Hodgdon or IMR 4227?

[sniper]

Has anyone heard of/used H 4227 or IMR 4227 for .38 Special or .357 Magnum reloads? I just ran across it in a LOADBOOK I bought, and it looks like it might be a viable option. The burn rate chart lists both as very similar, somewhat (?) Slower than 2400 or Blue Dot, and waaay slower than Unique or Universal.

[sharps4590]

I use quite a bit of IMR-4227 but not in those cartridges. Mostly in small rifle cartridges like the 8.15 X 46R or 8.7 X 55R. I've had good luck with it. I have also used it in 45 Colt loads and had excellent results in some revolvers with some bullets. I think it would be better in the 357 than the 38. I don't know if the 38 would generate enough pressure for it to burn very clean. Just my thoughts

[Kraschenbirn]

I burned a lot of H4227 when I was shooting IHMSA sillywhets. Was my 'go-to' in the .41 Mag for Revolver Class and, for Standing, a lightly compressed charge under a 180 gr. Sierra FMJ from a 10" .357 Contender would easily take down 200M rams with a solid hit. IIRC, wasn't so good from a shorter barrel, though...really nasty muzzle blast from a 6" RBH. Might work for +P in .38 Spl with a compressed charge, magnum primer, and a jacketed bullet but I feel that, today, there are more flexible powders that will yield the same performance without compression.

Bill

[tazman]

I use IMR 4227 in 357 with 158 and 170 grain boolits. Works well for me. Most accurate load so far.
I am not loading full power loads. Going for about 1200fps.

[NSB]

I've tried it in the 357mag and 357max. It works a lot better in the Max. In fact, it's one of my most accurate loads. It shoots well in the .357mag, but it doesn't deliver the velocity to make a mag a mag. It's usable, just not one of the best choices. FWIW, I contacted Hodgdon about the two "brands" of 4227, and they said they are interchangable. I've got both on hand and I don't see any difference in grouping in the same loads.

[Larry Gibson]

H4227 is too slow for 38 SPL use with normal cast bullets. In the 357 Magnum it is useful with 160 - 180 gr bullets but, as noted, while it can give very good accuracy it does not deliver top end magnum performance. At one time back in the early '70s I shot a lot of it under a Lyman 358421 170 gr Keith bullet. I used a CCI SP magnum primer. My old record show out of a 6" Ruger 15.5 gr H4227 under a 162 gr 358156 ran 1264 fps and 14 gr under the 358421 ran 1195 fps. Both loads were 100% load density. Conversely 2400 under the 358156 would push it to 1400+ fps, almost 200 fps faster.

[bmortell]

I ended up buying a bunch of imr4227 after the Obama crisis because it was the only thing in the gun store I could put in my 44 mag, nobody wanted it I guess. can basically think of it as the more gentle cousin of 2400 or h110. not gonna get you top speeds but will get you normal/average speeds just fine. just not the most efficient powder since the charges are large for the speed when compared to faster powders. otherwise it meters good and my accuracy was good, it didnt really fill a role well though, if I have a faster pistol powder and a more "magnum" powder those two cover everything just fine and 4227 is usable but more of my backup powder now even though theres nothing really wrong with it.

[Larry Gibson]

Ah yes, H4227 in the 44 Magnum.....back in the day I shot lots of it in my 44 magnum revolvers (6" Hawes and 7 1/2" BH) when I could get H4227 for $1.50 a pound........

I found a full case at 23 gr under a 429421 or a Speer 240 gr (the old half jacket SWC) shot extremely well. I got my 1st Oehler chronograph in '74 and found the H4227 load gave about 125 fps less velocity that the classic Keith load of 22 gr 2400.