220 swift question

[Shawn Carverelli]

hella accurate. My fav loads were the 40 gr ballistic tip on top of a case full (around 42 gr) of h414. it'd shoot 50 gr equally as well. Other powders work well to but the h414 metered so well on a dillon 650 progressive. I shot the barrel out of that rifle one year in a hot prairie dog town in a target rich environment. I was trying to keep up with my brother laying down a field of fire with target barreled AR with a 30 rd mag. My swift would print tighter groups until the barrel started glowing. 1/2 moa isnt necessary.....all thats required is minute of prairie dog.
When the wind picks up or shooting distance increases, i grab a bigger gun pushing heavier bullets.
With a 28" barrel expect 50 fps every inch over standard length

 

[bullfrog]

My 1st swift liked RL-15 the best and my current swift likes IMR4064 the best. Both with 55gr ballistic tips. Try switching powders or primers to see what your rifle likes best. I have found mine really settle in and shoot their best after 200-300 rounds.

 

[Reelamin]

OK I sent my ruger m77vt off to McGowan barrel and had a stainless steel barrel put on . I went with a 28 inch varmint barrel and changed the twist to 1 in 12. OK with that said I am having a bit of trouble finding the perfect load for coyotes nosler ballistic tips in 55 gr seem to work good and accurate but seems not to shoot as flat . I usually run it around the 3800 fps mark. I am just wondering if someone else has a 28 inch barrel and what they recommend. Thank you

I don't have a 220 Swift currently and have loaded for only two of them. Both of them shot the 55 Ballistic Tip well past 3800fps and under .5" at 100. One was a Ruger HB in a wood stock back in the 90's. The other was a Remington HB Varmint. Data is out in the work room. My Savage 110 Storm in 22-250 with a 22" standard barrel is just at 4K with a 50gr BT and 3800 with a 55BT and holding .25" at 100. I don't think velocity is your accuracy problem.

 

[436]

OK I sent my ruger m77vt off to McGowan barrel and had a stainless steel barrel put on . I went with a 28 inch varmint barrel and changed the twist to 1 in 12. OK with that said I am having a bit of trouble finding the perfect load for coyotes nosler ballistic tips in 55 gr seem to work good and accurate but seems not to shoot as flat . I usually run it around the 3800 fps mark. I am just wondering if someone else has a 28 inch barrel and what they recommend. Thank you

I've posted this before so I'll just use the same post info for the load.
Well, I shot a .220 Swift for many, many years, here's the load I started with and never looked back, it was out of a 26" SS M700 very accurate, combo, I obtained the published velocity from the manual safely with no pressure in "my" rifle... Nosler Manual number three (3) page 131 ... 55gr Nosler BT... CCI-BR-2 ... RL-15 (39.0grs max) ... 4050 fps "as always start low and work up in your rifle" Good luck, Cheers.

 

[Reelamin]

I use my 223 for calling due to weight carrying calls rifle ect . So my swift is primary my long reach out and touch em and long range rock chuck and squirrel gun . My main purpose of this thread is curious if anyone else has delt with a 28 in barrel . It is accurate but it can be more . My longest shot on a yote so far ( will admit had to be luck) ranged with 2 range finders at 677 yards hit him in the left ear was aiming at ribs lol

Thanks my buddy called it how it was and that right there gets my respect!!!

 

[warboar21]

My 220 Swift is a 1-8" Twist so I usually load heavier bullets. I did try the 55gr Sierra Blitz Kings in it and it really liked them. I forget the exact load but they were moving. The 55gr Vmax didn't shoot as well as the Blitz kings.

 

[TheYoungGun]

I played with a swift for a season of life a while back. It was fun but finicky. I believe this one also had a 12 twist, it was an older savage single shot bolt gun, target type, thickest barrel I've ever seen personally, 26 inches if I recall (could have been 24).

Ended up that it did the very best with flat base 55 grain bullets (old school hornady 55 soft points, Nosler flat base 55 varmageddon tipped) over a full case of imr 4064 (38.5 grains I think, but again, going from memory so don't just go and load that obviously - consult a manual, but 4064 was THE powder of choice for the swift) standard primers.

Like yours my load chronoed pretty much right at 3800 fps.

I second 4064, works great in mine, my cousins, my uncles, and many friends who shoot there swifts! I have had great luck with the 52 Sierra SMKs with that powder and they are perfect on pelts.

 

[Shawn Carverelli]

I saw a used Ruger 220 swift with a wood stock today af a gun show today for $1800. 26" barrel great shape. I have no dea what shape the barrel was in ...how many rounds etc.
Are they worth that kind if change in used condition now?

 

[TheYoungGun]

I saw a used Ruger 220 swift with a wood stock today af a gun show today for $1800. 26" barrel great shape. I have no dea what shape the barrel was in ...how many rounds etc.
Are they worth that kind if change in used condition now?

I can't say 100% on rugers, but with the current market on Rem700s in the wood stocked bdl varmint calibers running in the 1500+ range in good shape I don't see how a nice ruger couldn't be the same, especially if it's a red butt pad with a tang safety, they are sought after for sure.

 

[Shawn Carverelli]

I can't say 100% on rugers, but with the current market on Rem700s in the wood stocked bdl varmint calibers running in the 1500+ range in good shape I don't see how a nice ruger couldn't be the same, especially if it's a red butt pad with a tang safety, they are sought after for sure.

We left the gun show and dropped by a ma and pa LGS. They had more bullet selection than I've seen. Mostly hornady and berger. very very few Nosler, just a couple boxes of RDF's
the gun show had a pound of reloader 25 or 26 for $92.. One vender had a out 10-1# containers marked @$60. absolutley 0 primers. but I did hear a out a company about to break ground on a new primer factory. That should help in a year or two

 

[Mike Matteson]

The barrel burner! From what I can see anymore most to the rifles being used today are barrel burners. You can build one from a 700 LA bolt. Get whatever barrel weight and length. I would suggest a longer barrel to be able to have it cut back at both ends. Twist is depending on what weight of bullet being used. I use the old standard 1-14 twist rate. Love the 55gr bullets in it. Using IMR 4064 powder.

 

[436]

The barrel burner! From what I can see anymore most to the rifles being used today are barrel burners. You can build one from a 700 LA bolt. Get whatever barrel weight and length. I would suggest a longer barrel to be able to have it cut back at both ends. Twist is depending on what weight of bullet being used. I use the old standard 1-14 twist rate. Love the 55gr bullets in it. Using IMR 4064 powder.

I agree with Mike, buy a little longer barrel, and "if" you have throat or barrel erosion it gives you the ability to set back the barrel a few times, pretty much giving you a better barrel each time without the break-in. Perhaps keeping the chamber contour a "little" long in the original before the tapper. I've done this too a few builds and setting them back and rechambering worked great, starting with 27.5" barrels and longer chamber contour. The last one I did was my; .223 LR rifle... from .223 Rem to .222 Rem Mag, back to the .223 Rem. It wasn't burned out, but there is an advantage in the aformentioned setting back barrels.
Cheers!

 

[Rrpro]

I have a ruger m77 ss heavy barrel 1in14 twist shooting 52gr hpbt with imr 3031 and it shoots great. How come no one else is using 3031?

 

[Shawn Carverelli]

my old rem 700 used h414 through our dillon 650. smaller grains meter better through a drop volume measure