Hodgdon CFE BLK

Very Fast Rifle Powder: Hodgdon CFE BLK

Hodgdon CFE BLK is a fast-burning spherical powder and is relatively new to the market. The BLK naming is in reference to the .300 AAC Blackout cartridge, and the powder is tailored to its needs. It also produces excellent velocities when used the 7.62x39mm.

It also has uses in the big-bore AR-15 cartridges like the .450 Bushmaster and .458 SOCOM.

While not many people are going to use this powder, in its role it is very popular. CFE BLK bridges the gap between very slow handgun powders and slower, traditional rifle powders. For reloaders of the .300 AAC Blackout, this powder gives them a good powder option at all bullet weights, from light 110-grain bullets to subsonic 200-grain plus bullets.

As a spherical powder, CFE BLK is very dense and can fit a lot, comparatively, into a small case. When case capacity is an issue, spherical powders can deliver better velocity numbers just because they can pack more in there. Remember though, always follow published load data.

The 7.62x39mm has been, historically, a cartridge almost no one reloads. The bullets are .310 and .311 instead of the common .308. The majority of rifles chambered in the cartridge just aren’t that accurate, and imported ammo from overseas has been cheap and plentiful. About that last point…

With the federal government taking measures to stop the importation of Russian ammo, expect reloading of the 7.62x39mm (and 5.45x39mm) to become more common. And, it is my personal opinion, that gun-owners should not count on the next Republican administration to reverse this tread. I’m open to being surprised, but when was the last time you bought Chinese-made ammunition?