What should I do with my IMR 4227?

[Animal]

Hey guys, I just scored a 1lb bottle of IMR 4227. I load for 357mag mostly, an occasional 38spl and hopefully .44 mag soon. I know this is supposed to be good for magnum handguns and even some rifle loads, I'm just not familiar with it. I picked it up because it was available and I might not see anything else in the near future.

I've mostly settled on H110, 2400 and HP-38 for my 357mag loads... can anyone tell me how this stacks up? I checked my powder burn chart and it it seems like it isn't to far different from the H110 and 2400. I don't intend to hunt with any of my loads, but I do load around the concept of survival for any SHTF event.

I currently load with 158gr Hornaday XTP and 158gr cast lead flat nose. I have CCI small pistol and small pistol Magnum, WSP and Fed #100.

Should I just put this powder away for a rainy day? or will this make a particularly good load?

[462]

Lyman lists loads for it in their Cast Bullet Handbook and Reloading Handbook.

I've tried it in the .357 Magnum Blackhawk, but got better results with W 296, 2400 and No. 9.

Try it, you may like it.

[PS Paul]

My most-favored powder for .45 Colt loads, it falls between H110 and 2400 in performance/boolit speed, although "burn rate" is on the very slow side.

You can safely load medium-speed reduced loads OR full-house loads in both .357 and .44 mag. It is a single-base extruded powder that is sort of old school, but it has some very interesting characteristics that I really like. PLUS, it is one of my most-accurate powders in .45 Colt as well. It c an safely be compressed too, so a lot of variety in use.

Should be lots of data in new and old manuals, the usual caveats about "working up safely" and blah, blah, blah apply. I use info interchangeably with H4227 and IMR4227, but it is only recently they were said to be, by factories, identical. Was not always the case.

I love it, it is accurate, slow "push" rather than fast "crack" recoil-wise it also has a unique smell I enjoy. You'll find mag primers are sometimes best, especially with heavy loads, there are always some unburned granules, but don't let that dissuade you. Use it and shoot it, you'll see it is one of the best kept "secrets" out there in your calibers since a lot of guys just overlook it nowadays.

.357 mag 158 gr. SWC 14.0 gr.= 1,103 fps 15.5 gr.= 1,253 fps (max)
.44 mag 240 gr. SWC 21.5 gr.= 1,036 fps 24.0 gr.= 1,263 fps

FWIW in .45 Colt, 255 gr. SWC with 20.0 gr. 4227 is somewhere around 1,000 fps. more or less. Strong, large-frame Ruger BH can safely shoot WAY heavier charges, but in my BH small-frame flattop, I like 18.6 to 20.0 gr. for a max of around 23,000 cup, which is safe in those smaller guns.......

Hope this helps!!
Paul

[Animal]

Excellent! I remember looking at load data for it a while back and thought that the pressure to velocity ratio seemed like a winner. Decent powder has been VERY scarce in this part of Georgia for a long time now. I may try to pick up another bottle of it tomorrow if they still have any (1lb a day).

I'm looking forward to trying it out soon. Thanks

[41 mag fan]

IIRC....21.0gr behind a 250gr cast for my 44mag SBH's

[Animal]

I've noticed most 158gr swc call for 13-16gr. I'll be using round nose flat point. Would this be a safe charge area to work?

[PS Paul]

I've noticed most 158gr swc call for 13-16gr. I'll be using round nose flat point. Would this be a safe charge area to work?

RNFP boolits shoot well with most revolvers. I prefer the RNFP, especially in .45 Colt, but use them often in .357 as well..... I believe the ogive of the boolit helps align them better from throat to cone to barrel than does a sharp shoulder. Provides a better "fit" in my guns anyway.....

The same loads are fine with that design, BUT I would not start with more than 14.0 to 15.0 gr. 16 is over max for some data. The data listed above is from Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook and shows the SWC at 42,000 cup with 15.5 gr.

Just use prudence and diligence, as usual, and you'll be in good shape!!

[Le Loup Solitaire]

In the 44 Mag with a 250 grain bullet, 17 grains of 4227 is a good medium power target load. It was listed originally by E. Keith for the 44 special. If you want more performance with the 4227 you can, according to Dupont tables, go as high as 22-23 grains and that is a max/compressed load. LLS

[Uncle Jimbo]

Well Animal, if you can't find a load you like with 4227 for your 357, you can always give it to me. I got a old 25-20 that love that powder with a 85 grain cast.

[Animal]

Well Animal, if you can't find a load you like with 4227 for your 357, you can always give it to me. I got a old 25-20 that love that powder with a 85 grain cast.

Or, I could use it for my next potatoe gun idea lol

[steelworker]

I have a H&R handi rifle in .44 mag. Its favorite powder, over a 429421, is 4227. Nothing else really comes close for me. Its a great powder. Send it to me for proper disposal if you are not completely satisfied.

[nodda duma]

I know you folks are talking pistol, but 4227 is also a go-to powder for M1 Carbine.

[eljefeoz]

...And for the 7x57 with 145 RCBS GC.
Any 45ACP users?

[Animal]

Sounds like 4227 is one of the best kept secrets. I don't hear people talking too much about it, but apparently it has some pretty loyal followers. I was going to go ahead and work up some 4227 loads today, but I had a case of cold feet. I revisited Blue Dot instead. Last time I used Blue Dot I experienced some pretty horrible leading, but I have been using a different lube lately and found it to work great. 9.4 grains of Blue Dot worked out really well, and no leading. I'll probably crack open my 4227 next weekend and see what it's all about... I just don't like the fact that my Lee manual list it as a 'compressed' load and won't even provide a 'min' starting load.

[PS Paul]

Animal, I sent a PM and an e-mail to you. I don't think it's cool to reproduce scanned shots of Lyman data on an open forum, but I have scanned some data for you and will send via e-mail.
PS Paul

[Uncle Jimbo]

I can plainly see that you are not going to send it to me, so here is what I loaded my 357 with.
158-160 grain cast bullet. I use a lee gc swc
started with 13 grs of 4227 velocity approx 1210
ended with 15 grs of 4227 velocity approx 1340
8" barrel Colt
Info came from my old Pacific manual #4
Used it for short time. Found other powders that worked better for me and my applications
Give it a try, and always start at the low end of the powder charge.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I haven't tried it in handguns myself as I hoard it for my M1 Carbine and bigger .30 rifles for mid velocity loads. Most accurate powder I've used in a .30 Gov't 06 with a Lyman 311332!

[atr]

4227 either Hogden or IMR is great in my .357 and .44 and 25-20 and 22 hornet
it was originally developed for the 22 hornet
anytime I see some for sale I buy it !

[Animal]

Animal, I sent a PM and an e-mail to you. I don't think it's cool to reproduce scanned shots of Lyman data on an open forum, but I have scanned some data for you and will send via e-mail.
PS Paul

I got your email but for some reason it wouldn't open. I'll try again later. Thanks

[Animal]

4227 either Hogden or IMR is great in my .357 and .44 and 25-20
it was originally developed for the 22 hornet
anytime I see some for sale I buy it !

I picked up another pound of it yesterday. Our LGS has a 1lb limit per day. I figured I couldn't go wrong with it since so many people have great experiences with it.