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AA#5 or CFE pistol 40 S+W
- Thread starter garryc
- Start date
CFE Pistol is newer, higher energy and slower burning than AA #5, and it has an additive that reduces the tendency of copper fouling to build up in a barrel. The main practical difference is the CFE Pistol produces more velocity at lower peak pressures, and because it is a higher energy formulation (more Btu's per grain, probably due to higher percent nitroglycerin content), it takes less of it get to a given velocity.
Specifically, the maximum load of 7.3 grains of Accurate #5 produces 34,358 psi peak pressure and gives 1049 fps from a 4" test barrel with the Sierra 165 grain JHP in 40 S&W. With the same bullet, the maximum load of 6.8 grains of CFE Pistol produces a lower 32,400 psi peak pressure, but a higher 1149 fps velocity from the same barrel length, which is about 20% more kinetic energy. It takes a calculated 6.079 grains of CFE Pistol to produce the same 1049 fps that 7.3 grain of AA #5 does, and it produces a calculated 26,146 psi of peak pressure instead of 34,358 psi, as the #5 load needs to get the velocity up that high. So you need 20% less CFE Pistol to get the same performance and it runs your gun at lower peak pressure. How it will compare on powder fouling at that lower pressure, I don't know, as I haven't tried it. But, in general, the slower a powder burn rate and the lower the peak pressure, the more powder fouling you get.
BE-86 is a newer high energy practical pistol target shooting powder from Alliant. With a 230 grain FMJ in .45 Auto, it appears to get more velocity for less powder than Alliant's own Power Pistol powder does, plus it has a flash suppressant. I have not tried it, either, so I can't tell you any more than that. I will be trying it in .45 auto when I can.
Specifically, the maximum load of 7.3 grains of Accurate #5 produces 34,358 psi peak pressure and gives 1049 fps from a 4" test barrel with the Sierra 165 grain JHP in 40 S&W. With the same bullet, the maximum load of 6.8 grains of CFE Pistol produces a lower 32,400 psi peak pressure, but a higher 1149 fps velocity from the same barrel length, which is about 20% more kinetic energy. It takes a calculated 6.079 grains of CFE Pistol to produce the same 1049 fps that 7.3 grain of AA #5 does, and it produces a calculated 26,146 psi of peak pressure instead of 34,358 psi, as the #5 load needs to get the velocity up that high. So you need 20% less CFE Pistol to get the same performance and it runs your gun at lower peak pressure. How it will compare on powder fouling at that lower pressure, I don't know, as I haven't tried it. But, in general, the slower a powder burn rate and the lower the peak pressure, the more powder fouling you get.
BE-86 is a newer high energy practical pistol target shooting powder from Alliant. With a 230 grain FMJ in .45 Auto, it appears to get more velocity for less powder than Alliant's own Power Pistol powder does, plus it has a flash suppressant. I have not tried it, either, so I can't tell you any more than that. I will be trying it in .45 auto when I can.