220 swift 1-14
- Thread starter JJH
- Start date
As you're a reloader, you already realize that accuracy combinations are very unique to each particular rifle. That being said, I can share some general pointers. Try powders ranging in the IMR4064 to H380 burn range. Most bullets from 55 grains and lighter have the potential to shoot well in your rifle. Some people state that 55 grain polymer-tipped bullets won't stabilize in a 1-14" twist but I've never encountered such a problem. Buy a neck sizing die and a case trimmer,if you don't already own them).
Tom
Tom
I got good results with Vihtavuori N150 and N550 + Nosler 50 grs. Ballistic Tip bullets
Eddy
Eddy
LarryDScott
Site $$ Sponsor
I have 4 VSSFs in 220 swift and they will all shoot 42Grs H380 w/a standard LG Rifle primer and 40Vmaxs into 5/8 or less. One will do .2&.3s consistently. The Sierra manual says its about 3900FPS which is not excessively hot. This powder loads easy and this combination shoots extremely flat. If you are going to volume shoot as in PD hunting, this is a good powder choice, because it burns cooler than the popular stick powders for this caliber, such as 4064 and reloader 15. Larry in western Ky
I used the 40grn Ballistic Tip and 46grns of H414 powder. I ran this bullet at 4310fps out of my 28" 1-14 twist Lilja barrel. If the conditions were good, this combo was amazing out to 500 yards. It was devastating on ground squirrels.
This was a hot load so "WORK UP TO IT" if you decide to try it. I also used Norma brass, and I highly recommend you use it.
VH
This was a hot load so "WORK UP TO IT" if you decide to try it. I also used Norma brass, and I highly recommend you use it.
VH
Been shooting the 220 Swift for 30+ years.
Started with a first year production Savage 112V Series J, which is a single-shot with 26-inch-long, 14-inch twist barrel.
Added a Ruger 77V with 26-inch long, 14-inch twist barrel the next year.
Added more and more Swifts as time passed. Several custom ones these days with barrels out past 30-inches long.
My more recent Swifts have 12-inch twist barrels but I never had troubles with the 14-inch twists.
Shot a lot of Sierra 50 and 55 grain spitzers and 52 grain HPBT. Shot a lot of Hornady 50, 55, and 60 grain spire points. Some Speer. No troubles with any.
Used a lot of WW 760, Hodgdon H414, and IMR 4064. Always loaded for maximum velocity subject to suitable prairie dog town accuracy. In recent years have dropped my loads about half-a-grain and don't need the rubber mallet as much for opening the bolt.
Some Winchester brass has off-spec caseheads and will require modified shellholders. Found this out one night while loading a 1,000 new cases for a trip starting early the next morning. Went through RCBS, Redding, Lee, and Hornady shellholders, and two different Dillon Precision plates,550 and 650). About midnight, had my gunsmith modify a couple of RCBS shellholders and loaded late into the night. Later modified a Dillon shellplate or two.
Load Swifts mostly on my Dillon presses today. Use 'em too fast to keep up using the RCBS Rockchuckers.
Trim and deburr.
Prefer boattail bullets these days. Not for down range performance so much as in ease of loading on a progressive press.
These days use mostly ball,spherical) powder due to speed of loading. Don't weigh any charges except for my 500 Nitro Express and larger. And my 14 Walker.
The Swift makes a good prairie dog town cartridge, though many will settle for slower cartridges like the 223.
Combine a Swift with a 25-06 and stay under 200 yards and you can have a lot of fun in PD towns.
Don't crank the variable scopes up so high,6X is fun) and you can see some action.
.
Started with a first year production Savage 112V Series J, which is a single-shot with 26-inch-long, 14-inch twist barrel.
Added a Ruger 77V with 26-inch long, 14-inch twist barrel the next year.
Added more and more Swifts as time passed. Several custom ones these days with barrels out past 30-inches long.
My more recent Swifts have 12-inch twist barrels but I never had troubles with the 14-inch twists.
Shot a lot of Sierra 50 and 55 grain spitzers and 52 grain HPBT. Shot a lot of Hornady 50, 55, and 60 grain spire points. Some Speer. No troubles with any.
Used a lot of WW 760, Hodgdon H414, and IMR 4064. Always loaded for maximum velocity subject to suitable prairie dog town accuracy. In recent years have dropped my loads about half-a-grain and don't need the rubber mallet as much for opening the bolt.
Some Winchester brass has off-spec caseheads and will require modified shellholders. Found this out one night while loading a 1,000 new cases for a trip starting early the next morning. Went through RCBS, Redding, Lee, and Hornady shellholders, and two different Dillon Precision plates,550 and 650). About midnight, had my gunsmith modify a couple of RCBS shellholders and loaded late into the night. Later modified a Dillon shellplate or two.
Load Swifts mostly on my Dillon presses today. Use 'em too fast to keep up using the RCBS Rockchuckers.
Trim and deburr.
Prefer boattail bullets these days. Not for down range performance so much as in ease of loading on a progressive press.
These days use mostly ball,spherical) powder due to speed of loading. Don't weigh any charges except for my 500 Nitro Express and larger. And my 14 Walker.
The Swift makes a good prairie dog town cartridge, though many will settle for slower cartridges like the 223.
Combine a Swift with a 25-06 and stay under 200 yards and you can have a lot of fun in PD towns.
Don't crank the variable scopes up so high,6X is fun) and you can see some action.
.
Preacher
Gold $$ Contributor
QUOTE_-
Reloder 15 is real good in a 22-250AI and no reason it wouldn't also be good in a Swift. But the Swift is not "just a shade bigger," it's smaller.
CIA
-----------------------------
QUOTE-
Never had a swift. Just had compared the two side by side and figured it was bigger. Was worth getting up this morning.
------------------------------
It is bigger, measure em and check the volume on the 2 cases.
The 220 Swift has more volume than the 22/250 Ackley has, and LOTS more than the standard 22/250 does.... and my 220 Swift Ackley has LOTS more than the 22/250 Ackley has.... at least in the cases I measured...
Reloder 15 is real good in a 22-250AI and no reason it wouldn't also be good in a Swift. But the Swift is not "just a shade bigger," it's smaller.
CIA
-----------------------------
QUOTE-
Never had a swift. Just had compared the two side by side and figured it was bigger. Was worth getting up this morning.
------------------------------
It is bigger, measure em and check the volume on the 2 cases.
The 220 Swift has more volume than the 22/250 Ackley has, and LOTS more than the standard 22/250 does.... and my 220 Swift Ackley has LOTS more than the 22/250 Ackley has.... at least in the cases I measured...
Geez, 220 swift Ackley? wow I would love to play with that one!
Thanks to all of ya for the advice, i am really looking forward to loading for that gun, unfourtunatelly,Can You tell Spelling was never My Forte'?) its gonna be on hold till I get a little more cash in hand i.e. become gainfully employed in my recently graduated course of study. But these loads will definetly give me a solid start point.
Thanks to all of ya for the advice, i am really looking forward to loading for that gun, unfourtunatelly,Can You tell Spelling was never My Forte'?) its gonna be on hold till I get a little more cash in hand i.e. become gainfully employed in my recently graduated course of study. But these loads will definetly give me a solid start point.
Ackman
Gold $$ Contributor
Preacher said:
I stand corrected. PMC brass is what I use in 22-250AI's and those cases hold the same powder volume as a Win. .220 case......I thought it would be more. A formed Winchester 22-250AI case was about 2.5-3gr. less. I use PMC because it's uniform and strong, but never thought about it holding more than some other headstamp. Maybe that's why my rifles get such good velocity. What got us into the 22-250AI was a gun rag feature article in the late 80's, and it said the capacity was more. I don't remember what brass they were comparing and I'd never actually checked any. My chambers are cut with .025" crush, which is a lot.......the shoulder is actually about .020" back from where it would be with most chambers. My guess is that having the shoulder another .020" forward would mean about 2gr more powder, maybe 3. That's just an estimate. It would also put the Win. case right about with the Swift. Still I'm surprised they're so close.
Preacher said:
Hi Preacher,
I have a Ruger 77V in 220 Swift with a 28" Shilen brl. It shoots very well with Nosler 50 gr bal.tip combined with Vihta N150 and N550. For some odd reason my combo seems to prefer magnum primers,WLRM) but they give the most constant results.
I am thinking about rechambering it to the 220 Ackley Improved. What components/charges would you recommend. What would the gain in vel. over the standard case be?
Edd
Preacher
Gold $$ Contributor
Hi Eddy---
My #1 Ruger thats chambered for the 220 Swift Ackley was giving me fits while trying to hunt up a good load, and it shot the Factory 50 grainers so darn nice i just shot them. I've since got into the 6br's big time and never got to do any more load searching for it, so it's a safe queen I guess.......
I was using RL-15 and the 52 grain Amax when I was searching for a good load, and it had worked well for a few others I had....
The 220 AI should do well over 200 fps more than the standard load....
My #1 Ruger thats chambered for the 220 Swift Ackley was giving me fits while trying to hunt up a good load, and it shot the Factory 50 grainers so darn nice i just shot them. I've since got into the 6br's big time and never got to do any more load searching for it, so it's a safe queen I guess.......
I was using RL-15 and the 52 grain Amax when I was searching for a good load, and it had worked well for a few others I had....
The 220 AI should do well over 200 fps more than the standard load....
Upgrades & Donations
This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.