The Magnificent 220 Swift

[Ironworker]

Was the 4000 FPS muzzle velocity with a 46 gr bullet ? I never drank the Kool Aid tho. 22-250 for me.

55gr Nosler BT

 

[Ironworker]

I thought you had some extra length on that barrel. I tried that load with a 50gr Hornady a couple years ago and got 3850 with a 24" tube, and I just loaded the same load yesterday. I asked the question about .004 neck tension because after I turned the necks to .015, I ran one thru my sizer without the expander and came up with .220 ID. I loaded 4 of them to test. Barlow

I do its a 28" bbl

 

[CT10ring]

wow, lotta 220 swift folks here. I picked up a used Ruger 77 220 Swift tang safety years back for about the price of a good AR barrel. Online; sight unseen.

boy, what a beautiful rifle. The trigger must have been worked on, as it was really nice. Went out to ND to a new-to-me then grasslands area, tried the 220
at some LR Pdogs.

Some LR hits. I didn't have a rangefinder then so stepped off the distance to where they lay. easily over 1/2 mile. turns out I'd been shooting over a rise, large stock pond and dam that I didn't even see from my position. 55g Bergers & 39.8g Varget. not bragging, just remembering. headed back in early June...altho the 22-243 is even more fun.

 

[Stormbringer]

wow, lotta 220 swift folks here. I picked up a used Ruger 77 220 Swift tang safety years back for about the price of a good AR barrel. Online; sight unseen.

boy, what a beautiful rifle. The trigger must have been worked on, as it was really nice. Went out to ND to a new-to-me then grasslands area, tried the 220
at some LR Pdogs.

Some LR hits. I didn't have a rangefinder then so stepped off the distance to where they lay. easily over 1/2 mile. turns out I'd been shooting over a rise, large stock pond and dam that I didn't even see from my position. 55g Bergers & 39.8g Varget. not bragging, just remembering. headed back in early June...altho the 22-243 is even more fun.

I would think your 22-243 with a much heavier bullet would increase hit percentage a great deal and give you much better performance than the 55 grain load which had 150 lbs or so of energy at 800+.

 

[Zeke 225]

With 5 Swift’s I always try H-414 and Sierra 52 match kings does a fine job on anything I shoot at, Good velocity and accurate.

 

[CT10ring]

I would think your 22-243 with a much heavier bullet would increase hit percentage a great deal and give you much better performance than the 55 grain load which had 150 lbs or so of energy at 800+.

yup, it does, 75g Amax. a big case in a 22 CF, but 8 twist vs 14.

 

[AckleymanII]

As your 14 Twist barrels get long in the tooth, go straight to a 63g Sierra.

AA2700, Win 760, or one of the 4350's will get you shooting small groups, once again with velocity at a minimum of 3600.

 

[redrockranger]

55gr Nosler BT[/QUOTE


People have told me the Swift is not a barrel burner. I took the first 3" out of a 40X, 22-250 in 3000 rds. The swift has more powder capacity.

 

[xring]

As your 14 Twist barrels get long in the tooth, go straight to a 63g Sierra.

AA2700, Win 760, or one of the 4350's will get you shooting small groups, once again with velocity at a minimum of 3600.

I know it sounds weird , but Ack. is making a good point . I had an old Ruger with the 26 in. Barrel which had Groups opening up after a few Pdog Trips shooting my favorite 52 and 53 Gr. Winchester Match Bullets . One of my Shooting buds was a Gunsmith from Illinois for about 30 years . He told me to try some heavier short stubby Bullets . It was so long ago that I can't remember if they were 60 Gr. or the 63s Ack. mentioned . Anyway , they worked great for a few more Barrel miles . BTW , I had one of the first Ruger Varmint Swifts which I prepaid and waited Months for . Later I bought a Ruger 24 inch Sporter which surprisingly was even more Accurate than the 26 Inch Varmint . I put a Canjar Single Set Trigger on the Varmint and later Sold it . Should have definitely kept the Canjar . One other thing : that Ruger Varminter Action would sometimes come loose of the Stock , no matter how tight I torqued the angled Action screw .

 

[tstowater]

I run a pair of VSSF 700s in 220 Swift for PD shooting as my "mid range" gun. I've been using 50 grain Nosler BT over H4895. Probably a better combination out there, but this has killed a lot of PD's for me. Once I got the second Swift, the 22-250's are usually not making the cut as much these days. Love the 223WSSM, but not going to be a PD gun for me.

 

[JohnD]

Kind of late to this thread but can someone recommend a Smith with a Swift reamer that would work well with 50-55 bullets. I have owned a Swift since the late 70’s and tho I don’t shoot it as much as I once did, the second barrel is getting tired.

Regards, John.

 

[snert]

Kind of late to this thread but can someone recommend a Smith with a Swift reamer that would work well with 50-55 bullets. I have owned a Swift since the late 70’s and tho I don’t shoot it as much as I once did, the second barrel is getting tired.

Regards, John.

PM sent

 

[AckleymanII]

I had a 22 ppc HV in 24" laying around since the 80's. I cut off the threads and chambered it to a 22-243 AI with zero freebore, ended up 23" long.

I am shooting the 60g V max at 4000 fps into bug holes, Crows Vaporize at 300, all you can find is a beak, wing, or a foot with a butt attached to it.

Something to think about.

 

[17VLD]

Great thread,as a kid I started hunting wood chucks with a 22 mag,then a 222,then a 22-250.Seems like I always wanted more and had always heard great stories about the Swift,a buddy who really likes Rem 700 BDL rifles had a Ruger 77 tang safety in .220 Swift and was more of a Elk Hunter so he decided to let it go,he let me have that rifle with scope and two boxes of Federal ammo for $200- so I bought it.He had trouble getting it on paper at 100 yards,I discovered that the scope ring claw bolts were the problem got some new ones from Ruger,then after shooting the factory ammo that came with the rifle I loaded it with 55 V-Max’s and H-414,man what a joy to shoot.Something about that old Ruger is “magical”I will always enjoy shooting it,kinda felt bad about “stealing”it and even offered it back to my friend,he has no need for it and is still ok with our deal.Once and a while he will bust my chops a bit,but it is worth it.Will always have at least one ‘Swift
Matt

 

[Barlow]

Great thread,as a kid I started hunting wood chucks with a 22 mag,then a 222,then a 22-250.Seems like I always wanted more and had always heard great stories about the Swift,a buddy who really likes Rem 700 BDL rifles had a Ruger 77 tang safety in .220 Swift and was more of a Elk Hunter so he decided to let it go,he let me have that rifle with scope and two boxes of Federal ammo for $200- so I bought it.He had trouble getting it on paper at 100 yards,I discovered that the scope ring claw bolts were the problem got some new ones from Ruger,then after shooting the factory ammo that came with the rifle I loaded it with 55 V-Max’s and H-414,man what a joy to shoot.Something about that old Ruger is “magical”I will always enjoy shooting it,kinda felt bad about “stealing”it and even offered it back to my friend,he has no need for it and is still ok with our deal.Once and a while he will bust my chops a bit,but it is worth it.Will always have at least one ‘Swift
Matt

I bought my Centennial model Swift in 1976 (of course) heavy barrel for $169.00 brand new. I wish I still had it. Barlow

 

[17VLD]

I bought my Centennial model Swift in 1976 (of course) heavy barrel for $169.00 brand new. I wish I still had it. Barlow

I remember seeing a 40-X with the Kevlar stock in .220Swift for $880- in the 80’s at Leslie Edelman’s and wishing I had the money,it was special ordered and the fellow who ordered it couldn’t afford it either.If only we could go back in time with a pocket full of today’s money I would buy a butt load of Pythons,Smith revolvers and 40-Xs
Matt

 

[AckleymanII]

If Remington was smart, they would offer a Swift with a 7 twist 5 R. 80 and 88g Hornady's would really carry the freight making a great deer and hog rifle.

Remington has not been smart in a long time.

 

[snowpro440]

Remington could do a lot and offer a lot of things but they don't see the need too.
I would focus on accurate heavy barreled pretty wood stocked guns again,

 

[john pruitt]

I've had a long time love affair with this cartridge after reading about them in magazines and books as a kid. A good friend had one in a M77 varmint and I always longed to have it. He gave in one day and it's been with me ever since. I don't use it as much as I should, and I have a raft of other varmint rifles in various trendy calibres, but every time I get this gun out it never fails to make me smile. Accurate, fast and one of the best long range fox rifles I own. After having the barrel set back, it'll still put 3 shots under 1/2 at 200 yards. I own a very accurate Rem 700 in 6AI and think that I would probably let that go before the Swift. So to all the uneducated and uninformed out there, keep your fast twist 223's and 22/250s, I'll stick with the magnificent 220 Swift.

long live the king love mine would give all the others before my swift

 

[WyleWD]

If Remington was smart, they would offer a Swift with a 7 twist 5 R. 80 and 88g Hornady's would really carry the freight making a great deer and hog rifle.

Remington has not been smart in a long time.

True that. If Remington offered a heavy barreled swift and a heavy barreled 6 br I might think they at least had a pulse. WD