Imr 4227 powder?

johnnyjr

johnnyjr

Well-Known Member
I'm having such a great time with this 243 and cast bullets that I'm running out of certain powders. Seeing that the local shop as lots of 4227 powder on the shelf I was tempted to grab a couple of them.

But figured I should do a little on line checking to see if it is worth using with 86 or 74 grain cast bullets. The 74 being plain base or gas checks.

I see it listed in the Lyman manuals. Is it worth using or not. Not many other powders available. Appreciate your help with this..
 
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Dusty Bannister

Well-Known Member
It is probably not the best idea to buy a powder solely for one caliber. If you are loading multiple calibers, then verify that you have data for the powder that can be used in all of them. That said, SR 4759 is a highly thought of powder for cast bullets and the loads seem to be fairly alike at the low and mid range loads with IMR 4227. The rifle will tell you what it likes, the on line survey will tell you if others have used it and perhaps how it compared with other powders. If I felt like trying a powder, I would only buy one pound and do the testing before jumping in for a larger purchase.
 
Winelover

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Wouldn't be as economical as the faster powders. Requires up to twice the volume, for the same velocity. However, that can be a benefit, since it fills more of the cavernous case.

I'd be tempted to try it. Can always use it for pistol loads, if it doesn't pan out. Lots of guys use it in handguns.

That being said, I've never seen it locally, or ever used it.

As P&P said, base your powder purchases on use in alternate calibers. I always try to do that.

SR 4759 is discontinued and pretty much impossible to purchase. AA 5477 is almost a direct replacement. Recently, been testing SR 4759 vs AA 5744 in my Winchester 308 bolt gun, with cast. AA5744 shows a slight edge in accuracy for me.
 
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johnnyjr

johnnyjr

Well-Known Member
I can use it in my 38/357.i have about a half lb. I am going to tumble lubed the 74 gr bullets as they don't have much of a grease groove. What can it hurt,but make them more slippery..
 
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Newtire

New Member
Winelover said:
Both the third and the fourth edition of Lyman's Cast Bullet Manual has 243W data for cast, with 4227 powder. However, the data is for 80+ grain bullets. Nothing in the 74 grain weight. Same with RCBS Cast Bullet Manual.
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I'd give it a try using the 80 gr.+ data and if you get a lot of unburned powder, up it a tad from the minimum recommended charge.
 
Spindrift

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
Disclaimer: I've never owned a .243, and never used imr4227!

But I can't see how you could go wrong with an extruded, single-base powder in the burning range of 4759/N110. These powders tend to be highly useful cast bullet propellants. I would grab some bottles while they're available!
 
johnnyjr

johnnyjr

Well-Known Member
Spindrift said:
Disclaimer: I've never owned a .243, and never used imr4227!

But I can't see how you could go wrong with an extruded, single-base powder in the burning range of 4759/N110. These powders tend to be highly useful cast bullet propellants. I would grab some bottles while they're available!
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Even it is almost impossible to find on the web,plus you figure in the cost of shipping. It's getting to be all bull shit. To many people hoarding it. I know a guy has 5 or 6 lbs of bullseye. He seldom fires a shot..
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
5 or 6 lbs. of bullseye... LOL,,,, not a hoarder... that's barely 5-K 38 special target loads.

4227 has a lot of uses, if it don't work for you in the 243 give it a run in your 300 B.O. or 445 super mag with 300gr bullets.
it works like a champ where it works and is real so-so where it don't.
 
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Rushcreek

Well-Known Member
I’ve never used 4227 until last fall.
So far it has worked just fine in .218 bee(only jacketed so far), 30-30, 30-40, 30-06 and 8x57 with cast.
It won’t replace 4198 or 3031 for my cast use; but it supplements them nicely.
Another new-to-me powder that I’m liking a lot is AA2015.
 
L Ross

L Ross

Well-Known Member
I'd be even more devastated if 4227 went away than I was with 4759. I use it or have used it in .30-30, .32 Win. Spl, 7x57, .308, .30-40, .32-40, 8x57, .30-06 (a lot), .38-55, .44 mag and .45 Colt. I find it to be a smidge slower than 2400. For example equal amounts of 4227 in a .308 will give 200 fps less velocity than 2400.
 
Maven

Maven

Well-Known Member
johnnyjr said:
I'm having such a great time with this 243 and cast bullets that I'm running out of certain powders. Seeing that the local shop as lots of 4227 powder on the shelf I was tempted to grab a couple of them.

But figured I should do a little on line checking to see if it is worth using with 86 or 74 grain cast bullets. The 74 being plain base or gas checks.

I see it listed in the Lyman manuals. Is it worth using or not. Not many other powders available. Appreciate your help with this..
Click to expand...
I used IMR 4227 with the 87gr. Loverin bullet when I first started [re]loading for the .243Win. 14.0gr. was a good place to start, but the case necks were sooty. IMR 4198 was cleaner even using 14.0gr. and the same CB.
 
fiver

fiver

Well-Known Member
you need about 22grs. in the 0-6 to settle things down.

where's Corky when you need him?
 
S

sundog

Active Member
I'm right here fiver! I've been watching this thread.

And IMR 4227 is a winner in the '06 with cast. Just about any decent 180ish to 200ish GC'd cast bullet, luber or PC'd, over 20ish plus grains of 4227 will yield roughly 1600 - 2000 fps and provide fine accuracy at 100 yards. I've been shooting 21.0 - 22.0 grains with Ly 311291 and RCBS 30-180-SP, lubed and more recently PC'd, in a monthly military bolt match at my club for well over 20 years. I shoot a 'as issued' CMP 03A3 that now has well over 6K rounds through it, and it still delivers excellent results Recoil is more than tolerable, and it is just a fun load to shot, considering the match is 50 records rounds, plus sighters and barrel warmers, off the bench.

All one has to do is find the bullet best liked in what your shooting, sized accordingly, and then fiddle with the charge to find the best combination. The bore is shiny and clean. It seldom gets cleaned. The worst was enough years ago that Felix was still with us. All of a sudden, the accuracy went south. Turned out a hard lube ring had formed just forward of the chamber. Played to devil's game getting out, eventually with multiple solvent soakings and a a one way tornado brushing. Felix claimed is was caused by microbial bacterial residue buildup - bug poop!
But, that's aside from the virtues of 4227 in the '06.

In Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 3rd edition, page 92, there is an article by Frank Marshall concerning this subject. He settled on 4759 for his loading. I've tried it early on and had better results with 4227, but that is what 'worked for me'. I've recently been experimenting with surplus 4759, apparently pull down 7641 from demilled 30 carbine. Results are encouraging.
 
KeithB

KeithB

Resident Half Fast Machinist
Used 4227 in heavy bullet .357 and .44 mag loads. That and 2400 worked real well for that. Neither seemed to work well for lighter loads. Never used it in a rifle.
 
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