220 Swift

[mydogtwig]

Just picked up a Cooper 220 Swift. I am going to do the basic break in. BUT after the break in I am looking to take the swift to its fullest potential. I have been spending many hours in reloading books for the most zip from the 220 swift. What are your experiences or thoughts.
*SOAP BOX* Please don't tell me about burning out a barrel. If I do that- Great! guess I get a new barrel or even get a new gun. I'll be shooting the swift slow, so not to get the barrel hot to the touch. If I do burn out the barrel, that is okay with me, order a new one. I got to thinking the other day, I am sure there are millions of rifles that sit becauce people are to concerned about 'shooting' them, fearing copper fouling, carbon fouling, killing a barrel. It may be a $250 dollar item or a $5000 item. Then they sit and do nothing, but collect moisture and rust. They are make to shoot, so shoot them. The T.V. will be there when you get back.

[Rocky Raab]

I shan't even glance at that soap box, much less climb onto it...

My one-time coyote-hunting partner tried a lot of powders in his Swift. I suggested he test Reloder 15. He did - and has now used nothing else for ten years.

[shooterjon]

mydogtwig -I got to like your thinkin.If you got it shoot it because it is a wast of time just talkin about it!I shoot my swift with IMR 4064 at 37.1 grs. behind a Sierra 55 gr bullets,and use CCI bench rest primers.This is close to a max load but more important is it is one heck of an accurate load at 3/8'' to 1/2 " at 200 yds.My Rugar shoots this combo at 3741 FPS and wrecks Rock chuck and Coyotes.

[Rapier]

Accuracy VS "fast noise" no need to burn a barrel in the Swift. I just sold mine, replaced it with a fast twist 22-250 AI, but the old gun really liked IMR 4895 and the 53gr Sierras. I did not try the 55 Berger but would wager the Berger to be very good also.
Ed

[Bob_Pa.]

I have been using a Swift for over 30 years, put a new barrel on it in 2003. It has 875 rds. thru it right now, will put them under 1/4" still. I use IMR 4064, Rem. Lg. rifle primers, 50 gr. Nosler BT. The velocity is 3850 fps., I hope to wear this Douglas barrel out and get another one. Groundhog hunting is my "passion."

Bob

[BILLY D.]

I first met the Swift in 1956. It was housed in a Model 70 action. It and I had 2 powder preferences for bullet weights from 50>55 grains it liked IMR4895 and the 55>63 grain bullets it liked IMR4064.

Somewhere around 2000 it finally gave up the ghost. Accuracy was lousy, 1 1/2". And the throat, well there almost wasn't any. It looked like a Weatherby.

I was working? in a Gunshop at the time and a guy brought in a almost pristine pre 64 model 70 in 270 cal. and he wanted to convert to 35 Whelen. I bought the 270 barrel from the boss and put it on the Swift. Mainly I just wanted a Jack O'Connor rifle.

I already had a 22-250 AI that I was using. For all practical purposes it is a Swift in a funny looking case. Very similar ballistics.

And now I hate you because you have renewed my love for the Swift. I bought my first Swift from my college roomie. For some unknown reason his girl friend got PG and he needed the money. Cost me $70. I seen this guy hit a crow at 300 yds. I was impressed. He was using one of the old Unertl target scopes. 10x with a Lee tack hole dot. I knew he was an excellent shot. We shot on the same rifle team together.

By the way, 2 years later my G/F got PG also, so the rifle had bad Karma. But boy, could it shoot.

Enjoy your Swift, it's a great cartridge.

Best wishes, Bill

[Barlow]

I have been shooting Swifts since 1976. Both Ruger's, the first a heavy barreled Centennial Model and a standard weight that I rebarreled after about 3500 rounds with a Douglas Premium. My standard everday load is 39gr 4064,WLR and 50 gr Nosler solid base. This is the old lead tipped bullet. It does 3950 fps in the heavy barrel and a little less in the standard 24" barrel. Nothing I ever shot seemed to know the difference. Great cartridge, I would never be without them.
A friend of mine who just died was a Swift nut, and his hunting load was 41.2 grs of 4064 and a 49gr Sisk bullet. He had hoarded them for years.

[Larryjk]

An old friend gave me a Remington 700 Classic in 220 Swift with a Leupold 12X on top several years. I shot 50 grain
Sierra's in it at first because that is what he had been shooting. Now I use a Hornady 55 Grain V-Max pushed along by IMR 4350. It is very accurate and really quiets down prairie dogs that are way out there. I usually leave the Swift for the "far" dogs.

[berettadouble]

I love my .220 Model 70 Heavy. I use RL15 and 50 vmax at darn close to 4000fps, and have shot 40s around 4300. Give it the gas- steel is cheap.

Am currently messing with H414 to see what happens, and hopefully to standarize my powder stores. Got really great acuracy when the rifle was new with IMR4350, but I wanted to go full throttle and RL15 did it...

[Evan03]

i shoot the swift in a #1vt i load 55gr bullets. ive found lighter bullets faster doesnt benifit me compared to 55s at 3600-3800.

ive found very very good acruacy at 3800 with h4831sc aswell as imr4831 and standerd h4831.

ive used h414 good groups but not consitent day to day just seemed tempermental.

ive also been playing with imr4007ssc and am finding super tight groups with 53gr triple shocks at 3800. this is my bigame small caliber hunting load.

ive tested loads useing rl19 imr4350 and a bunch more, i havent yet tested loads useing rl15 but ive found what im looking for with h4831sc and imr4007ssc both are very good powders with 55gr bullets

im burning in remington cases and lit with cci br2 primers. sized through a RCBS knecksizer. bullets seated on the lands

[Catfish]

Just one thing to say about velocity, DO NOT sacrefice accuracy for it. I have no trouble pushing 80 gr. bullets to over 3,500 fps. with my .22-6mm, but it`s far more accurate at 3,250 fps. I just hold alittle higher. One other thing, heaver bullets at lower velocities drift less in the wind, especially past 4000 or 500 yrds.

[Evan03]

catfish
very true. ive found high bc bullets going slower than superlight bullets shooter flatter and straighter

[Swift]

I don't reload for my Swift but have found the 50 gr bullets to be most accurate. Especially the Hornady Vmax.

[Evan03]

i think, i may be wrong but the 50s are more acurate because the 1/14 twist stabalizes them better.

i feel the 22/250 and 220 should have a standerd of a 1/12 twist. we got stuck with the 1/14 from 100 years ago.

[berettadouble]

Good note Evan03, I have a winchester 223 with 1/12 and a different bird altogether with 55s. When the 220 barrel burns out I'm considering a 1/9 to see how those 69 Sierras do with a little more speed....