22-250 v/s 220 swift

[Scalloper]

What advantages is there to have a 220 swift over a 22-250 if any? I have a Tikka T3 lite in 22-250 and I shoot Superformance ammo at about 4000fps for coyote hunting.I also have everything to roll my own. I have a chance to trade another firearm for a NIB M77 220 swift but considering the availibity of 22-250 ammo vs 220 swift ammo and the fact that there is little if any difference in these two calibers I am not sure I see any advantage of the 220 over the 22-250. But I have no experence at all with the 220 swift. Any thing I am missing? Thanks

 

[jonbearman]

Easier to find a bolt face to use,easier to find brass,easier on the pocket.

 

[jghoghunter]

I love my swifts. I have one ruger 77 tang safety and I have a ruger #1 in 220 weatherby rocket, its just a swift improved and a custom mauser 98 in a rocket. When loaded to saami specs the swift is faster than the 250. Is it enough to worry about, not really. If you want the fastest out of them 2 cartridges than you have to go with the swift. If I had a gun that I liked and someone wanted to trade me that rifle for a 220 swift and I was already set up with the 22-250 I probably would not trade. Theres not enough difference in velocity to make me want to deal with the 2 different cartridge. I started with the swift then went faster I can safely say I will probably never own a 22-250 unless its a deal you just cant pass up.

 

[40X Guy]

If you have a chance to trade for a NIB M77 Ruger in Swift I would go for it. That was my first Swift back in ~ 1992 and that gun was a death ray on woodchucks here in Pa. My friend who hunted with me had same model M77 but in 22-250. We both rolled our own rounds and I would regularly kill on average about an extra 100 yards further that what he could with his 250. I was shooting 55 grain BT's and he was using 50 grainers. The Swift IMHO hits harder and critters die quicker than with the 250.

Currently I own 2 custom Swifts: One is a 13 twist with a 29 inch Broughton HV barrel on a M70 action. ( Original Swift barrel I shot out). This gun gets a very reliable 4100 fps with a load of H-414 that is safe in my rifle. I shot a yote with it 2 years ago and knocked it in the air 2 feet at about 240 yards. My other Swift is an 8 twist 28 inch long muzzle braked Rock Creek barrel on a trued 700 action smithed by Dave Bruno here in Pa. This gun I have not shot yet but it should be fun. I set it up to shoot 75 A-Max.

The Swift in my experience is capable of fantastic accuracy and is not finicky to load for. I would grab a Swift anyday over a 250... Especially with today's modern powders and great barrel's.

Frank

 

[CatShooter]

Easier to find a bolt face to use...

They use the same bolt face... different shell holder. The rim cut is shallower in the swift.

 

[WyleWD]

If you have a chance to trade for a NIB M77 Ruger in Swift I would go for it. Thats was my first Swift back in ~ 1992 and that gun was a death ray on woodchucks here in Pa. My friend who hunted with me had same model M77 but in 22-250. We both rolled our own rounds and I would regularly kill on average about an extra 100 yards further that what he could with his 250. I was shooting 55 grain BT's and he was using 50 grainers. The Swift IMHO hits harder and critters die quicker than with the 250.

Currently I own 2 custom Swifts: One is a 13 twist with a 29 inch Broughton HV barrel on a M70 action. ( Original Swift barrel I shot out). This gun gets a very reliable 4100 fps with a load of H-414 that is safe in my rifle. I shot a yote with it 2 years ago and knocked it in the air 2 feet at about 20 yards. My other Swift is an 8 twist 28 inch long muzzle braked Rock Creek barrel on a trued 700 action smithed by Dave Bruno here in Pa. This gun I have not shot yet but it should be fun. I set it up to shoot 75 A-Max.

The Swift in my experience is capable of fantastic accuracy and is not finicky to load for. I would grab a Swift anyday over a 250... Especially with today's modern powders and great barrel's.

Frank

100% agree with Frank's observations. I am on my 3rd Swift since 1974. I've also had a couple of 22-250's along the way. Swift is still here and the 22-250's are long gone. They don't call the Swift "The king of the Varminters" for nothing. WD

 

[redrockranger]

Go for the 22-250. Swift has nothing on a 22-250. Founded on folklore and gun writers. Trade a Tika for a Ruger ?????

 

[LHSmith]

FWIW: I recall reading that the most accurate cartridge (historically), based on factory groups supplied with the rifle, chambered for the Remington Custom Shop 40 XB series rifles was the .220 Swift.

 

[jreedtn]

if you want accuracy, find yourself a nice broken in 222 and you will forget about the swift or 250 really though I have had both and they are both keepers, the swift has more nostalgic appeal to me though.

 

[Outrider27]

I have a pre-Accutrigger Savage single shot action in .220 swift with a varmint weight barrel and an old 20x Lyman All American 1/4 minute dot retical scope that has never failed me. Why a Swift? Because most everyone else shoots a 22-250. No other reason. Down where the bullet meets the chuck or coyote, I doubt that either notices the difference....

 

[RwBeV]

Swift vs 22-250 IMHO the Swift hands down, I bought my first Swift in 1978 I still have it and still shoot it. Even after well over 3000 rounds through the tube it still shoots sub min. Not saying they all will do it because I have shot out Swift barrels in way less round count but I have done the same with 22-250's. In order to get the same speeds out of the 22-250 you have to improve it, to say the 22-250 will do the same as the swift is not true just look at the ballistics. The 22-250 is not far behind but its still in second place. I have owned better than half dozen of both calibers, I still have several Swifts and all of the 22-250's are gone. Not saying that the 22-250 isn't a fine cartridge because it is, it just falls behind the Swift.

Bob

 

[Nomad47]

The Swift is #2 for speed and the 22-250 is #3 for speed - in .22 caliber factory chamberings.

 

[RwBeV]

True, but after a quick search of Winchester and Browning even the company's that introduced the 223 WSSM no longer offer it as a chambering. But you never know the Swift fell out of favor for a while and was pretty much a reloaders proposition till Ruger started chambering it again even then if you didn't reload Norma was about the only one that offered loaded ammo back when I bought my first one, I still have all 100 rounds of Norma brass that I started with, I lost track of how many times I have loaded them long ago. I never said it was the fastest, just said its faster than the 22-250.

Bob

 

[Gary in MD]

I have owned both the 22-250 and the Swift, used both on varmints and targets. I have had great success with both . The 22-250 loads in my rifles have maxed out at about 3700 fps with a 55gr bullet and the Swift was averaging about 3850 fps, both with similar accuracy.
I just recently placed an order for a new Cooper Jackson Game rifle, it will be my light weight walking varminter. For me, it had to be chambered in the Swift!
Gary

 

[Milo 2.0]

On paper one can think that they're comparable, but in the field shooting prairie dogs, the swift rules hands down.

I've never owned a swift, just because of the Ruger offering, and the Rem Classic didn't have a heavy barrel, but have been spanked numerous times by both

 

[snert]

I have both, use both. 40XB 22-250. Nameless action but accurate custom 220. For the record, I shoot groundhogs. I run both guns less than max'd out. I run 55 grain bullets, mostly tipped.

Could I get a few more FPS from both? Yep. Could I shoot flatter? Yep. Could I get better accuracy (as in hitting what I shoot at)? Nope. Have I killed chucks over 700 yards with both? Yep. Have I shot crows at over 500? Yep. Do I feel under-gunned? NO

It is more difficult to get good Swift brass, but chucks have not filed any complaints yet. Does the 220 stretch a bit? Yep. Is 22-250 brass better/easier? UHUH.

I find no practical difference. Nor do the chucks. If you want to trade and fool around with a Swift, go ahead. That is what makes life fun. But don't call it an experiment in finding the "better" cartridge. that is just opinion, and an excuse to banter over the counter at the local 'net bar. Not that that is a bad thing! After all, the same can be said for blondes vs. redheads vs brunettes! And that makes the world go round!

 

[jonbearman]

So where do you get the darn brass.You hardly ever if never see it for sale.I would stick with the 22-250 or the 22-250AI myself. My ackley is a lazer too. Do you think vermin no the difference between 50 or 100 fps when they take a hit.

 

[17Hunter]

I have owned several 22-250s and currently still have 2. I love both of them and both are shooters. Having said that I am on the hunt for a Swift in a 700 Classic. I shoot a 22-250 and my buddy shoots a Swift and it consistently out shoots the 22-250.

Milo - Remington did produce the old Varmint Special heavy barrel 700 in a Swift in the late 80s or early 90s. They were stamped with First Production and bring some big money today. Not sure on the production numbers, but not a lot.

 

[Carolina Man]

So where do you get the darn brass.You hardly ever if never see it for sale.I would stick with the 22-250 or the 22-250AI myself. My ackley is a lazer too. Do you think vermin no the difference between 50 or 100 fps when they take a hit.

Have had no problem in getting brass until this so called shortage started. Both Norma, Remington and Winchester make the brass. I bought 500 rds of Winchester a couple of years ago so I'm good right now.

I started with the Swift many years ago and have not found a better varmint cartridge. In most cases it will out perform the 22-250 in all situations. The only reason the 22-250 became a standard caliber was when Winchester discontinued the Swift in their rifles. It is no harder on brass then the 22-250 they both have to be trimmed unless going to the improved versions.

The Swift is just getting started where the 22-250 quits

George

 

[Outrider27]

So where do you get the darn brass.You hardly ever if never see it for sale.I would stick with the 22-250 or the 22-250AI myself. My ackley is a lazer too. Do you think vermin no the difference between 50 or 100 fps when they take a hi..

220 Swift, like 25-20 and some other offbeat specimens I own, seems to be one of those calibers whose brass is made in a batch once a year. Since the brass lives quite awhile, I haven't needed a lot, but generally I find one of the usual suspects (Midway, MidSouth, Natchez, Graf, etc.) comes through with a good price on a 100 case bulk bag some time during the year. After a couple of those the first year I had the Swift, sourcing brass has never been a problem, although if you are too long after the last run, sometimes it is a month or three before it shows up again for the current year.