220 swift build

[AckleymanII]

There is a tremendous difference between Norma and Winchester brass, look before you leap!

I shot the barrels out of two Savage 112J, and two ruger 77 tang safety models. 50g bullets with 44-44.5g of AA2700, Rem brass, Rem 91/2 primer shot dot type of groups at 4000 fps.

The Swift was a high Maintenace choice as the brass flows into the neck at a pretty good clip and the cases GROW like you are shooting Miracle Grow for powder.

Prior to hunting partner and I going to AA2700, we both shot IMR 4064. IMR 4064 shows some pretty significant leade growth where as the AA2700 mitigated the leade growth along with the fire cracking.

 

[Bryschuman]

A few years back, I wanted a walking varmint rifle capable from ground hogs to coyotes. I’ve had my share of heavy barreled rigs but wanted something lighter weight and not too hard to look at. When I placed my order with Cooper for a Jackson Game, I could have asked for it in about any cartridge but the Swift was a no brainer for me. A 55 grain bullet @ 3800+ is tough to beat.

I’ve had the itch to put a rifle together for some time and needed a swift for a long time. A Cooper would be nice but I think I can build a rifle cheaper that performs just as well.

 

[Bryschuman]

There is a tremendous difference between Norma and Winchester brass, look before you leap!

I shot the barrels out of two Savage 112J, and two ruger 77 tang safety models. 50g bullets with 44-44.5g of AA2700, Rem brass, Rem 91/2 primer shot dot type of groups at 4000 fps.

The Swift was a high Maintenace choice as the brass flows into the neck at a pretty good clip and the cases GROW like you are shooting Miracle Grow for powder.

Prior to hunting partner and I going to AA2700, we both shot IMR 4064. IMR 4064 shows some pretty significant leade growth where as the AA2700 mitigated the leade growth along with the fire cracking.

Not really concerned about barrel or brass life this will not be a high round count rifle. There are drawbacks to the swift but that’s ok you gotta pay to play. The new latest greatest cartridges just don’t do it for me

 

[357Mag]

Wanting to build a swift. Has anyone built a swift on custom action as a repeater. Also wondering if swift will feed in AICS mags. Not looking to get talked into different caliber just needing ideas and advice.

Boyshuman -

Howdy !

Here's what I did....
I wildcatted .35 Remington down to .224" calibre, for my first anti-groundhog cartridge.

Shot from a 24" SS 1-14 Hart, l used Hornady 55SX over 41.2gr WW760 and FED Large Magnum Rifle Match. This was my accuracy/field load, but not the Max charge for that powder in this wildcat. That is some 2.2gr more WW760 than the Max load Hodgdons
lists for a 55gr bullet shot by a .22-250, from a 24" barrel. I did not have to blow out the case' shoulders to get the case capacity I wanted for my .224" cal wildcat.

.22-35 case' oal is only .008" longer than the .22-250, and .35 Remington's case rim works just fine w/ a .308 bolt face; and AR-15 style extractor my Wichita WBR1375 action has. Not a long/skinny case, and no goofy trim to deal with.

Mine is a single shot bolt rifle, but I'd be surprised if the wildcat wouldn't also work in a magazine-fed application ?

I'm thinking about making another .22-35, this time a l-o-n-ger barrel... and perhaps even gain twist... to push 55's out to 4,000fps; while maintaining a good expansion ratio for the gun.

Pic shows 55SX seated. Note that ambient light and brass reflectance gives a false impression of case' side wall being perhaps concave. They are not.
Less case' taper than a .22-250, and nearly half the case taper amount a .220 Swift has.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[WyleWD]

I can't speak directly to the feeding issue out of a linear box magazine. However, if you have a mag, try laying in a stack of them. Being semi-rimless you might have to exercise caution that the rims do not overlap...being a single stack and all. Otherwise the case itself should feed well, being long, slim, and not an abrupt shoulder. It is a lot like the 6mm rem.

Most mags in the guns mentioned are not linear/single stacked, but staggered. I think testing by pushing them out one by one, rapping them back and forth simulating a little recoil etc would tell you something about how they might feed with the rim issue. It isn't like a rimmed 30-30 (Rem 788 had a 30-30 and it fed) but I think I would do an inexpensive test before I built it.

+1^^^ Feeding out of a magazine has been an issue with all of the Swifts I've had. Stair stepping the loaded rounds in the staggered magazines was/is a must for reliable feeding. This is due to the semi rim on the swifts.

Or, since the Swift is not one of the best choices for colony varmints or long strings of fire, just put a follower in the magazine or single shot them in some fashion. Love the Swift for coyotes or 'chucks. WD

 

[wboggs]

Boyshuman -

Howdy !

Here's what I did....
I wildcatted .35 Remington down to .224" calibre, for my first anti-groundhog cartridge.

Shot from a 24" SS 1-14 Hart, l used Hornady 55SX over 41.2gr WW760 and FED Large Magnum Rifle Match. This was my accuracy/field load, but not the Max charge for that powder in this wildcat. That is some 2.2gr more WW760 than the Max load Hodgdons
lists for a 55gr bullet shot by a .22-250, from a 24" barrel. I did not have to blow out the case' shoulders to get the case capacity I wanted for my .224" cal wildcat.

.22-35 case' oal is only .008" longer than the .22-250, and .35 Remington's case rim works just fine w/ a .308 bolt face; and AR-15 style extractor my Wichita WBR1375 action has. Not a long/skinny case, and no goofy trim to deal with.

Mine is a single shot bolt rifle, but I'd be surprised if the wildcat wouldn't also work in a magazine-fed application ?

I'm thinking about making another .22-35, this time a l-o-n-ger barrel... and perhaps even gain twist... to push 55's out to 4,000fps; while maintaining a good expansion ratio for the gun.

Pic shows 55SX seated. Note that ambient light and brass reflectance gives a false impression of case' side wall being perhaps concave. They are not.
Less case' taper than a .22-250, and nearly half the case taper amount a .220 Swift has.


With regards,
357Mag

What is the case capacity of your .35 based case? You talk about a longer barrel and I wonder what velocity gain you expect from something like a 28"? Finally, have you found WW760 to be the best powder for the light 55s?
Thanks

 

[snert]

I’ve always wanted a swift. I have a 22-250 I could rebarrel but not ready to part with 22-250. Also have another 700 action I could use just thought it may scratch the itch better starting with a custom action but not having luck finding anyone who has built one on a custom. Thanks everyone for responses so far. Will be used for yotes and hopefully pdogs one day. Not wanting it Benchrest heavy. Light enough to carry but not all day.

Hart in Apulia NY built my Swift a few years ago on a "custom" action.

 

[snert]

The 50gr powder capacity within 2 grs or so is about the max practical in a high capacity .224. You can go more and I have done that, even thought about the necked down 6.5 prc. But to shoot the heavier bullets requires a fast twist and achieveable speed increases the rotational velocity too much for anything but a mono bullet. Winchester went with a 48gr in a 1-14 loaded at the highest pressure of the day to break 4000 and that is still a worthy goal.

Then there is the 220 Redline

 

[SBS]

Best to single load the Swift, being a rimmed case. Winchester's magazine from the get go had a slanted magazine so that each cartridge rim was (and stayed) in front of the rim of the cartridge just below it. You can stack them as carefully as want in a standard magazine box and after a round or two of recoil, the top round's rim is likely to be behind the one under it. Winchester also slanted the .225 Win. box and it feeds well too. Single loading will help keep the barrel cooler by slowing the shooter down a little. I can imagine what the throat would like like after a day's rapid fire with a extended box magazine! If you go single load, you might consider the Ackley improved version of the Swift. It will sure cut down the FL sizing and trimming required.

 

[wboggs]

Then there is the 220 Redline

I looked at it. Too much velocity for most bullets. The spin rate is excessive with a twist to stabilize the heavies which would allow the hugh capacity to be utilized.

 

[357Mag]

What is the case capacity of your .35 based case? You talk about a longer barrel and I wonder what velocity gain you expect from something like a 28"? Finally, have you found WW760 to be the best powder for the light 55s?
Thanks

Wboggs -

Howdy !

I apologize for my delaying responding. We are currently right in the middle of closing on our house sale, and moving across 3 states. Hotels for the next 2 nights.

If I might, can I please answer you questions later this today; and probably via a p.m. ?
I want to have sufficient time to give you good info.


With regards,
357Mag

 

[Gary in MD]

Not really concerned about barrel or brass life this will not be a high round count rifle. There are drawbacks to the swift but that’s ok you gotta pay to play. The new latest greatest cartridges just don’t do it for me

Right on. You don’t buy a high performance car and then worry about gas mileage. The Swift will shoot fast and accurate and really won’t be too far behind in barrel life compared to other new hot rod cartridges.
There’s also something to be said for nostalgia, the 220 Swift was “fast before being fast was cool.” Build that Swift

 

[Bryschuman]

Right on. You don’t buy a high performance car and then worry about gas mileage. The Swift will shoot fast and accurate and really won’t be too far behind in barrel life compared to other new hot rod cartridges.
There’s also something to be said for nostalgia, the 220 Swift was “fast before being fast was cool.” Build that Swift

This is a nostalgia build. I’ve settled on an action now trying to locate a barrel with little luck other than waiting for one to be built. Looking for stainless sendero contour 1-12 in the 25-26” range

 

[wboggs]

Wboggs -

Howdy !

I apologize for my delaying responding. We are currently right in the middle of closing on our house sale, and moving across 3 states. Hotels for the next 2 nights.

If I might, can I please answer you questions later this today; and probably via a p.m. ?
I want to have sufficient time to give you good info.


With regards,
357Mag

Sure at your convenience

 

[762willdo]

there was a professional brown bear hunter in Alaska that preferred the swift for the big bears……

 

[Big Mc]

Wanting to build a swift. Has anyone built a swift on custom action as a repeater. Also wondering if swift will feed in AICS mags. Not looking to get talked into different caliber just needing ideas and advice.

bult one on a 700 1x8 twist for 77 to 80 gr. Bergers. Love it. 28 in barrel. Tommy Mc.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Couple years ago I picked up a new Rem 700 adl in 30-06- for 99.99 at Wally world(clearance). I found a HS varmint stock and bdl bottom metal, cheap. I know of some new Swift brass I can purchase. I would go remage if I take the final leap. Can't decide between a heavy barrel pd gun, or a sporter carry coyote rifle. Probably should have both barrels to start with, switch between summer and winter.

 

[wboggs]

there was a professional brown bear hunter in Alaska that preferred the swift for the big bears……

Who might that be? I have heard of a meat hunter who supplied workers on the Alaskan Highway but he was not a bear hunter. There is also the story of a native girl who killed a bear with the .22LR. She was in the bushes and shot it in the ear canal at 5yards or so as it came down the trail.
But, a Professional Bear Hunter is not believable.

 

[SBS]

Who might that be? I have heard of a meat hunter who supplied workers on the Alaskan Highway but he was not a bear hunter. There is also the story of a native girl who killed a bear with the .22LR. She was in the bushes and shot it in the ear canal at 5yards or so as it came down the trail.
But, a Professional Bear Hunter is not believable.

Maybe the part in the statement: "there was" (past tense) tells us what happened to him!

 

[Gary in MD]

Couple years ago I picked up a new Rem 700 adl in 30-06- for 99.99 at Wally world(clearance). I found a HS varmint stock and bdl bottom metal, cheap. I know of some new Swift brass I can purchase. I would go remage if I take the final leap. Can't decide between a heavy barrel pd gun, or a sporter carry coyote rifle. Probably should have both barrels to start with, switch between summer and winter.

I did take a Swift into the prairie dog towns, but it does require some restraint. I would opt for the sporter/coyote version. That is what I had envisioned when I ordered my Swift from Cooper. An 8 twist barrel would allow you the best of both worlds when it comes to mid weight varmint bullets compared to the heavier VLD stuff.