243 and CFE 223 in view of current powder availability

[drykilned]

IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE THAT HAS USED CFE 223 FOR 80 OR 100 GRAIN 243 BULLETS? I AM DOWN TO NOTHING BUT RE22, RE15 AND CFE 223. MY OLD RE22 LOAD IS NOT ACCURATE NOW OR SOME REASON. 2-3 INCH GROUPS AT 100YDS. CHECKED ALL STOCK SCREWS AND SCOPE SCREWS, ETC. TRIED UP AND DOWN IN CHARGE WEIGHT. STILL NOT GROUPING.

 

[DrMike]

Never used that combination, but it might work well for you.

QL projection:

Cartridge          : .243 Win.
Bullet             : .243, 100, Nosler PART SP 35642
Useable Case Capaci: 49.323 grain H2O = 3.203 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.710 inch = 68.83 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder             : Hodgdon CFE223 *C

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-10.0   77    38.07   2704    1623   43983  10866     98.9    1.278
-09.0   78    38.49   2731    1656   45336  10960     99.1    1.261
-08.0   78    38.92   2757    1688   46728  11050     99.3    1.243
-07.0   79    39.34   2784    1721   48159  11135     99.5    1.226
-06.0   80    39.76   2811    1754   49631  11215     99.7    1.209
-05.0   81    40.19   2837    1788   51144  11291     99.8    1.192
-04.0   82    40.61   2864    1821   52700  11362     99.9    1.176  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0   83    41.03   2890    1854   54301  11428     99.9    1.160  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0   84    41.45   2916    1888   55946  11488    100.0    1.144  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0   84    41.88   2942    1922   57639  11544    100.0    1.129  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0   85    42.30   2967    1955   59380  11597    100.0    1.114  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0   86    42.72   2993    1989   61171  11649    100.0    1.099  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0   87    43.15   3018    2023   63013  11701    100.0    1.085  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0   88    43.57   3044    2057   64909  11751    100.0    1.070  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0   89    43.99   3069    2091   66859  11801    100.0    1.056  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0   90    44.42   3094    2125   68866  11851    100.0    1.043  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba     85    42.30   3070    2093   69906  11222    100.0    1.038  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba     85    42.30   2815    1759   48883  11757     97.8    1.214

Cartridge : .243 Win.
Bullet : .243, 80, Nosler BalTip 24080
Useable Case Capaci: 50.292 grain H2O = 3.265 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.710 inch = 68.83 mm
Barrel Length : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder : Hodgdon CFE223 *C

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-10.0 80 40.50 2945 1540 43132 10818 96.9 1.182
-09.0 81 40.95 2976 1573 44540 10928 97.3 1.165
-08.0 82 41.40 3007 1606 45985 11034 97.7 1.148
-07.0 83 41.85 3038 1639 47472 11135 98.0 1.131
-06.0 84 42.30 3069 1673 49006 11231 98.4 1.115
-05.0 85 42.75 3099 1706 50586 11324 98.6 1.099
-04.0 85 43.20 3130 1740 52216 11411 98.9 1.083 ! Near Maximum !
-03.0 86 43.65 3161 1774 53896 11493 99.1 1.068 ! Near Maximum !
-02.0 87 44.10 3191 1809 55629 11570 99.4 1.053 ! Near Maximum !
-01.0 88 44.55 3221 1843 57415 11642 99.5 1.038 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 89 45.00 3251 1878 59258 11708 99.7 1.024 ! Near Maximum !
+01.0 90 45.45 3281 1913 61158 11770 99.8 1.009 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0 91 45.90 3311 1947 63118 11825 99.9 0.995 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0 92 46.35 3341 1983 65140 11875 100.0 0.981 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0 93 46.80 3370 2018 67227 11920 100.0 0.968 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0 93 47.25 3399 2053 69380 11959 100.0 0.955 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 89 45.00 3384 2034 70304 11335 100.0 0.950 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 89 45.00 3063 1666 48298 11576 95.5 1.120

It these times of scarcity, we make do with what we got.

 

[AFG270]

I have never tried it in my 243, but don't see why is wouldn't work. Hodgdon shows load data for 55 gr through 75 gr bullets, so it will probably do better in lighter bullets.

What 80g and 100g bullets are you using? If you haven't already tried, adjust the seating depth of the bullets.

I'm shooting some 80g Hammer bullets in my 243 and they are 55 thousands off the lands, where as the 70g Varmageddon are only 10 thousands off. Both shoot bug hole groups at 100 yards using StaBall 6.5.