Best use for IMR 4227?

[venomballistics]

It's a good magnum pistol powder, not a great one but a good one.
It's a little bit slow, and leaves unburned powder behind.
It might do a little better in the New breed of mega magnums like the 460 and 500.
myself, I'm looking to use it in 45-70 loads.

 

[tracker47]

IMR 4227

I hesitated to buy the IMR 4227 for handgun loads because I could only find load data for 357 Mag. What I wanted was a an available powder that would be used in the 38 Special. As everyone knows there seems to be a shortage of desired powders.

So I bought the IMR 4227 and used it in loading 38 Specials, 148gr DEWC with 8gr's of the IMR 4227 and Mag Primers. Lead was flush with lip of the brass. Shot standard pistol course of 10, 15, & 25 yards. Each distance carried well and pattern consistent.

Last thing, the IMR 4227 burned cleaner than most powders I use.

 

[kcode]

I was going through some old boxes of supplies and ran across an old unopened tin of 4227 that I had bought in the early 1980's for .357 loading instead of w296. Still had the price tag on it, $12.50/lb. Wonder if its still good?

 

[scooter123]

If it's been sealed the entire time and stored in temperatures under 100 degrees I would expect it to be perfectly fine. Certainly worth opening up and giving the sniff test. As for using it, the best course of action here is to see if you have some load manuals that date back to the same period. Because on some occasions powders can be updated without the identification changing and sometimes those changes can result in a revision of the load data. If you don't have any older data then start low and work up very carefully.

 

[M3Stuart]

.30 Carbine and revolver cartridges. IIRC, you'll basically fill up the case whatever you load with it. There's zero chance of a double charge.

BTW; Awhile back it was all that was on the shelf. I called Hogdon and asked if H4227 and IMR4227 were interchangeable as my books listed the opposite of what they had. The nice gent at customer service told me; not exactly, but if you start with the starting load and work up, you should be ok.

 

[Bigshot321]

Imr 4227

Extremely good powder choice for cast bullets in 44 magnum and better handguns ie 454 Casull. Achieves higher velocities at lower pressures resulting in what feels like reduced recoil compared to 2400/296/110. Slower burning results in less base cutting of cast bullets that are properly sized, also is a good choice in high expansion rifle cases such as 45/70. Would not recommend this powder for low power revolver loads such as 38 special, better powders for these cartridges would be universal or unique. Another good powder choice for cast bullets in rifle cartridges would be AA5744, no fillers are required for cases as large as 45/70, and it being a tick slower than IMR4227 is also good for 44 mag and better magnums. I would also recommend using the federal large pistol match magnum primer with these 2 powders in 44 mag revolver cases, in rifle cases std primers work well in 454 Casull use of CCI small rifle magnum is recommended.

 

[oger]

I used the same load as Hammerdown 77 for thousands of rounds shot out of a Super Blackhawk 44. I found it burned cooler than unique and didn't lead the barrel at all with hard cast 240s.

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I shot it in .44 mag loads years ago; had not used it in years but I recently bought 6# of it at a good price, so I guess I'm back in. Plan to load some with heavy cast bullets in .44 mag and may try it in .357 also.

 

[Nemo288]

Just in case anyone else in here shoots the .445SM, 2 of my favorite loads feature IMR-4227 and the WLR primer.
I have reamed the Starline brass to use rifle primers and also use cut off rifle brass:
31 grains 4227 under a Cast Perf. 260 WFNGC 2.0" COAL
30 grains 4227 under a Hornady 300 XTP crimped in the lower cannelure 2.08" COAL.
Deviations in the single digits or low teens.
There are others but these 2 have always shined for me.
4227 is a widely underrated powder.
Maybe because it is not flashy and doesn't produce every last fps possible.
But to paraphrase Townsend Whelen it's the accurate guns/loads that are interesting.
And that is 4227's forte. What's not to like?
I am still trying to get A-1680 to behave anywhere near as well, looking for the potential extra fps.
Going to the WLRM with those loads next.
Back to the loading desk......

Some comparisons with 296 and 1680 are to be found in this evolving spreadsheet:
Sorry about the blank pages. The conversion to PDF is not perfect (OpenOffice).

 

[BC38]

I bought just a little under two pounds of it really cheaply - for $20 IIRC. I've loaded a few rounds of 357, but haven't got a chance to shoot them yet. I plan on loading some 44 mags with it too now that I have some 240gr hard cast lead to load.

Everything I've read - in this thread and others - says load it above the middle of the range and use a magnum primer. So, that's what I'm doing. Everything I've read says that downloading or using regular primers you're more likely to end up with quite a bit of unburned powder grains.

The other consistent comment about it is that it is very accurate and that it has a very mild recoil - more of a hard shove rather than a sharp snap or slap. I think the two things are related. Seems to me that sharp snappy recoil is more likely to allow the barrel to start to rise before the bullet has exited. With the milder push type of recoil it seems it would be easier to stay on target until after the bullet has cleared the end of the barrel.

Anywho, that's everything I've read and my thoughts on why it is so accurate. As with all things reloading, YMMV...

 

[tndrfttom]

I've used 4227 for jacketed bullet loads in .22 Hornet and .25-20 Winchester as well as .38-55 and .45-70 with cast bullets. It seems to have a wide range of applications.

 

[Clovishound]

It makes very accurate loads in .357 magnum out of a rifle. I'm getting nearly as good a result now from Universal. Since I get great results from the Universal in .38, and use a fraction of the powder per case, I have switched to Universal. If I want absolute accuracy, I will use 4227.

 

[daniel lawecki]

I use it in .44 mag .45lc. and .22k hornet haven't loaded for the .41 mag but plan to later this fall.

 

[kennethdlarson]

16.0 grains under a 158 gr .357 mag bullet on top of a CCI 550 or Win SPM primer works for me! You will probably get a few unburned kernels but it gives me around 1200+ fps in my 6" M28-2. Great powder but expensive vs. 2400 here in eastern Nebraska.

 

[cowboy4evr]

I am another one that uses IMR 4227 a lot . I found years ago that in the old " New Mexico " load it was just the ticket . That load consists of a 215-225 gr swc sitting on top of 24grs and LPM primer . In NM , lot of open fields and for hunting you needed something that would reach out there at long distance. It was very accurate at long distance and carried plenty of punch .
Ken Waters load is one of my favorite loads in the 41 magnum , as mentioned before a 210-220 gr bullet sitting on top of 21grs of IMR 4227 is fantastic . I have also used it in 30-30 cast bullet loads with good results using the Lyman 311041 mold .
About everyones concern for 2400 ? I finally , in desperation called Alliant and asked if they had quit producing it in favor of their new powder MP-300 . They claimed they were still producing it , as much as ever . OK, then where is it all going ? I did manage to buy 2#'s at a small gun shop in SE NM several months ago . The first I had seen in several years .

 

[Rogeronimo]

This powder seems to have a special place in necked-down magnum handgun cartridges such as the 357-44 Bain&Davis, 357AMP, and 357GWM. When my adventurous spirit kicks in again, I intend to develop loads for the 45 Win Mag with this powder.

 

[Sportsdad60]

I can't find it in my area, but it has the attributes I'm looking for in a smokeless powder for 38-55 cartridge.

 

[CptCurl]

I am using it with a 200 grain cast bullet for .44-40 loads in my Winchester 92. The accuracy is fantastic. There seems to be a good bit of unburnt powder grains left behind. I guess that's the way it works!

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I can't find it in my area, but it has the attributes I'm looking for in a smokeless powder for 38-55 cartridge.

I did try it in 38-55 and it shoots great.I also use it for 45-70 and .30 cal cast bullet loads(.308Win,30-06,30-30).And of course in .41Mag,.44 Mag and .45 Colt.Always use it under cast bullets.The few unburned grains left never bothered me since it doesn't seem to affect accuracy.
Qc

 

[cowboy4evr]

I have read that those ' unburnt kernels " is actually just filler . I have no actual proof though . I use winchester primers exclusively except--- when I use IMR 4227 , then I use a full magnum primer like CCI , FEDERAL etc . They seem to help combustion and my groups tightened up a bit . YMMV