IMR Classic
IMR 4227
Hodgdon positions IMR 4227 as a medium burn speed magnum handgun propellant, and it is the IMR line's designated choice for full-power magnum revolver loads. It also serves small-capacity rifle cartridges such as the 22 Hornet and 221 Fireball.
The IMR line's magnum revolver powder, and the classic choice for .22 Hornet and .221 Fireball on the rifle side. In .357 and .44 Magnum it gives full-power performance without the ignition fussiness people associate with the ball magnum powders. It is bulky for its energy and does not fill a large revolver case, so it is position-sensitive: how the powder lies when the hammer falls affects what you get. Be consistent about muzzle position or you will chase your own velocity spread.
- .357 Magnum full-power
- .44 Magnum hunting loads
- .22 Hornet
- .221 Fireball
Who has IMR 4227 today
Checked October 10In stock at 2 stores — lowest in hand $60.18/lb (8 lb at Graf & Sons)
| Store | Size | Shelf | In hand /lb | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 8 lb | $443.99 | $60.18 | In stock ↗ |
| Hodgdon (direct)Terms not published | 8 lb | $463.99 | $61.93 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Hodgdon (direct)Terms not published | 1 lb | $66.99 | $98.43 est. | In stock ↗ |
| Graf & Sons$23.50 hazmat per package | 1 lb | $62.99 | $100.44 | In stock ↗ |
| Bruno Shooters Supply$26.95 hazmat + $19.95 ship | 8 lb | $401.99 | $56.11 | Out |
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 8 lb | $465.95 | $62.17 est. | Out |
| Lohman ArmsHazmat charged, amount not published | 1 lb | $63.95 | $95.39 est. | Out |
“In hand” is the shelf price plus that store’s hazmat fee and shipping, spread over one container. Stock is checked once a day — confirm on the store’s page before ordering. Compare all powders →
Specifications
| Manufacturer | IMR |
|---|---|
| Product family | IMR Classic |
| Status | Currently produced |
| Application | pistol, rifle |
| Grain form | extruded |
| Lee VMD (bulk density) | 0.0769 cc per grain · 0.84 g/cc |
| Composition | single-base |
| Temperature stable | Not marketed as temperature-stable |
| Burn-rate position | 76 of 198 (fastest = 1) — what this means |
| Typical cartridges | 357 Magnum, 44 Magnum, 22 Hornet, 221 Remington Fireball |
Grain shape
An extruded tube, not a flake or a sphere, so it does not dump like a pistol powder and does not behave like one either, giving a steadier pressure curve than a fast degressive powder would. Expect worse metering than any spherical magnum powder through a progressive measure.
Why geometry decides burn rate more than chemistry does: Shape Is the Product.
Extruded single-base powder, made in Canada. Hodgdon does not list it as temperature stable, and flags it as suitable for subsonic work.
Burn rate
Slow for a handgun powder — sits just past the magnum-pistol ball powders and at the very fast end of the rifle range.
Chart agreement: consistent across the three charts that list it Ranked by: Hodgdon, Shooters World, Wolfe/LoadData.
Powders charted near it — neighbours on the chart are not substitutes, and adjacency tells you nothing about what charge either one takes:
- Hodgdon H110 (position 73)
- Winchester 296 (position 74)
- Accurate No. 11FS (position 75)
- Hodgdon H4227 (position 77)
- Alliant Power Pro 300-MP (position 78)
- Accurate 5744 (position 79)
Sources
The specifications above come from IMR's own published documentation, linked below. The two “RCM's read” sections are ours, not theirs — our assessment of what this powder is like to load, drawn from its published characteristics and from what handloaders consistently report. No manufacturer endorses them and no source below backs them. If you think we have one wrong, tell us — we would rather fix it.