Replacement for 220 Swift

[Cantshootalick]

Yep yep yep. Didn't consider the bolt or magazine potential problems. Have to check into that. As far as brass goes I bought 500 cases when I bought the rifle. I think it's pretty safe to say it's worn out as well.

 

[Orange Dust]

Yep yep yep. Didn't consider the bolt or magazine potential problems. Have to check into that. As far as brass goes I bought 500 cases when I bought the rifle. I think it's pretty safe to say it's worn out as well.

If you go bigger, you won't need 500 cases to wear out the barrel. About 600rds in a TTH and bullets start disintegrating in the air from the heat checked throat. Nitrating may help, at least its worth a shot. The idea for these are more for medium game than prarie dogs.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

I kinda go along about still having a 220 Swift. Personally, I never worried about what is actually a semi-rim of my Swift. The parent cartridge was modified to match a .473" or 06 sized bolt face. Still headspaces on the shoulder.

 

[thomasbangs]

Personally I would stick with the Swift, a gunsmith could cut off a thread or so, set it back, and remember to the 220 Swift as was stated in a earlier reply. I don't see another. 224 caliber outshooting it for what you are using it for. I have a pre 64 Win. Mod. 70 and the barrel is not shot out YET, it prefers the old standard Speer 55gr. SP or the Sierra 55gr. Gameking in front of 38 grs. of IMR 4064, it also shoots a couple of 50 gr. bullets decent but I have to load them down to about 22-250 velocity

 

[Mowgli Terry]

I don't recall any problems with magazine or feeding problems with Model 70 or Ruger bolt action rifles in 220 Swift. Chronic barrel burning and pressure problems by the Swift started in the years after right after introduction. It was discovered the real offenders were custom rifles built up using 22RF blanks. That is, too small and too soft. OP has dies and brass presumably. How much it cost to set up to make correct 22-243 brass.

 

[thomasbangs]

Another thing I might add with the Swift, I just got done turning the necks on 300 Winchester cases as I was having problems with them, even once fired, turning the necks fixed the problem, so would buying Norma brass as turning the necks is a pain.

 

[Orange Dust]

Personally I would stick with the Swift, a gunsmith could cut off a thread or so, set it back, and remember to the 220 Swift as was stated in a earlier reply. I don't see another. 224 caliber outshooting it for what you are using it for. I have a pre 64 Win. Mod. 70 and the barrel is not shot out YET, it prefers the old standard Speer 55gr. SP or the Sierra 55gr. Gameking in front of 38 grs. of IMR 4064, it also shoots a couple of 50 gr. bullets decent but I have to load them down to about 22-250 velocity

If I was rebarreling, had no brass, and wanted Swift performance, I would do a 22-250AI. Reasons. 1) case life is better. 2) Cases seldom require trimming. 3) Good brass always available. 4) Will feed from the magazine in your rifle. No more stacking the rims in front of each other to get it to feed. 5) Dies for it are not expensive. One of the better wildcats for a 22 IMO. Just choose the twist to match the bullets you want to shoot and go.

 

[Orange Dust]

I don't recall any problems with magazine or feeding with Model 70 or Ruger rifles in 220 Swift. Chronic barrel burning and pressure problems by the Swift started in the years after right after introduction. It was discovered the real offenders were custom rifles built up using 22RF barrels. That is, too small and too soft. OP has dies and brass presumably. How much it cost to set up to make correct 22-243 brass.

He has a 700, not a CRF action.

 

[Nitroman]

.223 WSSM.

 

[Georgiashooter]

You won't have feeding problems with 22-250 AI, .22 creed., or 22-243. All have same head dimension as the Swift, .473". I would do either 22-250AI or 22 creed because of longer brass life and shoulder angle should lessen throat erosion a bit.

 

[yobuck]

I guess they all work, and much has to do with the mind, because otherwise it don't matter much. My dad had a Swift he got about 1952 in M70. I frankly was never much impressed with it and passed it on to a relative when I inherited it.
For dogs I use 3 guns, a 223 with 50 gr, a 22x250 AI with 69 gr, and a 6x284 with 105s.
The 22x250 AI sees the most use out to about 600 or so, and if I ever need to rebarrel it will get the same thing.

 

[ZG47]

I don't recall any problems with magazine or feeding problems with Model 70 or Ruger bolt action rifles in 220 Swift. Chronic barrel burning and pressure problems by the Swift started in the years after right after introduction. It was discovered the real offenders were custom rifles built up using 22RF blanks. That is, too small and too soft. OP has dies and brass presumably. How much it cost to set up to make correct 22-243 brass.

Good scholarship, mate. In addition to the above, original ammunition used the brand new IMR 3031 smokeless propellant and had small flash holes to minimise excess pressure issues. I understand that a number of idiots whinged about the small flash holes and probably enlarged them, thus creating pressure problems with properly barrelled rifles. The later introduction of IMR 4064 propellant made life a great deal easier for both factory and (eventually) handloaders.
In regard to faster twist rates, it is no great secret that a 5.56x45 barrel with 1-7" twist rate will need replacement earlier than the same chambering with a 1-9" barrel. If you increase the case volume by 100% or more, fill the case with propellant and get the barrel hot; the difference in barrel accuracy life will be even more dramatic. This is why several posters on this thread have made cautious remarks about the choice of a faster twist rate for a high velocity chambering.
People who shoot 7.62x51 rifles at distances of 500 to 1,000 yards in competition will spend a great deal of time weighing up the pros and cons of 1-12", 1-11" and 1-10" barrels. A couple of decades back, the range was typically 1-14" to 1-12" due to the older rules on maximum projectile weight.

 

[warboar21]

I recently bought a 220 Swift with a 1:8" twist. So far I've shot 77gr smks, 75gr Amax, and the 69gr SMK. They all shoot really well. Even the 55gr Vmax and blitz Kings shoot tiny groups

 

[WildRose]

The swift and 22-250AI are ballistic twins. The AI will feed through the magazine better in the 700 than the swift. Those two are also about as big as you can go if you are expecting any sort of barrel life whatsoever. If I were going to do another big one, I think it would be worth the money to have the barrel nitrided. That might get useful life closer to the smaller ones.

I've owned 5 different swifts over the years and never run into any ffeeding problems with any of them, not even wit the remingtons