Inherited 220 Swift Ackley Imp.

[P7M13]

My condolences on the passing of your father.
Whoever shot it, whether your dad or a prior owner, didn't like cleaning it.
Gorgeous rifle. Since you have cleaned it back to the fire cracking, it may need another 100 or so rounds to "re season" the barrel so it shoots well again.

 

[Bravo 4]

Sorry for your loss, and beautiful rifle. I'm not a let it sit and enjoy the memories type. I would honor him by using it. As others have said, load up some lower loads and take it for a test run. A 220 improved would be a screamer! Good luck, keeps us informed on the outcome.

 

[Hoss50]

Try it out. It doesn't look as bad as my 257 weatherby when I decided to have it rebarreled. If it wont shoot, rebarrel it.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

Great looking rifle

 

[keithcandler]

60g Sierra will stabilize in a 14" Twist, but not a 60g V max. The 63g Sierra will also stabilize in a 14" Twist.

Check and see if that action has only one locking lug. Proceed with caution if it does.

 

[tulku]

Looks like a redone Enfield with a really nice Tiger Stripe Maple Stock and an old Weaver K-12 or K-10 in Weaver Mounts . Very well executed Checkering . Good advice so far : try it out with 4064 Powder or something similar and see how it shoots . Rebarrel if you need a long range Varmint Rifle .

 

[crystalgayleguy]

how much difference in velocity between 220 swift and 220 AI

 

[keithcandler]

Does it have only one locking lug? The Swift AI is a very high pressure cartridge if pushed where she likes to run. Your dad may have been shooting light loads in that rifle(action).

There are a few gunsmiths on this site that would be familiar with the action, if not, go over to accurateshooter.com and post a question on the action with the caliber. You DO NOT want that single lug to come off with a bolt ripping off part of your hand and face...I have seen it happen, and it is a life changing event.

Best of luck to you!

 

[tulku]

I think Keith makes a very good point ..... be SAFE ! CGG , from what I've heard , about +150 FPS for the AI .

 

[crystalgayleguy]

if it has the crooked bolt hand it had two lugs

 

[RODSTRADLEY]

Because of the time the rifle was built I would think the barrel has a 1-14 or maybe a 1-12 rate of twist. If 1-14 55g bullets will be it. If 1-12, you can go up to 60g. I don't normally recommend it, but if the barrel won't shoot, you might try a few of Tubbs Final Finish bullets to try to take the 'rough' off. Good luck, and let us know how it works out for you. I like to see those 'older' builds. Nice, "Tiger Stripped" Maple stock, there!

I went through 40 old green fire formed cases, wet tumbled for hours and culled 20 of them. Used my magnifiers to look at the cases after sizing, 3 were neck split and the rest showed signs of splinting. Going to load up some light loads with 55gr. and see what it looks like. I will post the results hopefully tonight. I remember back when I was a kid my Dad was on a mission of killing Groundhogs and Fox, some were 400 and 500 yd's with a K10 Weaver.

 

[Trangieboy]

Does it have only one locking lug? The Swift AI is a very high pressure cartridge if pushed where she likes to run. Your dad may have been shooting light loads in that rifle(action).

There are a few gunsmiths on this site that would be familiar with the action, if not, go over to accurateshooter.com and post a question on the action with the caliber. You DO NOT want that single lug to come off with a bolt ripping off part of your hand and face...I have seen it happen, and it is a life changing event.

Best of luck to you!

Why would an m17 only have 1 locking lug ?

 

[shortgrass]

Does it have only one locking lug? The Swift AI is a very high pressure cartridge if pushed where she likes to run. Your dad may have been shooting light loads in that rifle(action).

There are a few gunsmiths on this site that would be familiar with the action, if not, go over to accurateshooter.com and post a question on the action with the caliber. You DO NOT want that single lug to come off with a bolt ripping off part of your hand and face...I have seen it happen, and it is a life changing event.

Best of luck to you!

The U.S. Model 1917 is a 2 lug bolt action rifle commonly fielded during WW1, as 1903 Springfields were in short supply. They are commonly and mistakenly called an "Enfield". The original design comes from the Pattern 1914, designed by Enfield, which was manufacture by Remington, Winchester and the Remington subsidiary Eddystone, for the British Government during WW1. The M1917 was/is a modification of the P1914 for use with the US .30/06. Both are beastly strong, Mauser '98 type actions. No worries using one for a .220 Swift or other high pressure cartridges that'll fit in the action. Although, they require extreme and time consuming alterations to be converted into sporters. There has been concerns of the heat treating of the Eddystones . The SMLE (Short Magazine Lee Enfield) is a completely different design and rifle.

 

[RODSTRADLEY]

It has a 1917 Rem receiver, no problem with the bolt and receiver. I was seeing if it needed to be re-barreled or run the David Tubbs bullets like I did on a junk barrel I have. PS It is a very nice rifle and thanks for the compliments