124 coated bullet and CFE PIATOL ?

[SCSAJack]

I was looking around for date for CFE pistol for a 124 coated bullet. I found data for 115 and 147 not 124. Is CFE pistol to slow

dornthe 124 bullet weigh ? 

[392heminut]

Split the difference and start from there.

[PaleoMan]

Hodgdon site (https://hodgdonreloading.com/) has reloading data for CFE. It has hollow base round nose data using 4.9-5.5 gr for 124gr bullets. For Lead Conical Nose at 125gr, they have 4.4-5.0gr.

 

I use coated 125gr RN at 1.125" OAL and run with 4.5gr to make power factor (125), enough for competition. In the past, I've used 4.6gr and 4.8gr as well, and I've played with longer and shorter OALs.

 

I'd suspect that you could start with 4.4gr, and build up a ladder to see what you get for chrono results in whatever firearm you are using.

 

[4n2t0]

 

[Styro]

I just bought CFE for the first time couple months ago. I starting using it with J-ames bullets 135gr and 147gr CRB rnfpbb coated bullets. Their bullets seem to love that powder. It seems that they have a softer recoil feel in my Leadstar PCC and in my single stack Dan Wesson 1911. Their bullet diameter of .357 measures almost .357 exactly, but CFE is a cooler and cleaner burning powder than hodgon titegroup. If your coated bullet diameter is smaller than it should be with a particular barrel groove diameter, then you should'nt use CFE. You need to do an accurate groove diameter check before ordering coated bullets with a specific diameter.

[4n2t0]

Titegroup's a bit of a weird comparison, since they're on opposite ends of the burn chart, but almost every powder will be dirty with low end charges and clean up top. With that said, I don't find CFE exceptionally cleaner than any of the other powders I've used in the past.

[zzt]

For SCSA, CFE is too slow.  That is especially true if you plan on shooting the same load out of a 16" PCC barrel.  I found my 132 PF load in a 5" barrel went 168 PF in my 16" barrel.  That was using AA2 under a 124.  AA2 is a lot faster than CFE.

 

Suitable powders for sub-minor SCSA loads range from Alliant e3 to AA2 in burn rate.  That includes Competition, Sport Pistol and N320.  e3, SP and N320 are also great if you load to minor.  I'm shooting up the remaining SCSA specific loads.  When they are gone, I be shooting 132 PF for everything 9mm minor.  That way I'll only have two loads, one minor and one major (down from 5).  

[JKP]

I use CFEP with 124 gr coated, and it works fine for punching paper at the range. I like it along with W231 and W244. I bought 8 lb jugs of all 3 when powder started going up. My first choice, after Unique disappeared, is Universal, but now it's also hard to find. Titegroup is my last choice.

Edited August 7 by JKP

[Revolution]

I agree with zzt.  Based on his recommendation years ago I have been using E3 for 9mm 124 gr and love it especially for SCSA.

[Wanna_Go_Fast]

I was recently working up loads using CFE pistol and a 124gr coated bullet (Blue in this case).  These were shot from a 16" JP GMR-15 and 4.0 gr of powder produced an average PF of 132.

 

[PaleoMan]

I've been tweaking my CFE loads for my JP-5... Most recently, with a 1.125" OAL RN coated, I get...

4.4gr powder - 135 PF

4.2gr powder - 130 PF

4.0gr powder - 124 PF

 

I have a 3.8gr load that I want to chrono next.