Alternatives to H4227 in the .357 Maximum?

[oregon45]

H4227, under a 180gr bullet, has been my standard .357 Maximum powder for quite awhile. But I recently acquired a "new" 10.5 Ruger Maximum that has me thinking a new powder may be in order. The gun spits powder with each shot. Not lead shavings (as with an out-of-time revolver) but powder granules, often at high enough speeds they've raised a mark on my face.

I'm thinking the easiest, and cheapest, thing I can change is the powder. I'm loading for IHMSA competition, and my H4227 load is 20gr under a Hornady 180gr jacketed bullet. I've got several pounds of W296 but have never used that powder in the .357 Max. Any reason why I shouldn't? I have no intention of shooting bullets lighter than 180gr, and no need to drive them faster than my current load. Would a switch to W296 require a change of primer as well? I'm currently using Remington 7 1/2's.

[boxhead]

While 4227 is my preferred powder in the Maxi as well, I have used 110 (296) in mine with good results. Use a magnum primer.

[magnumwheelman]

I've also used H-110, & AA #9 but my Dan Wesson is only a 6" barrel

[bisleylust]

Read somewhere that Accurate 1680 was a good powder for the Max.

[toroflow]

My Max spits with IMR4227 powder, and doesn't with 2400 powder. I'm going to try some H110 next time.

[Ken O'Neill]

It has been 25 years since I sold the last one, but I never had really satisfactory accuracy with any of my 3 .357 Maximums (Ruger, DW and T/C) with 296. Nothing compared well with the fine accuracy of the 4227's, and I preferred the Hodgdon version. It is still pretty available around here. All I can suggest is that you test the 296. I suspect, though, that the problem is B/C gap, alignment, or forcing cone related, rather than simply powder. Test the 296 or 2400 & see.

[bradshaw]

oregon45..... Ken O'Neill steers you toward required look at factors which contribute to spitting. I am not the person to tell you 296/H110 doesn't produce accuracy in the Maximum. The faster burn of Hercules and Alliant 2400 may prevent the spitting you talk about. Spitting in your face sounds like chamber-to-bore misalignment. Remember the .357 Maximum burns a .44 Magnum dose of powder in a .357 hole. Pressure + burn time generate excitement. High pressure guns want to be closely fitted to keep all this stuff happy.

The Dan Wesson M40 Super Mag .357 Maximum is a notorious spitter. Chamber-to-bore alignment tends to run very tight. Chamber exits may be tight and they may be rough, two conditions which abrade micro chips of bullets material. Without degrading accuracy, permit me to add.

There is much to check out. Photos of course always welcome.
David Bradshaw

[hoover]

oregon45, I hate a spitter......and when I shoot 4227 in my Maxi, it's what I get. Earlier this spring I was shooting mine and it made me feel young again. As in 9th grade young, and a buddy told me to just shave those zits off, no one will notice. Sounded good to me....

Switched to H110 and it took care of the problem. Each gun is its own entity, and they are all different to what they do with given loads. I was shooting 187 gr WFNGC bullets and were very accurate.





This was after a particularly brutal session....

[bradshaw]

Dang, Tank.... mug looks worse than the ratshot pix Lee is soon to post. Sure you ain't got a pet woodpecker on your shoulder?
David Bradshaw

[hoover]

Hahahahaha...nothing harder than woodpecker lips!

[craigd]

You may also want to take a close at Lil'Gun. I have been using it in a 12" Hunter T/C barrel as have a number of local IHMSA silhouette shooters. I am shooting the 200-grain RCBS FNGC bullet at 1800 fps, w/o any apparent signs of pressure.

[jsh]

I am using IMR 4227 and the rcbs sil bullet in my max with fair success. I am way off my time on the trigger this year though.