CFE223 in cold weather??

[Idgunner]

I have used CFE223 for a few years to hunt chucks from the end of March to the end of July here in Idaho. I have 26 inch 8 twist barrels and shoot 75 gr Hornady ELDMs. The CFE223 has been a great powder for me. I just replaced one of my 223 barrels with a new 8 twist Criterion barrel and can't get that thing to shoot. Velocities and groups are all over the place. A friend who used to be a competition shooter has suggested that perhaps the CFE is not good when the outside temps hit the teens and low 20's. Chuck season usually varies from about 35 to 90 and it burns well though that temp range. I have some hunting loads from last season that are charged with AR-COMP behind 77g STMKs so tomorrow I'm going to try those and I've loaded up some of my annealed Lapua brass with the AR-Comp and the ELDMs. Hopefully I will finally be able to prove that this barrel will shoot.
Has anyone here had experience with CFE223 in low temps?

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Taping in. We have a lot of CFE 223 in stock

 

[Idgunner]

Taping in. We have a lot of CFE 223 in stock

I've got 32 lbs of it under my bench just waiting to be loaded up. But I'm getting bad results in cold temps.

 

[Jester560]

You will need to re do your load. It is very temp sensitive.

 

[Idgunner]

You will need to re do your load. It is very temp sensitive.

I'm hoping that is all it is. As I said I've used it for several years and have killed thousands of rock chucks with it pushing 75g ELDMs. In this cold weather it just is not working. I'm hoping that someone else can confirm.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Don't know how temp sensitive it is since have not used it yet.
Just curious as to why the US government contracted with Hodgdon to produce this powder for military use in the 5.56, 7.62.
Yes it was made with ingredients to prevent "Coper Fouling", (CFE) but didn't Hodgdon and the US Military also think of use in environmental differences in temperature???

 

[Idgunner]

Don't know how temp sensitive it is since have not used it yet.
Just curious as to why the US government contracted with Hodgdon to produce this powder for military use in the 5.56, 7.62.
Yes it was made with ingredients to prevent "Coper Fouling", (CFE) but didn't Hodgdon and the US Military also think of use in environmental differences in temperature???

Good question. When I was researching it a few years ago I seem to remember that it was temp stable. Performance for me during chuck season here in Idaho has proven that to be the case from about 35 to 95 degrees. I do know that it is fairly dirty, at least it seems to me to be. Barrels have a LOT of carbon at the end of the day.

 

[26Reload]

Have you chrono'd iti warm and then cold weather...might need a hotter primer to really get performance from it....just thinking out loud here....I use in the 223ar....fairly accurate...27grs...not too dirty.....
Poc res.....cold here abouts.....

 

[Idgunner]

Have you chrono'd iti warm and then cold weather...might need a hotter primer to really get performance from it....just thinking out loud here....I use in the 223ar....fairly accurate...27grs...not too dirty.....
Poc res.....cold here abouts.....

Yes I have. The chrono last week in the cold was all over the place. I've tried four different primers including CCIBR4s and CCI450s. Also Remington 7 1/2 primers. Same result from all four. Lousy accuracy. Pretty surprising considering all of the great results I have gotten from it during warmer weather.

 

[26Reload]

What were your speeds..if ya don't mind
...were you shooting on cloudy day..bright day???
My Chrono goes nutso on bright days...much more accurate on cloudy days....can't say much on cold days...I like it to be between 30-50 degrees when I shoot..typical hunting scenario for me....

 

[Idgunner]

My chrono is a Magneto-speed. Works in the dark. Speeds ranged from 2986 to 2884.

 

[26Reload]

Must be a conspiracy these days...If ya know the owner of BlackRock Truck accessories...had has a LabRadar that won't read any bullets......

 

[okie man]

There's better powders than cfe 223. Not only is it temp sensitive, it's charge weight sensitive. varget, h4895 and benchmark are more reliable performers for me

 

[Justice1327]

No issues here with 223… but you did say you got a new barrel? That could be the issue maybe it's not brokenin, maybe it wasnt a lapped or stressed relieved properly etc.