Has anyone ever loaded CFEBLK Powder with lighter bullets? I am not a fan of any compressed loads but even the starting load is compressed as indicated by Hodgdon.
I loaded 20 rounds, beginning with the start load of 22.5C and worked my way up. The brass is Sig new brass, primer Remington 7 1/2 Benchrest.
Hodgdon Data 22.5C -23.7C CFEBLK Powder COAL 2050
My COAL 2.052
22.5C
22.8C
23.0C
23.3C
I weighed each charge on a Hornady Digital Scale and RCBS 5-0-5 balance beam.
I will be shooting them across the chronograph in two different rifles AR15 and Bolt Action. The results are soon to be added to my running 14 page diary of working with 300Blackout. http://www.dayattherange.com/?page_id=3460
I hate compressed loads I don't think I will be working up any more of these.
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This particular powder works well compressed, so well that it will give you a false sense of security doing it. As long as you are not compressing it enough to deform the bullet or the powder is pushing the bullet back out, you're likely not going to have a pressure problem.
Accuracy and a low ES really only starts to be acceptable when you start to compress it.
I think I stoped at 15 grains under a 265 grain cast bullet that was jammed about .020" into the lands before I saw pressure signs beginning. But don't take that as a challenge.
It shoots reasonable with light bullets. But you use 10% more powder to achieve 10% less velocity and is kind of a dirty powder to work with. Those qualities are the main reason I have never really found a use for it. Accurate LT 30 will get the same accuracy/low velocity, with out the mess and quieter through a suppressor.
You've got it so try it. As I've used it more, I've become less of a hate and more neutral. Honestly I don't don't remember spending much time with it in a hand fed rifle so maybe that's its niche. You always have a slightly different way of doing things, maybe you'll see something I missed.
