Thoughts on CFE pistol with cast bullets

[metricmonkeywrench]

Think I’m about to score some CFEpistol powder for a good price. What are your thoughts with cast boolits in 9mm, .38 and .45? The Hodgson shows a few but the Lyman 50th don’t show CFE at all for those calibers for the “standard” bullets for those calibers

[Handloader109]

I've used under my 9mm. Good powder in MO.

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[atfsux]

CFE is my new favorite powder for non-magnum loads. I am partial to spherical ball powders because they meter so much better than the flake powders. CFE Pistol produces just a little bit more velocity for the same pressures as loads with HP38 or Win231, which had previously been my go to powders for 9mm, .38spl, .40S&W and .45acp. In fact, when loading for polycoated 147 grainers in 9mm, I have to be careful to account for how much more slippery they are than plain cast or plated or jacketed. If I load them right up to the sonic limit for suppressor use, sometimes they will be subsonic in a short barrel like a Glock 19, but go supersonic in a 10in. Uzi barrel or 16in. carbine. I never had to watch things that closely with the other powders. So I tend to dial back my load by .1 or .2 grains, just to keep things on the quiet side in all barrel lengths.

[ioon44]

I have used a lot of CFE pistol powder in the past with cast bullets and always had good results.

[jcren]

Cfe pistol is my go to for hotter 380 to 45acp. Clean, good velocity and mellow recoil pulse with very little muzzle flash (important for tactical armadillo operations). I do pc everything though, so not sure how it is with lubed.

[Hick]

I had once can once-- used it in 38 Special, 357 Magnum and 9 mm. Worked just fine.

[rintinglen]

I used about a quarter of a pound I had given to me when a friend got out of reloading a few years back. Worked well in 9mm with 147 grain cast. From the manual, it seems to give top end velocities. My only reservation about it is that it typically tales a 15-20% heavier charge, compared to 231/HP38 to get those results.

[nicholst55]

I noticed that in some cartridges, CFE Pistol generates lower pressure for a higher velocity compared to some other powders.

[saz]

It has become my favorite all around pistol powder! Burn rate is similar to blue dot, but is very clean. Meters well, MVs are consistent- what's not too like?

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