Anyone use CFE-Pistol for 9mm?

[JohnnyB 3,243]

I loaded a few hundred 9mm with 5 grains of CFE-Pistol and 115 grain FMJRN heads. I have not had the chance to get to the range yet.

Does this load sound good, or too small?  I will also be using  some 115 grain plated and wondering if the same powder load would be correct.

I tried looking all over the Net for info on the CFE-Pistol but most of the info I found was for 124 grain or heavier heads.   Thanks!

[carl_g 563]

Looking at what Hodgon posts for 115gr and CFE-Pistol it seems like you are a little on the light side.
Lead round nose starting loads are 4.9gr and they post some hollow points with starting loads at 5.3 gr.

I would use the HP data as a start at minimum load and ladder up from there with a chrono. Good luck and stay safe.

 

 

 

[JohnnyB 3,243]

23 minutes ago, carl_g said:

Looking at what Hodgon posts for 115gr and CFE-Pistol it seems like you are a little on the light side.
Lead round nose starting loads are 4.9gr and they post some hollow points with starting loads at 5.3 gr.

I would use the HP data as a start at minimum load and ladder up from there with a chrono. Good luck and stay safe.

 

 

 

Thanks!  In your opinion, should I pull all those heads and redo the powder at 5.3 or try them at 5 grains to see if they cycle in my pistols?

[Bully 749]

Me, I'd run'em.  Load one, see how it goes.  If you don't squib, load 3 and do the same.  Nice and slow.  

My guess is you'll be fine.  But as always, it's your call.

[10X 2,024]

3 hours ago, Bully said:

Me, I'd run'em.  Load one, see how it goes.  If you don't squib, load 3 and do the same.  Nice and slow.  

My guess is you'll be fine.  But as always, it's your call.

This.  There are some types of competition where loads used are typically well below any published load data.   If they are reliable, accurate, and there is no power factor floor that must be met, extra light loads help in sustained fire stages.

Plus, I really hate pulling bullets.  I'd use them to work on slow fire precision, even if I had to rack the slide after every round.

[carl_g 563]

1 hour ago, 10X said:

This.  There are some types of competition where loads used are typically well below any published load data.   If they are reliable, accurate, and there is no power factor floor that must be met, extra light loads help in sustained fire stages.

Plus, I really hate pulling bullets.  I'd use them to work on slow fire precision, even if I had to rack the slide after every round.

Yeah I think you’ll be fine.

[Bully 749]

6 hours ago, 10X said:

Plus, I really hate pulling bullets.  I'd use them to work on slow fire precision, even if I had to rack the slide after every round.

Same. 
Id almost rather blow my gun up. 
Almost.

[JackDaWack 2,459]

There is no way you will squibb a round that falls within lead load data.

Keep in mind, all else equal, lead bullets will have less pressure and move faster at the same charge than an FMJ. Theoretically, you should have more pressure for cycling, but the bullet will move slower. 

You can run plated with a higher charge and jacketed even more due to the bullet maintaining Integrity at higher pressure, and no worries about fouling the barrel, velocities may not be significantly faster though.. The term "gas check" is used to describe when the gases get a head of the bullet when too much pressure blows passed the rifling. At high pressure, lead doest seal as well against the rifling as plated, and plated less than fmj. You are on the low side for FMJ, but that just means it will be a minor load, very soft shooting. Depending on your recoil spring it may Fail to cycle worse case, and accuracy may be bad, or good.. never know till you try.  

 

You are supposed to run plated bullets with lead data. So that would be a starting charge if it were me. 

[JackDaWack 2,459]

On 2/24/2021 at 9:51 PM, carl_g said:

Looking at what Hodgon posts for 115gr and CFE-Pistol it seems like you are a little on the light side.
Lead round nose starting loads are 4.9gr and they post some hollow points with starting loads at 5.3 gr.

I would use the HP data as a start at minimum load and ladder up from there with a chrono. Good luck and stay safe.

 

 

 

I would be careful with using HP data for round nose. The bullet profile and seating depth can have a big affect on pressure. Make sure the bullet length and OAL would provide a similar seating depth before proceeding. This will ensure proper case volume when using the same charge data. 

Golden rule... reduce min load by 10% and work up. 

[Golf battery 1,007]

Thats all ive used for 9mm for years.  115 poly 5.1 gr cfe. 

[Golf battery 1,007]

If I remember correctly.  Im using 3.8 gr of cfe pistol with 145 heads.   So much better bullet.  Dont buy 115 again.  Softer recoil faster follow ups.  

[Golf battery 1,007]

On 2/25/2021 at 7:41 AM, Bully said:

Me, I'd run'em.  Load one, see how it goes.  If you don't squib, load 3 and do the same.  Nice and slow.  

My guess is you'll be fine.  But as always, it's your call.

Btw.  There is no way to get a squib load at 5 grs even if you’re .1 gr off.  Sorry buddy.  Bad advice.  You could have 1 gr and it would def clear the barrel. Fyi

[Bully 749]

7 hours ago, Golf battery said:

Btw.  There is no way to get a squib load at 5 grs even if you’re .1 gr off.  Sorry buddy.  Bad advice.  You could have 1 gr and it would def clear the barrel. Fyi

Gee, thanks for clearing that up.  I hope you feel really good about yourself.  

So smart.

 

GFY.

[Golf battery 1,007]

No buddy.  Not bustin balls. Just saying that a squib isn’t possible at noted charges.  I know you know your stuff. Not discrediting.  Sorry if i came off that way.  Working with mrs peel on sensitivity classes. 

[raz-0 989]

On 3/1/2021 at 5:05 AM, Bully said:

Gee, thanks for clearing that up.  I hope you feel really good about yourself.  

So smart.

 

GFY.

Wow dude. I know why he was posting it, and it's because he felt the explanation might confuse a noob. The reality is for 9 it takes very little power to get past squid territory. Short of no charge, most undercharges are just failure to make power factor or cycle the gun, not safety issues like no charge or over charges. 

5gr loads are in no way dangerous and will likely run the gun fine. Your advice wasn't wrong, but might make a noob leery of shooting their 5 gr loads when there's no need to be concerned it's anything other than kind of lightweight. It's still probably stouter than a lot of 9mm steel loads. 

 

[Golf battery 1,007]

Johnny. 3.8 cfe with 145 gr poly rn gives me a pf of around 125 with sub 900’s in fps.  Crazy how its 1.3 gr less with same fps or near it.  These are my loads.   Don’t anyone blow your gun up.  This is from a 4” semi and same for my 929 s&w. 

[JohnnyB 3,243]

 

I want to thank everyone who chimed in with advice.  I reloaded .223/5.56 for a while about 20 years ago but never handgun calibers since they were plentiful and cheap for a long time. The summer before Covid hit, I found a guy here selling off all his reloading stuff since he had downsized and no longer had the room to reload.

I picked up a Lee 1000 progressive press with extras plus dies for 9mm and .45acp.  There was also a great scale,  over 100 lbs of 9mm, .40 and .45acp fired brass.  Included were some primers, 5 lbs of Hodgedon Clays powder that I did a couple hundred .45s with, tons of empty ammo boxes, a nice vibratory tumbler with media and a bunch of other stuff I am forgetting. 

I said what the heck, I may never use the stuff but for $125 for everything, I could not turn it down!  The moral of the story is I now see that reloading handgun ammo makes sense for me. I am definitely a noob at this so please forgive me for any stupid questions I might ask. I got a Lyman's 50th book and there is little to no data for the CFE-Pistol powder with 9mm, so worthless to me!  Any other more helpful books or websites I missed? I have to buy a chrono if my indoor range will allow me to use it!  I think reloads are a no no so I thought it might cause suspicion if I asked.

Thanks again!

[gleninjersey 1,458]

On 3/2/2021 at 7:28 PM, JohnnyB said:

 

I want to thank everyone who chimed in with advice.  I reloaded .223/5.56 for a while about 20 years ago but never handgun calibers since they were plentiful and cheap for a long time. The summer before Covid hit, I found a guy here selling off all his reloading stuff since he had downsized and no longer had the room to reload.

I picked up a Lee 1000 progressive press with extras plus dies for 9mm and .45acp.  There was also a great scale,  over 100 lbs of 9mm, .40 and .45acp fired brass.  Included were some primers, 5 lbs of Hodgedon Clays powder that I did a couple hundred .45s with, tons of empty ammo boxes, a nice vibratory tumbler with media and a bunch of other stuff I am forgetting. 

I said what the heck, I may never use the stuff but for $125 for everything, I could not turn it down!  The moral of the story is I now see that reloading handgun ammo makes sense for me. I am definitely a noob at this so please forgive me for any stupid questions I might ask. I got a Lyman's 50th book and there is little to no data for the CFE-Pistol powder with 9mm, so worthless to me!  Any other more helpful books or websites I missed? I have to buy a chrono if my indoor range will allow me to use it!  I think reloads are a no no so I thought it might cause suspicion if I asked.

Thanks again!

I'm new to reloading as well.  Purchased a Hornady Lock N' Load few years ago but since ammo was cheap it just sat.

Well, time are a LITTLE different now.  

With a lot of advice and help from @Golf battery I've gotten the press up and running.  Ran some reloads I made through my GP100 with him yesterday.  Very satisfying knowing I can make my own ammo at times during ammo shortages for price spikes.

As to your question about load data.  Many of the powder makers have the info on their websites.  

Here's an example of 9mm with 145 grain bullet using CFE Pistol from Hodgdon's website.  Good luck.  Be careful.  Happy reloading!

Edit:  I noticed after posting that it didn't save the cartridge & bullet weight info.  You can plug it in.  But you get the idea.  Check the powder maker's websites for load information for their particular powder.

https://hodgdon.com/cfe-pistol/
 

[Golf battery 1,007]

Glenn shoots blanks.   I played a prank on him.  I loaded my 686.shot it.  Then had him try it.  I loaded it with blanks.   Love ya bro   

[gleninjersey 1,458]

2 hours ago, Golf battery said:

Glenn shoots blanks.   I played a prank on him.  I loaded my 686.shot it.  Then had him try it.  I loaded it with blanks.   Love ya bro   

Yeah, ya got me.  LOL.  But I caught on pretty quick. 

[JohnnyB 3,243]

1 hour ago, gleninjersey said:

Yeah, ya got me.  LOL.  But I caught on pretty quick. 

Did the total lack of recoil have anything to do with it?