The Magnificent 220 Swift

[6MMsteve]

I think maybe if I was going to barrel a swift maybe try the heavier bullets and see what would happen,,,but primer pockets seem to get loose on a swift easy but it may just be me tooo hot a load

 

[nativecat01]

I love the 220 Swift. I have had one since 1990. It is hell on prairie dogs. I have always shot 55gr Nosler. I just had it re-barreled and had it threaded for a suppressor. When I had it re-barreled, I told my gunsmith I wanted a 1-12 twist. When I got it back, it was a 1-14 twist. I was kind of thinking of going to the heavier bullets. My gunsmith didn't remember the conversation of the 1-12. I still love the rifle, it's a great rifle.

 

[jackson1]

+4 or 5 on the Ruger 77 220 swift. Think I bought it used in the late 70's. Back in the day when gun magazines had a great influence on what I shot. Bought it used from a dealer that I still do business with. They have treated me well. Wish I could say it was a Model 70, but I have spent many happy hours hunting and shooting with it. My rifle gets all the TLC I can give it, but the barrel is getting tired. May switch to a 12 twist, but that would be the only change, I would make to it. For trips to the range or yote hunting it is hard for me to name a rifle or a round that I have had more fun with. Started loading it with H380 and have moved to Reloader15 with 52 and 53 grain Sierras. Got with a steel tubed T10, but it now wears a 6.5X20 Leupold. For pure shooting fun it is hard to beat.

 

[hpshooter]

"+4 or 5 on the Ruger 77 220 swift." Same here, same rifle bought used in 1976. Still have it and just recently bought 1500 of the old WW 52 gr. BTMHP that shoot good in it. Load that bullet with 38.5gr. of H380 in Norma brass. Not a hot load but an accurate load. Killed a lot of Floyd Co. VA chucks and crows with between 1976 and 1983. Rifle has lived in the safe since then except for one club 20 round GH match. Will be using it again on a more regular basis since acquiring its favorite projectile.

 

[1911nut]

I’ve been in an affair with a Swift for the last 4 years with about 200 five shot groups off a bench. The gun is a 40X rebedded in the Remington stock. It likes 52 and 55g Bergers. It’s now in a Mcree chassis.

I plan to rebarrel it with a Pac-Nor RemAge Swift barrel that has a .252” neck and a 1:8” twist. The SAAMI spec 220 Swift chamber has an overly generous neck and throat which I believe hinders very tiny groups.

The accompanying targets are better than the average for the gun, it’s an honest 1/2 minute gun with a few groups to “show off”.

There is a Swift variant that was called by some of the old timers the “Benchrest Swift”, the 220 Wilson Arrow, Swift case with a 30* shoulder and slighty longer neck.

 

[rcparker1]

A co-worker of mine scored a 6mm something built on a Mauser action for 50$ because the pawnshop owner couldn't figure out what it was. After taking the gun apart he found P.O. Ackley 6mm cobra on the bottom of the barrel. 6mm/220 swift improved. Just a interesting swift wildcat

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

I like Berger bullets. After running velocity and BC numbers, I settled on a 1:9" twist for the new build. The 73gr Berger is a great bullet, and out to 600 yards, is about the best balance.

Rich

 

[Tom Baker]

My first 30 years or so with the Swift was with 14" twists. I finally broke down and chambered a Remington(gag) with a 1 in 8". It's a horse of a different color with 75 and 80 grain bullets, almost in 22/6mm territory. The load was safe, but hard on primer pockets.

The Swift neck, at least with WW or Western brass is mighty thick. Most early Wilson seaters won't accept the sized case, depending on your sizing die. I've never seen a varmit type cartridge improve more than a Swift with neck turning, heavy neck turning. Of the 12 Swifts I've owned, only one didn't improve.

 

[1911nut]

Tom Baker- “I've never seen a varmit type cartridge improve more than a Swift with neck turning, heavy neck turning. ”

I’ve had similar results, Winchester brass is much thicker than Norma brass which is thicker than Hornady brass. I get the most consistent decent groups doing a clean-up turn on Winchester brass.

If I seat the 55 Berger into the case into the case just .2” , the bullet is 0.040” from the lands. It was like that when I got the gun with 100 rounds fired. It’s a 14” twist.

I’ve had such good results with the 80g Berger VLD in a fast twist Varminter I want to try them in a properly throated long barrel Swift.

 

[AckleymanII]

Tom Baker, the 17 Remington is in the same class of improvement with neck turning.

We used our Swifts for coyotes, chucks, and major jack rabbit population control. When the leade got long, we went to a 55g Sierra semi point which is very, very accurate, then a 63g Sierra when the leade got even longer.

IMR 4064 is rough on barrels compared to AA2700, Win 760, and H414.

When the rifle is new or in a new barrel with very little freebore where you can touch the lands, 44-44.5g of AA2700, 9 1/2 primer in Win brass with a 50g Nosler is dead on 4000 fps with less than 10 fps ES, and groups so small you will find it hard to believe. 55g with Win 760 or H414 is 3900 fps with amazing groups.

A swift reamer set up with .003 clearance on a loaded round, neck thickness of .012 with zero freebore is a hands down winning combo with long barrel life.

I am surprised that the Swift and the Swift AI is not more popular. There is a brass issue between American made brass vs Norma brass that is tremendous.

 

[nativecat01]

what makes 4064 so hard on barrels

 

[Tom Baker]

Tom Baker, the 17 Remington is in the same class of improvement with neck turning.

We used our Swifts for coyotes, chucks, and major jack rabbit population control. When the leade got long, we went to a 55g Sierra semi point which is very, very accurate, then a 63g Sierra when the leade got even longer.

IMR 4064 is rough on barrels compared to AA2700, Win 760, and H414.

When the rifle is new or in a new barrel with very little freebore where you can touch the lands, 44-44.5g of AA2700, 9 1/2 primer in Win brass with a 50g Nosler is dead on 4000 fps with less than 10 fps ES, and groups so small you will find it hard to believe. 55g with Win 760 or H414 is 3900 fps with amazing groups.

A swift reamer set up with .003 clearance on a loaded round, neck thickness of .012 with zero freebore is a hands down winning combo with long barrel life.

I am surprised that the Swift and the Swift AI is not more popular. There is a brass issue between American made brass vs Norma brass that is tremendous.

I think you're pretty much spot on with those reamer dimensions. I've had a Wilson Arrow, and an Improved Swift and couldn't tell any real difference.

I shot a ton of 55 gr. Winchester Soft Points, they were bulk cheap and I could afford them. But the 52 gr. SMK invariably shot good, even great, in my rifles. I quit 4064 and shot 760 exclusively.

But I'm the idiot that shoots a .275 Rigby in F Class, I don't know much.

 

[LarryDScott]

what makes 4064 so hard on barrels

Big stick powders burn hotter than the small grain powders.
LDS

 

[Barlow]

I haven't been using my Swift much the past few years, trying to keep the round count down. But I'll be 72 this summer so to hell with it, Swift it is! Barlow

 

[Gary in MD]

Tom Baker, the 17 Remington is in the same class of improvement with neck turning.

We used our Swifts for coyotes, chucks, and major jack rabbit population control. When the leade got long, we went to a 55g Sierra semi point which is very, very accurate, then a 63g Sierra when the leade got even longer.

IMR 4064 is rough on barrels compared to AA2700, Win 760, and H414.

When the rifle is new or in a new barrel with very little freebore where you can touch the lands, 44-44.5g of AA2700, 9 1/2 primer in Win brass with a 50g Nosler is dead on 4000 fps with less than 10 fps ES, and groups so small you will find it hard to believe. 55g with Win 760 or H414 is 3900 fps with amazing groups.

A swift reamer set up with .003 clearance on a loaded round, neck thickness of .012 with zero freebore is a hands down winning combo with long barrel life.

I am surprised that the Swift and the Swift AI is not more popular. There is a brass issue between American made brass vs Norma brass that is tremendous.

Ack,
Are you using magnum primers with those loads using the ball powders?
Did they make much difference in the velocity? Accuracy?
Gary

 

[jackson1]

Many years ago, my Swift got me into neck turning. As after the second firing of Winchester brass, I could no longer chamber my ammo. Memory has faded since, so I can't tell you how I arrived at the neck solution, but it wasn't a common practice in my world or the gun magazines.

 

[AckleymanII]

Gary, I used a Rem 9 1/2 primer. This AA2700 seems to be a generic load for Swifts as the many people that shoot it with the 50g, and I see no reason why it would not work with the 55g.

Sierra 52 and 53 would not blow up p. dogs at 3950...that was a bummer of a 1000 rounds of just trying to shoot shoulder or head shots.

 

[Whiskey4]

All this Swift talk, I may have to get my Ruger # 1 back out and do some loading for it this spring...Good times with this rd...

 

[nativecat01]

I just bought some Norma brass. Is anybody having to neck turn the Norma?

 

[WyleWD]

I just bought some Norma brass. Is anybody having to neck turn the Norma?

I haven't bought any Norma for the last 4 years, but when I did all it needed was to trim to length, chamfer and shoot. I use 760 and Rem 9 1/2 primers and with 50-53gr bullets it's right at 4000 fps and accurate. My favorite coyote calling rifle. I'd guess that whether you need to neck turn might be the driving reason if you do or not is how your chamber is cut. It wouldn't hurt to at least skim turn them I suppose. WD