CFE pistol 45 acp?

[JJE76]

First off I've found a pretty good load 6.4 gr with 230 gr fmj. What I don't like is that fired cases have char marks on the outside. Everything I've read is it gets better closer to max which would be 6.8 or so. Anyone running into this issue? Loading them to coal of 1.25. I'm a huge fan of Vihtivouri n 320 with 9mm really clean and soft shooting at near max. Anyone load 45 with it?

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[Nosferatu]

I don't load .45, but I have worked some loads in 10mm with CFE Pistol. I have also found near max to be the sweet spot. 6.6gr with a 200gr hard cast works great in the GP100, G29 and XDM 5.25.

It's become my replacement powder for the discontinued 800x.

 

[JDubDub]

I don't use CFE P for 45, but I do in 9, 40, 357 and 10. It's one my favorite/go-to powders. The only time I get any black soot is when I run light powder charges. Not enough pressure to expand the case enough to get a good seal in the chamber.

 

[Local Loader]

First off I've found a pretty good load 6.4 gr with 230 gr fmj. What I don't like is that fired cases have char marks on the outside. Everything I've read is it gets better closer to max which would be 6.8 or so. Anyone running into this issue? Loading them to coal of 1.25. I'm a huge fan of Vihtivouri n 320 with 9mm really clean and soft shooting at near max. Anyone load 45 with it?

Don't use cfe Pistol for 45acp but the max is 7.0gr unless you want +p loads. You could also try using magnum primers if you're not already. You could also try using a faster burn rate powder like vv n320, Accurate no.5 or true blue. The char is normally leftover powder that's unburned or burned during extraction.

 

[JJE76]

Don't use cfe Pistol for 45acp but the max is 7.0gr unless you want +p loads. You could also try using magnum primers if you're not already. You could also try using a faster burn rate powder like vv n320, Accurate no.5 or true blue. The char is normally leftover powder that's unburned or burned during extraction.

I'm looking at data for n 320. Have you loaded 45 with it?

 

[oremike]

If you like the load, then shoot it. Wash, rinse, load, shoot, repeat. Easy, peasy.

 

[Local Loader]

I'm looking at data for n 320. Have you loaded 45 with it?

I haven't, I use true blue for my 45acp.

 

[gmerkt]

Carbon scorching on pistol cases isn't always avoidable. If it occurs with a load that you are otherwise happy with, then you just have to deal with cleaning it off. I've been known to use liquid case cleaners to address stubborn carbon deposits on cartridge brass. Which usually consists of a mild solution of phosphoric acid. Birchwood Casey sells it. Which is what I used at first for this purpose, but later tried Iosso and found that I preferred that. I've also bought phosphoric acid used for cleaning concrete, I found it less satisfactory than Iosso. If you use Birchwood Casey at their level of dilution, it isn't very effective.

 

[ThePants]

First off I've found a pretty good load 6.4 gr with 230 gr fmj. What I don't like is that fired cases have char marks on the outside. Everything I've read is it gets better closer to max which would be 6.8 or so. Anyone running into this issue? Loading them to coal of 1.25. I'm a huge fan of Vihtivouri n 320 with 9mm really clean and soft shooting at near max. Anyone load 45 with it?

I use cfe pistol. Check your crimp. In 45acp, I prefer large pistol primer brass and generally do not see "excessive" carbon on the brass when LPP + good crimp. CFE pistol does well in 380acp, 9mm, 40s&w, 10mm and others. I find CFE pistol work well in 38spl, 44spl, but when it comes to magnums, CFE pistol functions. I prefer hodgdon h110 / win 296 / Ramshot Enforcer.

 

[JJE76]

Don't use cfe Pistol for 45acp but the max is 7.0gr unless you want +p loads. You could also try using magnum primers if you're not already. You could also try using a faster burn rate powder like vv n320, Accurate no.5 or true blue. The char is normally leftover powder that's unburned or burned during extraction.

I loaded some 230 gr rmr fmj's up with n 320 at 5 gr and 5.2 with coal of 1.25. Hope to make it to the range Saturday.

 

[JJE76]

Went to the range shot 230 gr over 5.1 and 5.3 Vv n320. Definitely cleaner then Cfe pistol around the same accuracy. Both charges shot well no pressure signs, 5.3 a little more recoil but not much. Thinking 5.3 is the way to go. Still a little char on the cases would a little more crimp help?

 

[ThePants]

I use cfe pistol. Check your crimp. In 45acp, I prefer large pistol primer brass and generally do not see "excessive" carbon on the brass when LPP + good crimp. CFE pistol does well in 380acp, 9mm, 40s&w, 10mm and others. I find CFE pistol work well in 38spl, 44spl, but when it comes to magnums, CFE pistol functions. I prefer hodgdon h110 / win 296 / Ramshot Enforcer.

Other thoughts 45acp and CFE-P.

CFE-P is "all-purpose flour"
A middle of the road powder for burn rate
As such, it offers a wide variety of cartridges that it will work in.

The "all-purpose flour" CFE-P is what I started reloading with. It is widely referenced in a number of manuals and I strongly recommend following the recipe.

What I found over the years, CFE-P is fantastic for what it is. Middle of the road in a wide variety of cartridges and a functional cartridge propellant.

I think for Hodgdon CFE-P, an argument can be made that it is a go-to powder because of its versatility.

Because of its strength in a medium burn rate, CFE-P is not always the cheapest / economical, or "optimal preforming" in a number of reduced, +P, or Magnum loads. But, maybe that is what you're looking for.

This is where your personal preference comes in and finding the combination of components and supporting load data that meet your preferences.

Confinement accelerates. Your crimp is critical in providing the confinement and preventing bullet setback and overpressure.

If using CFE-P as a 357, 44 Magnum powder, I would use a Magnum primer to put more flame on the powder and it should burn cleaner. Not doing so, can result in a squib round and a projo stuck in the barrel. Yes, I learned the hard way.
IMO, CFE-P Medium burn rate is not optimal compared to slower burning Ramshot Enforcer, Hodgdon h110 and the like.

45acp (aarp) I would put in the "special" family with 38spl with SPP and 44spl with LPP for somewhat in-between larger case and heavier projo.

In 45acp, the large pistol primer I find more consistent consumption of the medium speed CFE-P.

Can a small pistol magnum primer do the same on a 45acp spp brass?
Yes, so can a small rifle primer, however, IMO, that is not the optimal solution.

If 45acp brass is Small Primer, I would look to a faster burning powder with a standard primer.

Vihtavuori is very nice. One of my favorite soft shooting 45acp loads used the discontinued N32C.

N32C (TIN STAR) - Vihtavuori

The N32C (TIN STAR): Bulky, Accurate and High Quality The N32C (TIN STAR) is a specialized powder intended to provide low bulk density for cartridges that were originally designed for Cowboy Action Shooters shooting lead bullets with single-action revolvers and lever-action rifles. The use of...

www.vihtavuori.com

N32C is better case fill, a very clean powder in 45acp with standard Small pistol primer.

I will be trying Hodgdon Trail Boss to replace N32C in 45acp spp brass at some point.


Other side for the 45acp power curve:
I have not tried this.. yet..!

45acp to the extreme without +P pressure? This is not for those sensitive to recoil or prevent the wear and tear. Ramshot Enforcer. While no longer published, there is archived published load data for it if you look hard enough. See attached pic.