220 Swift loads--opinions

[Goose71]

Sierra 53 g match hp and IMR 4350

 

[Calvin45]

Question; was your .220 Swift twist 1-14" ? I never used a .220 Swift in 1-14" but, I do have a Weatherby .224 Wby Mag with a 1-14" twist and it won't shoot anything heavier than a 52gr and love flat base bullets. What it really shot into one hole in their old Barnes 50gr VLC "blue coated" bullet, which is also a flat base, I have no idea why Barnes stop making them, I bought deep back then and have enough to last a lifetime for as much as I shot it. View attachment 228194

Mine was a 14 twist as well. In my particular rifle the magic happened with 38 grains 4064 at 3800 FPS.

 

[436]

Mine was a 14 twist as well. In my particular rifle the magic happened with 38 grains 4064 at 3800 FPS.

Yes, the .220 Swift can be magical, my last one was a 1-12 twist, it loved the 55gr BT and 60gr HP flat base varmints... I have a friend who has an early Per 64 Win in .220 Swift for sale, condition is pretty much minty, it has a 1-14 twist and shot very little... I should buy it, but at this point in my life, a new shooter would most likely mean a new wife as well, The only thing at the time that would come close or besting my .220 Swift in some cases was my Mod 700 .22-250 AI 40 degree.

 

[Calvin45]

The 220 swift I played with was an old savage model 12 I believe. Big heavy bench type stock with palm swell, free floater, thickest barrel (more like shaft) I've seen any non 50 bmg rifle. I don't know more about it except that it was a picky eater but when fed its preferred food it was the scary kind of precise.

 

[Quintus]

14 twist Ruger running 40 grain B-tips and 414 at 4200. No exits on coons or coyotes. POPs cats, rabbits, and P-dogs like it's cool. Red mist Society.

 

[Mike Matteson]

So with all the new rifles out trying to best the old 220 swift. It's a great cartridge. My understanding keeping the velocity below 4000 fps cut down on the burning out the barrel. That would have to be with any bullet doing more than 4000 fps. I have listen to several gunsmiths talk about the 22-250, and go on to the 220 swift. Saying that most move onto the swift. My rifle shot great with any of the bullets, 52,53,55, and 63 grain bullets. My go to powder was IMR4064. When I did the most shooting the swift, I didn't weight brass, cut necks. I just full length size the case and load again. I use a straight 20 powder scope on it.

 

[Reemty J]

Worked up a load with the 40 grain V-max, 39 grains A2520, 3/8" and that is with my human error...(supposed 4100 fps) ......this should pound a coyote and more than likely stay in them, my guess......the rifle also liked 50 V-max with 43 grains 760....1/2" group @ 100 yards........

 

[Mike Matteson]

What I have shot, the animal comes apart. Ground squirrels @ 400yds are wide open with a 55 gr bullet @ 3900 fps. I never tried smaller bullets, that are lighter. I go back to 55gr full metal jacket bullet. They don't come apart.

 

[Ackley Man]

The .220 Swift has been dear to my heart for over 50 years. Over that time I've found "the load" that worked for me in near every .220 Swift I've shot it in. It started with Nosler book #3 page 131... I might mention at this point; I have all the Nosler reloading books as references and this load is scaled back too (37.0gr) after book #3 and doesn't show up before #3 in #1 or #2 I have no idea why (perhaps powder)(liability) because some folks tried to push it, it is safe as it stands in book #3 in all the rifles I fired it in, but... I digress; the load is a Nosler 55gr Ballistic Tip, CCI BR2 primer, Winchester brass, the powder is RL-15 (39.0gr) "you have to weigh out each charge; don't throw charges with powder thrower, the book shows velocity at 4050 fps, on my chronograph, Oehler 35P 3 sky screen fired from a Remington M700 26" barrel it was a consistent 4000 fps with their 55gr BT with 1/2 moa and better with five-shot groups at 100 yards, on Yote's it's a meat ax "way" out there. I did shoot a few Deer with the .220 Swift and that's another story,View attachment 223201 another bullet & load. Cheers.

Not quite sure how you got 4000fps since Nosler 2023 lists 3665fps with their max load of 37 grains.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Not quite sure how you got 4000fps since Nosler 2023 lists 3665fps with their max load of 37 grains.

I don't have my old Sierra manual here, but looked up a load info for it. Sierra 55gr, Rem 9 1/2, IMR 4064, 39gr @ 3900fps, and Nosler 55gr BT CCI BR2. RL 15, 37grs, @4000fps.
I alway tried to hold my velocity to 3900fps. Somewhere I had read that it help the barrel life. Whether that's true or not I don't know.
The maunal is showing 1-14 twist rate.

 

[436]

Not quite sure how you got 4000fps since Nosler 2023 lists 3665fps with their max load of 37 grains.

Well, if you go back into Nosler books you'll see a load of RL-15 {39.0grs} showing 4050 fps... that would be Nosler manual #3 page 131... my particular rifle was always hovering in the 4000 fps with SD's up and down a little, and I might add crazy accurate with 1/2 moa's the norm.

Nosler... even in its older manuals, like # 1 and # 2 they had loaded with velocities in the 3900 fps plus range... #1 page 73 # 2 page 97

Now in manual # 4 page 156, they bring the load down with RL-15 to {37.0grs} and the velocity is 3980 fps, it just starts getting slower from there. Manual #9 page 168 their last manual shows RL15 {37.0grs} at a velocity of 3665 fps. why? I have no idea perhaps it's just the way their test gun/barrel shot. I have "all" of Noslers reloading manuals from #1 to #9 and many of the handout pamphlets in between. but I digress, my rifle with the aforementioned loads {39.0grs} got 4k across my Oehler 35p Chronograph as I said, perhaps it's just the gun/barrel... but, the load was in their book and was acceptable at one time..... I'm thinking, corp lawyers. Cheers