can anyone tell me some information about the 220 swift? Doesn't seem very popular and was just wondering what people thought of it?
220 swift
- Thread starter PAshooter20BR
- Start date
Vartarg217
I've never owned one, but you can look here for some information:
http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/220.html
I'd suggest that the lack of interest in it today reflects the fact that other cartridges,the .204 Ruger comes to mind) will do a great deal of what the Swift will do, with much less powder, noise and recoil. There are still a bunch of folks who swear by them.
http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/220.html
I'd suggest that the lack of interest in it today reflects the fact that other cartridges,the .204 Ruger comes to mind) will do a great deal of what the Swift will do, with much less powder, noise and recoil. There are still a bunch of folks who swear by them.
what makes the brass such a headache?
I own and shoot two Swifts. I have never had any "real" problems with the brass that I shoot in either rifle. You do need to keep an eye on your trim lengths since the cases do stretch quite a bit due to the high operating pressures of the cartridge and the design of the case, but the .243 Winchester is just as bad as the Swift in this area. I have had the best results in both rifles with Accurate 2700, or Hodgdon H-414. One rifle is a Ruger M-77 Varmint rifle, and the other rifle is a Rem. 700 BDL Varmint. Both rifles are easily able to hold .5 MOA with handloads and have proven devastating on crows, woodchucks, and PD's. There is just something about using a classic round like the Swift that gets the blood running faster. At times, I wonder if "puffing" my first crow at age 12 with my cousins Pre-64 Model 70 in the Swift would have much to do with the way that I feel about the cartridge?!!? It still boils down to the old speed shop saying of "Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go? BIGGER is BETTER!" and the Swift delivers speed with no problems using a .22 Cal. bullet. The Swift will continue to soldier on as long as we still have good brass available for it. I will continue to use the Swift since I will never get enough of the "Need for Speed" when I am shooting varmints at long range.
Cordially,
Bob Blaine
Cordially,
Bob Blaine
Preacher
Gold $$ Contributor
I solved my #1 V 220 Swift's brass problem by doing the Ackley thing to it....
No more brass problems for me .......... and it spits out those little 40 grain BT's with their butts on fire, and will really put a puff up on a crow.
6 more weeks and they are legal again.......
No more brass problems for me .......... and it spits out those little 40 grain BT's with their butts on fire, and will really put a puff up on a crow.
6 more weeks and they are legal again.......
I was referring to cost, and case life. I don't have a Swift, but my former partner,R.I.P.) had 2 and loved them.
That is,When he wasn't bitching about cost and case life. Sometimes head separation occurred after 4 firings.
Yes, you can load it conservatively But then you might as well have a 22-250.
This does not mean I wouldn't snatch one up if it was a bargain.
HM
That is,When he wasn't bitching about cost and case life. Sometimes head separation occurred after 4 firings.
Yes, you can load it conservatively But then you might as well have a 22-250.
This does not mean I wouldn't snatch one up if it was a bargain.
HM
Had two at one time an M-77 V and a Sav 112, accuracy with both rifles was outstanding with most bullet and powder combos and bordering on the incredible with Speer 52 HP, 38.0 grains of IMR 4320, WW cases and regular CCI 200 primers, I would shoot primers out of 12 gauge shells at 100 yds on a regular basis with that load!
The real pain in the rear with the Swift was actually located in the neck, it had a tendency to thicken after 4 or 5 firings. Turning necks was not making much good as the brass had become brittle anyway.
If I had to renew that romance I would also go the custom way, with a tighter base and maybe a Wilson Arrow improvement.
The real pain in the rear with the Swift was actually located in the neck, it had a tendency to thicken after 4 or 5 firings. Turning necks was not making much good as the brass had become brittle anyway.
If I had to renew that romance I would also go the custom way, with a tighter base and maybe a Wilson Arrow improvement.
ISS
Gold $$ Contributor
I love the Swift, in its' AI-type configuration. Built on a nice 98 Mauser action, it brings back memories of a time gone by.
I bought a Ruger Varmint Model bolt rifle in 1978 (?) when they came out, and wore a barrel out up in Montana shooting 'dogs over a two day shoot.
I bought a Ruger Varmint Model bolt rifle in 1978 (?) when they came out, and wore a barrel out up in Montana shooting 'dogs over a two day shoot.
Wow, an 18 yr old thread,
I had a couple of 77Vs back in the day. My buddy saw what the 1st one would do to a groundhog across a wide field & had to have it, so I got another one which shot just as good. I always used either 50 gr Sierra MV Blitz or Horny's 50 SX over H4895 at first, then later RL15, up around 3950fps or so. They were happy there.
WW, Frontier, or Norma was the only brass available back then. The Frontier was just too crappy to use. WW was troublesome with thick necks. I tried turning some, but the sizing die didn't size the turned necks enough, so bought all the Norma I could find. There's still some in boxes downstairs.
At a gunshow one day last century, a guy traded in 2 used Ackleys... a 77R in 30-06 & a 700V in 22-250. After a good scrubbing they both came back to life & are still in the safe... well the barrel on the 22 finally went south last year & it's becoming a 22BR as I type. The ease of finding decent usable 22-250 brass & the speeds achievable while still shooting little tiny groups soon caused phasing out of the Swift.
Somewhere along the line I had also picked up a Model 54 Supergrade Swift that sure was purdy. By the serial # best I could tell, it was a parts gun Winchester assembled in 1941. Never loaded it up too warm. Around 3800fps with the same 50s over IMR 3031 shot nicely. A few years back, the well pump stopped working & the only way I could get the $$ quickly for the new one was to sell the Supergrade.
The Swift was fun, but I will probably have another 22-250 Ackley one of these days.
I had a couple of 77Vs back in the day. My buddy saw what the 1st one would do to a groundhog across a wide field & had to have it, so I got another one which shot just as good. I always used either 50 gr Sierra MV Blitz or Horny's 50 SX over H4895 at first, then later RL15, up around 3950fps or so. They were happy there.
WW, Frontier, or Norma was the only brass available back then. The Frontier was just too crappy to use. WW was troublesome with thick necks. I tried turning some, but the sizing die didn't size the turned necks enough, so bought all the Norma I could find. There's still some in boxes downstairs.
At a gunshow one day last century, a guy traded in 2 used Ackleys... a 77R in 30-06 & a 700V in 22-250. After a good scrubbing they both came back to life & are still in the safe... well the barrel on the 22 finally went south last year & it's becoming a 22BR as I type. The ease of finding decent usable 22-250 brass & the speeds achievable while still shooting little tiny groups soon caused phasing out of the Swift.
Somewhere along the line I had also picked up a Model 54 Supergrade Swift that sure was purdy. By the serial # best I could tell, it was a parts gun Winchester assembled in 1941. Never loaded it up too warm. Around 3800fps with the same 50s over IMR 3031 shot nicely. A few years back, the well pump stopped working & the only way I could get the $$ quickly for the new one was to sell the Supergrade.
The Swift was fun, but I will probably have another 22-250 Ackley one of these days.
My dad was a 220 Swift enthusiast. He bought a model 70 in 1947 when he got out of the Navy. He took me prairie dog shooting in 1957 when I was 7 years old. That is still my favorite hobby and I still have the rifle. I believe it has barrel number 8 maybe 9 or 10. New one is Lilja 8 twist.
Attachments
Shotafterdark
Silver $$ Contributor
22 creed is waaay better
Brass is easy to make out of 308
Faster twist available etc.
I grew up hitting chucks n crows at 700 yards in Mi fields with my win 70 in swift .
Had a Burris signature 8x32 with a premiere reticle custom made for a 55 gr Nosler
Out to 700 ...
Today I'm a 22 Creed and now 22 Royale
And my 250 improved..
Brass is easy to make out of 308
Faster twist available etc.
I grew up hitting chucks n crows at 700 yards in Mi fields with my win 70 in swift .
Had a Burris signature 8x32 with a premiere reticle custom made for a 55 gr Nosler
Out to 700 ...
Today I'm a 22 Creed and now 22 Royale
And my 250 improved..
White Eagle
Silver $$ Contributor
Had Swifts most all of my hunting career
now I have one in a model 70 Featherweight with a Hart barrel and is now a A.I. version so no need to worry about cases stretching. Still in the working up loads part of this endeavor and forming cases but am getting there. Have a real good load with a 62 gr. Trophy Bonded Bearclaw that I am going to take out hunting soon as x-mass is done. I also have a 22 Creedmoor for the heavies 80-95 gr's.
now I have one in a model 70 Featherweight with a Hart barrel and is now a A.I. version so no need to worry about cases stretching. Still in the working up loads part of this endeavor and forming cases but am getting there. Have a real good load with a 62 gr. Trophy Bonded Bearclaw that I am going to take out hunting soon as x-mass is done. I also have a 22 Creedmoor for the heavies 80-95 gr's.
Nice group, but I'm not surprised: with both my Swifts ( Ruger 77-V and Savage 112 BVSS-S) I had outstanding accuracy. The Ruger barrel was slightly rough but I still managed to hit primers on 12 gauge shells at 100 meters.
The 8 twist on the Lilja must be really great with 75 A-Max...
Back in the day, the swift was the hotroddicis supersonicis in the varmint rifle world, with published velocities of 4000+ fps with a 40 grain bullet. It was the cat's meow in it's day. Developed a reputation as a "barrel burner".
There isn't anything that a 220 Swift can do that a 22 Creedmoor can't surpass.
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