Ladder Test! .35 Whelen, CFE223, 250gr Speer

mikeyb

mikeyb

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Cold day today! About 4 degrees out. I've been meaning to test this load out ever since I stumbled on it in the newest Speer load data. Crushing.

Rifle: CVA Scout Takedown v2, 23" barrel (25" with brake) 1:14" twist
Bullet: Speer 250gr pointed soft point (I think it's a Hot Core, but not 100%)
Brass: Federal (once-fired)
Powder: Hodgdon CFE223
Primer: Winchester Large Rifle Match
COAL: 3.350" (the single shot gives me a bit extra room to play with, but book COAL is 3.340" on this load)

61.0gr Velocity 2517/2574/2543 min/max/average
62.0gr Velocity 2533/2606/2581 min/max/average
63.0gr Velocity 2587/2613/2602 min/max/average
63.5gr Velocity 2613/2618/2615 min/max/average
64.0gr Velocity 2628/2635/2632 min/max/average

Impressive consistency at the heaviest loads! I'll have to play around with that in different temps but the numbers are ###y, for sure. Over 3800ft/lbs. Primers looking good, tight in their pockets, not flattened. Cases are likewise in great shape. No pressure signs, but also no bolt to fight with so I don't know if that has anything to do with anything. No accuracy testing today since I was freezing my nuts off out there but this load looks solid. I might see if I can duplicate the 63.5gr extreme spread again, 250 grain bullets at over 2600 is pretty colossal. If it's accurate at that charge, I've got two boxes of bullets and 4 pounds of CFE223 to kick off a winter reloading project :)
 
Looks like you hit on a winner! I have since sold it, but my best load in the 35 Whelen with the Hornady 250 gr RN was 2600 fps with 66.0 grs of Reloder 17 at an OAL of 3.400". That was a full case and I thought that Reloder 17 was about the perfect Burn Rate-Density combination. Maybe CFE223 is even better.

You don't say how close to full the case was, but I suspect you were within 2-3 grs. Given that it's faster than Reloder 17, your 64.0 gr load is likely about a Max Load.

You didn't say if those were five shot min/max/averages, but those SD's are not statistically different. You'll need to put some paper in front of those bullets to really know which load is most accurate.
 
If I were you I would load 63.7 and three groups of three cartridges with COL 3.345, 3.35 and 3.355. One of these groups should give you extreme accuracy.
 
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Well, I found my bear load for this fall.

Iecmvkv.jpeg


250gr Speer SP
63.5gr CFE223
Winchester LR primers
Federal brass
3.340" COAL

3-shot average 2652 fps, 3903 ft.lbs. of energy. ES of 17. This Speer data is nuts. Not bad groups for an inexpensive single shot firing light artillery rounds.

The primers look good, but as it's a single shot the usual pressure signs are hard to judge. I did send a note off to Speer to be extra safe, but 1.5MOA for a short range sledgehammer will be just fine

EDIT: should mention that group is 1.255" CTC.
 
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