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Looking to reload 44 Mag and 500 S&W Mag this summer.

From what I can tell, IMR 4227 looks like the best powder for Magnum pistols. Anybody have any experience with IMR4227? Others that might be recommended?

Reloading data websites show that you can use all kinds of powders for these cartridges at lower velocities, but if you want a fast metallic silhouette style load you need to use something like IMR4227. I used a Shooting Chrony last week and got 1440 ft/sec. from factory (Fiocchi 240 gr.) 44 Magnum loads shot from a Marlin 1894.

Cheers!
Warrlac

When I shot IHMSA with a 10.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk using a full charge of WIN296 under a lubed cast truncated cone bullet, I consistently got that velocity. I've shot 2 perfect 40's with that combination against shooters using jacketed projectiles. I quit IHMSA back in 1984 for economic reasons after being laid off at John Deere Product Engineering Center. I have a 7mmTCU in a Contender with additional barrels if you are interested in other caliber/cartridges.

I have IMR4227 and WIN 296 and 2400 in surplus if you need any.

OldmanFCSA wrote:When I shot IHMSA with a 10.5" Ruger Super Blackhawk using a full charge of WIN296 under a lubed cast truncated cone bullet, I consistently got that velocity. I've shot 2 perfect 40's with that combination against shooters using jacketed projectiles. I quit IHMSA back in 1984 for economic reasons after being laid off at John Deere Product Engineering Center. I have a 7mmTCU in a Contender with additional barrels if you are interested in other caliber/cartridges.

I have IMR4227 and WIN 296 and 2400 in surplus if you need any.

You want to sell that contender? If so, what other barrels do you have?

I have and have used some 4227. I really didn't care much for it, except in very rare applications- mostly cast bullet bottleneck cased rifle rounds. I originally got it for some old magnum 10 ga loading.

First off, unless you weigh each charge individually, it will be very erratic. Its a very long stick powder. Forget about using it through a pistol powder measure.

I haven't used it in a number of years, but that one 10 ga load was really nice- actually that was more my Dad's load than mine- as duck hunting with lead shot ended after my first two years of hunting (and back then 13-14 year olds didn't shoot 10 bore...). I still use it for crows and varmints.

Secondly, I never did get quite the velocities it claimed, and got much better results with the VihtaVouri powders... but I also note that was only using their 2nd edition or earlier load data- they lawyered up and the max loads have gone down quite a bit- I had one .357 mag load that with their max loading using N110 I could get 1600 FPS with a 158 grain bullet... 8" Python. I wasn't very nice to that gun- that was in my days of questing after velocity first and foremost. But, it couldn't have been that bad, as its still one of the most accurate .357's I have.

Win 296 and H110 are the same powder. Those are what I use the most of in .44 Mag, .41 Mag, .50 AE and .454 Casull.

2400 is a good powder, just burns a bit more dirty in my experience.

Oldman, I've got a contender as well- what barrels do you want to get rid of?

In 357mag I was unimpressed with the velocity from 4227.

My go to magnum powders are 296/H110 for lighter bullets/carbines, 2400 for medium weight plinking loads, and LilGun for medium to heavy plinking or carbine loads

My 44 mag and high velocity 300 blackout get H110 individually weighed and loaded. I don't do my progressives at upper limit loads.

I used 4227 in 357mag and was also unimpressed. The other issue with 4227 is load data is inconsistent due to the history of it. There used to be IMR 4227 and Hodgdon H4227 which were similar but not identical. IMR was made in Canada and Hodgdon was made in Australia. The Canada made IMR 4227 was discontinued and the Australian made H4227 was renamed to IMR 4227. So look close at what you are buying. 3 years ago and I was finding IMR 4227 from both Canada and Australia on the shelf. Identical packaging except the made in location on the label.