Best use for IMR 4227?

[David Sinko]

What good is this stuff? I bought a pound because the seller was literally throwing it at me to get rid of it. I know it's used as a magnum revolver powder, but is it any better than either 296 or 2400 which I already use? It looks like its other redeeming quality is the .22 Hornet, which I do load on occasion. Is there anything else?

Dave Sinko

 

[OFT II]

I've used it in 30 Carbine years ago. I recently loaded some 44 Specials with it and it did okay but it won't replace Unique.

 

[Gamer]

I was researching loads for 7.62 x 39 and it was listed in the Lyman manual pg 242 for use wth a Hornady 123 gr sp #3140. Start load 20 grains. I have also seen it listed in the Lee, Hornady and Lyman manuals for use with various weight 357 loads.

 

[TSQUARED]

It's also used for 32-40 and 38-55 loads with lead bullets at ca. 1200 fps. and 410 shotshell loads.

 

[scattershot]

I have a buddy that swears by it for .44 mag loads.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

I use it for my 25-20 Marlin. Works fine.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

357 Maximum and 4227 are made for one another. You can burn it up in the 357 Magnum, but I only use it in my Max's. Works great!.

In the magnum it is a bit slower than 2400 and needs a good crimp to get it going. Think max loads only!

 

[USSR]

I use it for .30 Carbine, .357 Magnum, and .45 Colt. There will be a few unburned kernals in the handgun loads, but accuracy is so good that I can easily overlook it.

Don

 

[GypsmJim]

I switched to 4227 in all my .38, .357 and .45 Colt loads. Big improvement in accuracy. Always had trouble finding a good load for a snub .38 and this solved the problem.

 

[2152hq]

Works good in the .401 Winchester S/L.

 

[Snapping Twig]

It excells for trapdoor loads in 45-70.

 

[alwslate]

I found it to be very usefull in teaching me to appreciate 2400 and 296
when I tried it in the .357 mag and .44 mag.

 

[Hammerdown77]

If you load 44 magnum, try 22 grains under a 240-250 grain lead bullet. This is a slightly compressed load (it's ok, Hodgdon lists it as a compressed load in their load data). This load under 240 gr. lead truncated cone bullet from Penn Bullets is superbly accurate in my 44s. I got the load from Penn's website.

Doesn't seem to be as "sharp" in recoil as most other full 44 mag loadings. Quality of the slower burning powder, I guess.

 

[armadillo]

I use it in my 22 Jet - 13.5 gr. with the Hornady 40 gr Jet bullet. I prefer it to H110/296 because it doesn't have as much muzzle flash.

 

[buck460XVR]

It is my preferred powder in .460S&W and hunting rounds for .44mag and .357mag, both in revolvers and carbines. While it does not give me quite the velocities that H110/W296 gives, it is just as accurate and is much less temperature sensitive. Best accuracy comes from loads that are nearly to slightly compressed.

 

[625smith]

40grs in a 500 S&W with a 350gr bullet. Also good results in 44 mag and 357 mag.

 

[silentflyer]

Great in a .22 Hornet Contender barrel, very accurate..

 

[safarihunter]

It's my all time favorite in 44 mag

 

[David Sinko]

I guess I'll try it in the .22 Hornet and maybe 7.62x39. I load very little Hornet (it's my brother's Contender barrel) and it seems I hit the magic load on my very first try with 296. I find that the 7.62x39 is a tough one to load with softpoints. Very few handloaded softpoints produce acceptable accuracy in my AKM, so I'm willing to try anything different.

Does it need a magnum primer in the revolver loads? I have never used a single magnum pistol primer and have no intentions of starting now.

Dave Sinko

 

[aphelion]

I've been using 23 grs with the 429421 in 44 mag for many years now. It gives 1250 in a 6 1/2" M29, 1300 in my Redhawk. It is accurate in every 44 I've tired it in, including a Marlin carbine. Primers are round, cases eject easily. Like Hammerdown said, recoil seems to be less sharp. As I've said here many times, I believe 4227 is easier on the revolvers than 296/H110. I saw enough back in the silhouette days in magnum revolvers to know it is true. It gives a little up to 296/H110 in ultimate velocity, but not enough to matter. A magnum primer isn't necessary.

 

[rfd]

yep, a killer .22 hornet powder.

 

[Curt Blunt]

I use it in my Winchester 32-20 with lead bullets.

 

[TAROMAN]

Back in the day I loaded 22.0 behind a 240 Hornady FMJ.
Would really slam the rams at 200 meters.

 

[walnutred]

In my Marlin 32-20 4227 will push the 118gn cast bullet over 1800 fps. Makes a good varmint load.

 

[olskool]

4227 is the very best powder i have ever used in 44sp. and 45lc i have used it for years. when useing it use a mag. primer or it will not all burn. my load with 45lc is a 255 cast and 19gr. 44sp. is 17gr with a lyman 215 cast.

 

[MMA10mm]

Good velocities, great accuracy, can't get enough in the case to create an overload, and it's single-based (which is what contributes to it being easier on the barrel than other powders in this burning rate range), makes it a fantastic powder for the 44 Magnum.

It works great in the other applications listed. If someone doesn't have good success with it, they haven't tried enough variations. It does like to be at 100% load density or mildly compressed.

I will say that since Hodgdon took over IMR and 4227 is now being manufactured in Australia, I'm not sure it's a single-based powder anymore. I have enough of a stash of Canadian 4227 that I just haven't bothered to look...

 

[PERAZZI]

+1 for the .32-40...

 

[bluetopper]

I'm late to this post, but 4227 is the cat's meow in the 500 S&W Magnum. Its burn rate fits the caliber to a Tee.

 

[s&wbest]

Seems like imr4227 and h110 are still on the shelf at a local gun shop. Saw a user contribution on a site using 10gr of imr4227 in a 40s&w with a heavy bullet. Anyone ever try this?

 

[ironhead7544]

IMR4227 was the first powder I ever handloaded with. The Lee Loader kit had a dipper for it. Worked perfectly with the 44 Magnum and 240/250 gr jacketed and cast bullets.

IMR4227 was designed for the pistol sized rifle cartridges like the 44 WCF, 38 WCF and 32 WCF. Burns very clean in rifle length barrels. It does leave some unburned powder in revolvers. IME, it leads much less with cast bullets and is very mild on guns in comparison with other magnum powders. It also has very light flash.

I have managed to find good loads with it in 357 Magnum, 41 Magnum, 44 Special and 44 Magnum. If IMR4227 was the only revolver powder I could get, it wouldnt bother me too much.