't make any difference when tried in a 243 just to see. Neither did IMR4451. That gun just fouled bad. Speer shows CFE223 in the 35 Whelen but haven't tried it yet. Dan.

LOL

CFE223 is very good in my 35 Whelen, excellent accuracy and no copper fouling. Excellent velocity with 250 grain Hornadys

Worked well with 64 & 65gr in .223. Max loads.

Works well for .223’s, gonna have to try it in 308’s.

Has anyone had any success using it in either a 7-08 or 260 Rem with 120-140 bullet weights, namely TTSXs or Interlocks?

It may be your barrel? I found it shoots very clean and the barrel is easy to clean with little to no copper fouling, but the rifle I am using it in is new, basically. I will agree with you about the "223 part" as well. I experimented with it in some of my AR's and a buddies bolt action 223 rem and there were always other powders that did much better. I kind of wrote it off until recently buying this new 204 Ruger. It works exceptionally well in that rifle. Sub moa 10 shot groups is the norm. My new fast twist Tikka 22-250 is sending that rifle down the road though.. YMMV..

It's working good in my .30-30. Great accuracy and velocity with 170 grain bullets.

I tried it in a 17 Rem, and it shot ok. Benchmark gave the best groups.

Agree. In a new Win 94 short rifle it was giving near MOA accuracy with both Hornady and Nosler 170s. Scoped of course.

Tom

Eagle,
I used the CFE in my 7-08AI with 120 TTSXs..by far the fastest velocities and superior accuracy with the TTSX over anything else i used.

Bill

I see 3,100+ from an 18" 7mm-08 and the 120NBT with a book load of CFE223 and it shoots pretty well, better than Big Game in that rifle. Pretty dang stout load, and I've heard that H's book loads are a bit warm for some rifles with that powder.

I've gotten 3830 FPS with a book load of CFE223 and 55 grain Winchester bullet in my 22-250

That’s a great combo for that short barrel. I’ve been using SB6.5 with the 130 Speer and 132 Bitterroots. I’m sitting right around 2990 for those. Makes me wonder if CFE223 would do any better.

I'm getting 2686 FPS with CFE223 under a 350 grain Speer in a 24" 10 twist Bartlien barrel, MarkX Interarms Whitworth action

I'm using CFE223 in a couple of 250 Savages. In the Savage 99s it gives me the smallest groups with 100 gr Hornady and Speer bullets though they are still a over 1.5". This is the best I've done with the 1:14" twist. In a rebarreled Savage bolt gun with 1:10" the same loads do an inch most of the time and 117 gr Hornady RN and 117 gr Sierra Prohunters do a little over an inch and a half. For hunting in the woods that is plenty accurate.

In these guns it seems to reduce copper fouling, at least I haven't had to run more than a patch or two to clean it out. I shot several dozen rounds loaded with CFE through a Savage 1920 and it seemed to rid a lot of the built up copper in the bore. CFE is my next powder I'm trying for 75 gr Hornady BTHPs in the 223. Im hoping to get a bit more velocity as it seems this bullet is on the cusp of stabilizing in one of my rifles. It seems to shoot to my ability with an occasional flier that looks a little oblong when it hits the paper. It may be a fool's errand but I have plenty to play with.

I use it in my 7-08 with 140 gn NBT, 139 gn Hornady SST, 140 gn ComTec Ballistic Silvertips and 140 gn Sierra Gamekings. 41 gn with all 4 bullets give me 2600-2700 velocity. A mild load, but I never have to shoot over 100 yds.

I'm going to have to look in my load manuals and see if it's listed for the 7mm08. That would be cool if it is. I'd give it a try..

I currently use it in my 223, 22-250, 22 CHeetah Mark II, 243, 6.5 CM, 7-08 and 308. Its become my go to powder as all shoot well with it and I am fortunate to have a good bit of it. I have started keeping track of the # of rounds I shoot before accuracy fades, but so far, it has been clean shooting for me.

I know its has been listed in Hodgdon's Annual Manual for years now. It's not listed in Hornady's 9th or 10th edition, Lyman's 49th or 50, or Western's.

I saw a load for 40gr. bullets, 22-250, 26'' barrel @ 4400+fps, starting load was near 4100fps.

I'm pretty sure that would knock some feathers off of a crow.

I've tried it in a few different .223 loads. The accuracy was disappointing compared to some other powders I use for that caliber.
May give it another try in my 6.5 Grendel.

I've used it in a 223 bolt gun, and it worked well enough that I'll use it more. I'd like to try it in some other cartridges, but will wait until things are more available.

Barnes

I’m loading IIRC 48.0 gr under a 120 TSX in a 20” Model 7. Haven’t checked velocity. Shot 2 deer and they died. 150ish lb buck broke both shoulders and kept going. He went about 6 ft. Shot a doe deliberately behind shoulder meat and she ran about 50 yards. What surprised me was the buck had very little meat loss, even hitting both shoulder bones. Reason enough to keep using it. Both deer at 75 yards or less.

Works well in my daughter's Tikka T3X 308 Win - 150 TTSX over 48.5 g CFE 223 in Peterson Brass for average velocity of 2893 fps (an 1.02" average group size across 8, 3 shot groups at various seating depths - I expect aver. will shrink when I re-test at it preferred seating depth of 0.070" off lands). The other powders I've tried with this rifle are Varget and Reloader 15

CFE 223 is also the pet load powder for my Browning BLR .308 - 168 g TTSX over 46.5 g CFE 223 in Hornady Brass for average velocity of 2710 fps and average group size of 1.24". The other powders I've tried for this rifle are H4895, Varget, Reloader 15, IMR 4064. While H4895 produced better accuracy, it velocity only averaged 2560 fps.