RL15 in 220 Swift

[Barlow]

I've been thinking about trying RL15 in my old TS Ruger 77 Swift, with 50 and 55 gr bullets. Any of you Swift shooters care to fill me in on what works for you or what doesn't work with this powder. Barlow

 

[ShootDots]

When I was Prairie Dog hunting, one of my rifles was a .220 Swift. I used to shoot 55gr Nosler Ballistic Tips with 39.0grs of IMR 4895. Fabulously accurate and it sent the B-Tips screaming out of a 26" bore at 3900f.p.s.

 

[chuckshooter]

the loads for my swifts are 36-37gr RL15 behind a 50gr nosler BT. I shoot them a lot less nowadays because I have moved into the .20cal's for my high volume shooting

 

[Barlow]

the loads for my swifts are 36-37gr RL15 behind a 50gr nosler BT. I shoot them a lot less nowadays because I have moved into the .20cal's for my high volume shooting

Do you know what velocity you were getting? Thanks, Barlow

 

[chuckshooter]

Do you know what velocity you were getting? Thanks, Barlow

4087 very consistent

 

[Sniper338]

Should be good

 

[Yote Hunter]

My favorite load was 38.8 gr RL 15 with a 52 gr amax and Fed 210 M. Shot sub 1/4" 3 shot groups at 248 and 300 yards with Remington classic. Velocity was only 3510 fps out of a 24" barrel.

 

[1K6BRA]

I have shot 38 grains of RL- 15 out of my swift for years using a 50 grain Sierra Blitz-King. I am getting just over 3800 ft./s and slightly under half inch groups at 100 yards with a Cooper Phoenix rifle. I regularly shoot woodchucks to 500+ yards with this rifle.The results I see in the scope are spectacular!

 

[gunnermhr]

I used 38 grains of RE15 with a 52 grain SMK with a lot of success

 

[Barlow]

Thanks for the replies. I loaded up 3 each from 36gr to 38.5 gr in 1/2 gr increments, and if it ever quits raining I'll try them. I'll let you know what happens. Barlow

 

[LarryDScott]

Be aware if you are PD shooting, where you may get
carried away by rapid firing, R15 burns really hot,
compared to smaller stick or even ball powder.
I was shooting 380 in one swift, and R15 in the other.
It took less shots for the R15 barrel to get hot than it
did the one shooting the 380. LDS

 

[Barlow]

Be aware if you are PD shooting, where you may get
carried away by rapid firing, R15 burns really hot,
compared to smaller stick or even ball powder.
I was shooting 380 in one swift, and R15 in the other.
It took less shots for the R15 barrel to get hot than it
did the one shooting the 380. LDS

I don't do any PD hunting, or any rapid fire shooting unless it's at a coyote running away. I was thinking about the heat issue and how RL15 compares to 4064 in that regard. Do you or others have any insight on this? Barlow

 

[LarryDScott]

I doubt that you would see much difference in those 2 powders, both are large stick. In your situation load what shoots the best, heat isnt a factor for your use. LDS

 

[Barlow]

38.5 gr of RL15 is getting 3521 mv and 3 shot group of .331. No pressure signs at all, and I know the throat is long in this rifle. According to the Alliant book this load is 50,000 psi, while 22.250 loads are near 60,000. I'm going to go up to 39 and 39.5 and watch for issues. Barlow

 

[Barlow]

4087 very consistent

That's a lot more velocity than I'm getting. Hold onto that rifle. Barlow

 

[JORTZ]

I've been thinking about trying RL15 in my old TS Ruger 77 Swift, with 50 and 55 gr bullets. Any of you Swift shooters care to fill me in on what works for you or what doesn't work with this powder. Barlow

I have ruger 77 heavy barrel too.
Im shooting 55 gr vmax my best results are using h414 or imr4895. But i did use rl15 and varget for pd hunting cause i had a ton of each powder i found rl15 and varget are similar in velocity and charge weight.
Here my results
55gr vmax
Rl15 36.8gr 3724fps
Varget 36.6gr 3719fps
Both shot around .5 to .75 inches at 100
My best results
55gr vmax
Imr4895 38.4gr 3855fps shot .33 inches several times.
Also shot great using 50gr vmax
H414 43.7gr 3803fps
Hope this helps

 

[Barlow]

I have ruger 77 heavy barrel too.
Im shooting 55 gr vmax my best results are using h414 or imr4895. But i did use rl15 and varget for pd hunting cause i had a ton of each powder i found rl15 and varget are similar in velocity and charge weight.
Here my results
55gr vmax
Rl15 36.8gr 3724fps
Varget 36.6gr 3719fps
Both shot around .5 to .75 inches at 100
My best results
55gr vmax
Imr4895 38.4gr 3855fps shot .33 inches several times.
Also shot great using 50gr vmax
H414 43.7gr 3803fps
Hope this helps

Thanks for the input. I have use a Swift since 1976, when I bought a Ruger 77V brand new for $169.00. It was a Centennial model and I carried it all the time. I deer hunted with it extensively until it got too heavy or I got weaker. So I bought another Ruger 77 Swift standard weight, which I still have. I sold the 77v a few years back. I shot the barrel out of the standard weight and had a new Douglas Premium installed about 10-12 years ago. I have killed more game with this rifle than any other rifle I have owned, (mostly deer). I used the Speer 50 gr for a long time in both rifles and they worked great, and have used many other bullets with varying degrees of success. Over the years I have tried a few different powders (like now) but always come back to IMR 4064 for the 50-55 gr weights. Today my old load of 39 gr of 4064 gave me one three shot group of .177 at 95 yards with a little luck added. I have a Vari X 111 6.5x20 on it now because I coyote hunt a farm that allow some loooong shooting opportunities. So although RL15 did give some great groups in the 3's and 4's it does not get the velocity that 4064 does. My 39 gr load with a 50 gr Nosler solid base gets 3750 from its 24" barrel. I will probably never put a new barrel on this rifle, but when the throat goes away I will set it back and keep shooting. That's enough rambling. Barlow

 

[Coolhand]

Barlow , try some RL17 if you are looking for velocity , I am using RL17 in my .220 AI , 52 grain Berger FB VARMS ( what a great bullet ) velocity 4087fps , and I have not maxed the load out.
Interestingly Quickload says the velocity should be 3888fps, Magnetospeed gave me an average of 4087fps.

regards
Mike.

 

[chuckshooter]

That's a lot more velocity than I'm getting. Hold onto that rifle. Barlow

in your opening post you asked about RL15 and the swift but I also shoot 43gr of 380 behind 50 nosler BT. faster to reload for when I used to reload for three swifts at 500 rounds each. the gun that delivers 4087fps is a remington 40x with a 27 1/4 in barrel and this is my second barrel on it. it shoots 1/4 inch groups all day with either load. some guns you can do no wrong and this is one of them.

 

[Barlow]

in your opening post you asked about RL15 and the swift but I also shoot 43gr of 380 behind 50 nosler BT. faster to reload for when I used to reload for three swifts at 500 rounds each. the gun that delivers 4087fps is a remington 40x with a 27 1/4 in barrel and this is my second barrel on it. it shoots 1/4 inch groups all day with either load. some guns you can do no wrong and this is one of them.

That's the way my 77V was. It was just very accurate. Jim Carmichel had an identical rifle and said in his "Book of the Rifle" paraphrasing here, that it was the most accurate factory rifle he ever owned. I am not a complete velocity nut when it comes to this or any rifle I own, but a Swift imo is in a class by itself. Barlow