220 SWIFT: Goin' to 'dog town with Dad

[zb338]

It sure is a great caliber don't know why it has declined.

Zeke

 

[CatShooter]

It sure is a great caliber don't know why it has declined.

Zeke

It's declining??? I've been hearing that since 1960, when I bought my first .220 Swift. I have had one (or two) ever since.

 

[zb338]

If you go to the local sporting goods store or even Cabela's you don't
see a lot of Swifts for sale. In fact I seldom see any.

Zeke

 

[CatShooter]

If you go to the local sporting goods store or even Cabela's you don't
see a lot of Swifts for sale. In fact I seldom see any.

Zeke

The local sporting goods store or Cabela's. Golly gee, those are good real sources of fine varmint rifles for sure.

They don't carry 90% of what is talked about in a thread on Prairie dog or woodchuck rifles.

 

[436]

If you go to the local sporting goods store or even Cabela's you don't
see a lot of Swifts for sale. In fact I seldom see any.

Zeke

Zeke,
I would agree they aren't found everywhere, especially in the big box sporting good stores, but I have, over the years seen them or (what I'd say) making a better showing in the real gun stores. I've been shooting and buying .220 Swifts since the '70s back then they were very hard to find, everyone kinda wrote them off as barrel burners (do too bad and unfair articles on them) and then there came the .22-250 which Remington legitimized in 1965... Winchester got wind of the .22-250 Rem coming out so they brought out the .225 Win in 1963 (a very good cartridge) pretty much a shortened .220 Swift with .22-250 Rem performs, these and other and wildcats made it hard on the .220 Swift who got a bad break in print which I'd say was a much better cartridge, even Weatherby tried to bring out the MkV as the .220 Wby Rocket, which I've never seen, but I did see a photo of an early factory 220 Swift in an MkV rifle that I didn't even know was made at one time by Weatherby, but I digress, so looking back many guys wanted the holy grail of .220 Swifts, the Win Mod 70 pre 64s as for obtaining one today vs back then, they are much easier to find today believe me. Oh, by the way, Weatherby is made an SVM in .220 swift 2000-2009 I think where the Swift shines today is in custom rifles. Remington still makes Swift but like I said it's really more of a custom rifle these days, though there are many fine used ones in the market place, and; this caliber has always looked like a sinusoidal curve in the market place, never the less a great cartridge. Cheers

 

[jjmp]

It sure is a great caliber don't know why it has declined.

Zeke

Zeke, with respect it was the Over Zellis gun/writers back in the day that used the wrong bullets for game they were hunting , then turned around and blamed the Carthridge ,for their Mistake in Judgement ,even though it was their Job to get it Right in the First place ,Sadly some of the public followed suite,and Tarnished a Great Cartridges beginning ,But that's only the tip of the IceBerg because many young riflemen steped up and Believed in the Swift and paid their hard earned cash , for their turn a owning a Legend . Thks OP for such a great thread !!! Cheers !

 

[wildcat455]

It's kind of like the power of advertising.
On the one hand, you have the success story of the 6.5 Creedmoor, as doing it right, on the other hand, you have the failures of doing it wrong for the Swift.

Ignorance played a bigger role back then than it does today, if you can believe that.

By that I'm not saying ignorance has been completely abated, because that's definitely not true...

 

[436]

It's kind of like the power of advertising.
On the one hand, you have the success story of the 6.5 Creedmoor, as doing it right, on the other hand, you have the failures of doing it wrong for the Swift.

Ignorance played a bigger role back then than it does today, if you can believe that.

By that I'm not saying ignorance has been completely abated, because that's definitely not true...

I wouldn't say it was as much about ignorance, I think it was more about starting a cartridge controversy which sells the magazines, month after month, many of the writers knew it was wrong but acceptable as a business practice, so'..., in my way of thinking; people (writers) that stir the **** pot should be made to lick the spoon, many of those writers used high velocity as a motive to **** the .220 Swift and help other new cartridges come to the front, it's called kissing up to the manufacturers ***'s; the reason, for new stories and field samples of the new kit so the writers could write more controversial stories even between the new cartridges. They couldn't have a 1935 cartridge made from the even old 6mm Lee Navy beat the pants off the new one being offered in new rifle designs. The gun rags have as much bovine anal seepage in them as they do truth just the way it is, makes them more interesting I guess. Just my thoughts on the subject matter at hand.

 

[zb338]

Thanks guys. Please don't think I'm a Swift hater. I really like the cartridge
I had a Swift myself for years. Shot a lot of woodchucks with it. I now have
a 22/250 and I like it because it is more common than the Swift. Brass is
very available and it's a great varmint cartridge in it's own right.

Zeke

 

[jjmp]

Zeke your lucky to live in a state where you can pop them chucks ,thks & Cheers !!!

 

[hunter67wa]

The great Swift fell like the 264 wm. Bad advertising and talk by supposedly knowledgeable writers and manufacturers ammo and twist rates to make a supposed barrel burner. But very few people have ever changed a barrel.

I still hear people today who are just hunters say oh that barrel wont last long. I say it will last longer than you will as you shoot 10rds a year. lol

Great rounds still today.

 

[zb338]

JJMP, I know what it's like to live in a State like N.J. because I lived
there for quite a few years. Back in the day there was plenty of game
to shoot and owning guns wasn't a big deal. About 15 years ago I got
fed up and moved to Pa.. It was a great move for me.
Zeke

 

[jjmp]

Im in wi, woodchucks protected here , good move thks

 

[zb338]

Wow,
We easterners figure you guys are untouchable in the great woods.
Sorry to hear about it. There's still room in Pa. come on down.
Zeke