.220 Swift

[bowhunthard88]

Try 52gr Speer HPs or Berger 52gr HPs over a higher charge of Varget. OAL plays a really big part here, as my load testing shows. OAL can increase or decrease velocity and shrink or expand group size.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[Two-0-four]

For the load developement of bowhunthards gun, I'm not sure how much reloading you've done but.....As you go up in the load weight, you will see the group tighten up and as you go higher in load weight the group will widen then tighten back up again. This will happen over and over until you reach a maximum charge. You just have to figure out when you want to stop and accecpt what you have. Also, when working with small calibers it's best to go up 1/10 of a grain at at time. Don't skip and try 1/2 grain increments or something like that. You could pass right over your best group and never even know so always go 1/10 grain at a time. Just my .02.
A 12 twist will never stablilze a 75gn A-Max. I shoot them in my 22/257 with a 1 in 8 twist and it's just enough. I built the gun to shoot the 80gn A-Max but even with the 1 in 8 twist, they just key-hole. Everything on line says the 1 in 8 is all thats needed to shoot 80gn bullets but mine won't. You need no less than a 1-9 twist to shoot the 75grainers.
A 1 in 12 in .224 should handle up to 68-69 gn maybe, but that would be the most it would handle. It probably would love the 50-65gn bullets the best.
Hope this helps.

 

[specweldtom]

BowHunt and Two-0-four, thanks. Dan Lilja told me the barrel would stabilize up to 60gr bullets, but that 75gr Amax was so pretty......

Also, I habitually try to get a full caliber of neck engagement, so I don't do much OAL experimenting. However, the mag well on this Mauser has enough length to accomodate .30-06 length cartridges, and the Swift feeds great with the 3 different OAL loads that I tried, so I will experiment with different OAL's with the same bullet even if I don't get a full caliber engagement.

I've got a very good selection of 50 - 62gr bullets to try, and some good powders. I used CCI 250-BR2's for the first loads, but will try 210M's and 9 1/2's also.

BowHunt, looks like your .220 is coming in!

Thanks again, Tom

 

[bowhunthard88]

For the load developement of bowhunthards gun, I'm not sure how much reloading you've done but.....As you go up in the load weight, you will see the group tighten up and as you go higher in load weight the group will widen then tighten back up again. This will happen over and over until you reach a maximum charge. You just have to figure out when you want to stop and accecpt what you have. Also, when working with small calibers it's best to go up 1/10 of a grain at at time. Don't skip and try 1/2 grain increments or something like that. You could pass right over your best group and never even know so always go 1/10 grain at a time. Just my .02.
A 12 twist will never stablilze a 75gn A-Max. I shoot them in my 22/257 with a 1 in 8 twist and it's just enough. I built the gun to shoot the 80gn A-Max but even with the 1 in 8 twist, they just key-hole. Everything on line says the 1 in 8 is all thats needed to shoot 80gn bullets but mine won't. You need no less than a 1-9 twist to shoot the 75grainers.
A 1 in 12 in .224 should handle up to 68-69 gn maybe, but that would be the most it would handle. It probably would love the 50-65gn bullets the best.
Hope this helps.

Yeah, thanks. I know that there are several "nodes" as the powder charge increases/decreases that the accuracy fluctuates in. I've seen this in all my guns. You're right about the 0.1 gr increments too, I played with my .222 Rem a while before I figured this out.

Right now, the only thing holding me back is the temp. 3700 fps is stated as max for 52gr bullets in the Hornady manual. I'm using a "3650 loading" but the reading I posted was actually chronographed at 33 degrees. This gun will be a summer chuck gun, so humid 80's will be the norm. I hesitate to work up a max load a 50 degree colder temp than what it will be used for.

This is 1:14" twist, so lighter bullets must be used in this than in Tom's. Although I had a gunsmith tell me to shoot the 60 gr. Hornadys out of this barrel because of the throat.

Thanks.

 

[Two-0-four]

It's possible that it may shoot the 60gn bullets. The only way to know is to try, right. I too favor the warmer temps for load development.

My .223AI doesn't seem to care about the colder temps. I shot some loads the other day in the mid 20's and I could't have had better results. 3 one hole groups out of 10-3 shot strings. It usually takes a couple trips to the range and lots of loads to come with a good one but I struck it rich with my 223AI last week.
I just wanted to show the importance of 1/10 grain loads when working up a new one. 3 one hole groups.

 

[bowhunthard88]

Yeah, I just don't want to work up a max load that is extremely accurate now, and then when the temp warms up have to change because of high pressures lol. I'm using Varget, and it temp insensitive to a point, but it does change POI (which in turn is velocity and that = pressure change) in colder weather, and I've proved that with the 22-250.

Thanks again for your help.

By the way I'm just fiddlin' with the 220 to see what it can do, not super serious about it lol. At least I'm tryin' not to be... Here's my baby, 22-250 Rem and a sample of groups. 2 of the groups include cold bore. And I'm still playin' with this.

​

 

[Two-0-four]

Very nice rig and targets. Looks like you need alot of practice. LOL

 

[liltank]

Yeah, I'll say he needs practice, he keeps missing the quarter!

 

[Two-0-four]

Good one!!

 

[Chopaka81]

During my father's college yrs in the late 50's at MSU (MT), he had two rifles, both M70's, one was a 300 H&H re-chambered to 300 Ackley, and the other was a 220 SWIFT. He still has the SWIFT. In fact we are getting ready to go to WY for a PD hunt in June. It will be a Grandpa, Son, Grandson road trip in honor of my son's graduation from High School. Dad will be bringing the SWIFT along and his M700 17 Rem. Travis and I will be using our M700 223's.

There is an almost sense of "magic" when the name SWIFT is brought up, inspires a sense of adventure and authority. It is a riflemen's rifle.

Then my son and I have these synthetic stocked 223's - no personality, if you know what I mean.

For deer hunting, he had great success with 60gr bullets. The factory barrel stablize's them without difficulty.

For the SWIFT, his go-to load for varmints is 37.0 grs of IMR 4064 with a 52 to 55 gr bullet.

 

[Dangerous Dan]

I have had a 220 Swift sence 1966 and I shoot Two bullets out of them both Hornady 52 gr bthp match 250 Primer 43.0 gr win 760 .030 off the land, and 40 gr vmax 45.0 gr win 760 with 250 cci .030 off land , I have never had any thing walk away dead in its tracks , I have been shooting the V max for about 5 years and it is a very intersting bulett , When I shoot a Coyote with it there is never a exit , Just My 2 cents Note these loads are not to be used in Your gun Work up very slowley They are barn burners and You should be very careful with them Dangerous Dan

 

[sscoyote]

I like the JLK Low Drags--

1) 52 gr.--14 twists--BC=.302
2) 60--12 twists--BC=.339
3) 65--10 twists--BC=.395

check them out here-- www.swampworks.com

Had only 1 gun in 5 or so that they didn't better accuracy in. My buddy's factory Savage Striker 22-250 shot them into <.5 MOA, and shot a 2.5" 3-shot gp. at 425 yds, perfectly cloverleafed.