IMR-8208XBR or CFE223

[oldgunfan]

I'm getting low on Varget and was thinking of trying 8208-XBR or CFE223. I'll mostly be loading for AR's. Any feed back would be nice been hearing XBR is the powder for long range target work which is what I do but no one knows anything about CFE223 so thought I would see if anyone up here knows. Thanks

[jack404]

I been playing with IMR 8208 XBR for a while working up some high speed loads for 223 and found it aint bad on 22-250 neither rather impressed actually

cant say on the other

[Zhurh]

How would that 8208 XBR work with 6.8 spc, 110 grain TTSX?

[jack404]

i think it'd be a ripper Zhurh

[gdmoody]

When I was developing a load for my bolt action .223 I started out with Varget and it did pretty good. When I read about CFE 223 in one of my gun rags, I thought I would try some of it. I just bought my third pound of it. When I did my ladder test with it, I found that it was really accurate at the 27.7 grain level with a 40 grain bullet through the 1:14 twist barrel. I will not go back to Varget for that rifle.

I have fired some through the AR but I have not had the chance to really check out what loads will work best. It may be my imagination or it may be wishful thinking, but I see a difference in the cleanliness of the bore in both rifles. I will most likely stay with CFE for all of my .223s. I will also check it out in my bolt action .308 when I get around to it.

[oldgunfan]

Thanks for the info. I was looking and CFE's burn rate is about the same as BLC2, just a little slower than Varget. makes me wounder how good it would be in 308 hhuuummm maybe i'll have to get a 1lb of XBR and CFE. On that same note XBR's burn rate is in between AA2460 and H4895 could be a new m1 garand powder for me. It will be tuff for them to be better than Varget, my fav 270win load 2506 load and 223 all with varget. not all ways the best velocity but most accurate.

[JLA]

I got 2 pounds of CFE coming. I have read nothing but good about it. My plans for it are in 168 gr .308

[gdmoody]

My neighbor and I were looking at the load data last night for .243 and .270 with CFE 223. Hodgdon only lists very light bullets for use with CFE, the 270 only had loads for 90, 100, and 110 grains and the 243 loads were only for bullets less that 70 grains. I don't own or shoot those two calibers but my neighbor said that he would not shoot bullets that light in either of them.

[gdmoody]

Originally Posted by JLA

I got 2 pounds of CFE coming. I have read nothing but good about it. My plans for it are in 168 gr .308

That is exactly what I am going to load up for 308, 168 grain BTHP bullets.

[JLA]

Im stickin it under amaxes

[oldgunfan]

huummm sierra 168grn BTHP maybe 47grns CFE and a NM M1A might be a very good day indead.

[tjb357452]

Had pierced primers at 48 grs of CFE223 under a 168 SMK in an LR 308. I went down to 46.6 and web expansion is at .0015, which indicates high pressure. Even at Hodgdon's starting load the primers are cratering and flattening beyond what I get with extruded powders. In the .224 bores, CFE223 appears to be a great performer, delivering high velocity at reasonable pressures. If you study the Hodgdon data for CFE223, you'll notice pressures to be among the highest at any given maximum loading. The bores are easier to clean, the powder meters superbly, and the performance is there, but I have a feeling that the early load recommendations may be too optimistic.

[JLA]

as with most new powders... It is up to the saavy reloader to develop his own loads properly.