220 Swift as a groundhog caliber

.22LRGUY

.22LRGUY

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OK, so, for a guy who has been dismissing the idea of a 22-250 because of it's reputation as a "barrel burner"...why would I ever consider a 220 Swift?

Here in S. Ontario where a .275 caliber limit exists (places I shoot/hunt)...I've run a number of calibers for groundhogs...but have settled on 2, 17 Hornet and 204 Ruger. Neither are lacking at the distances I shoot, and I've considered adding a .223 back into the mix. (cheaper, more readily-available brass/cooler-running than 204/more reach than 17). Truth be told, you need no more than 17 Hornet and I've commented that it might actually be the best caliber for the job, all things considered. Effectiveness out to 200, low report, no recoil, very modest powder consumption, low # of shots per day makes factory ammo cost not a factor going that route, etc. Farms are relatively small/neighbors relatively close, etc.

Unlike gopher shooting out west, a busy day of groundhog hunting for me means about 4-5 shots per day on average. There are more remote farms I hunt where more reach is possible, and where more noise is not a factor. Has me exploring the 22 options...and the idea of 220 Swift has been bouncing around a bit. I can think of a dozen reasons why I shouldn't go down this road, so I'm looking for opinions on the caliber from those who have/use it. (or have) If you've shot groundhogs with it, I'd be especially interested in hearing from you, but any opinions on shooting it/lowing for it=welcome.

Lastly, on the OFF chance I decide to give this a try...it would seem that the idea of buying a used rifle might be risky. Meaning, where it is mileage-wise, if I'm unable to determine the whether or not the barrel/rifling is on the way out. A very quick run through Google suggests there aren't any manufactures making guns in this caliber, so the decision might make itself. lol

Looking forward to any/all opinions, and welcome photos if you have them.

thanks
 
The Swift earned its reputation as a barrel burner early on. Barrel steels and powders now are not the same as they were decades ago. It is hot, and barrel life will be shorter than, say, .222, but there is a trade off involving barrel life and performance.
Given availability of rifles and ammunition/cases, a .22-.250 might be more practical, and performance is close to .220. .22-.250AI is right up there.
Just something to consider.
 
I played with the swift shortly. Loud fast extremely violent and graphic hits on our groundhogs and crows. I thought it would be a great fox and coyote rifle but was to hard on pelts so i moved it and continued to use my 22mag for a few more years. Then got into the 2506 which wiped out the surviving population of groundhogs in my area. 75gr vmax at 3550fps handled all pests and took some shy coyotes out at distances i never thought i could take them at with a 22 caliber
For your purpose a new match grade barrel will last a life time in ontario. Unless you blast away thousands of rounds like i did with my 2506. It got me into reloading

I do think the 20 Tac is about perfect but im shooting my 223 until it looses its accuracy before rebarreling. The 25/45 sharps is another option for me. In a bolt gun its even better

If you choose the swift will you run light bullets orhae the barrel twisted fast for the heavys? Ive always wondered what a swift could do with 80 to 90gr bullets
 
brybenn said:
I played with the swift shortly. Loud fast extremely violent and graphic hits on our groundhogs and crows. I thought it would be a great fox and coyote rifle but was to hard on pelts so i moved it and continued to use my 22mag for a few more years. Then got into the 2506 which wiped out the surviving population of groundhogs in my area. 75gr vmax at 3550fps handled all pests and took some shy coyotes out at distances i never thought i could take them at with a 22 caliber
For your purpose a new match grade barrel will last a life time in ontario. Unless you blast away thousands of rounds like i did with my 2506. It got me into reloading

I do think the 20 Tac is about perfect but im shooting my 223 until it looses its accuracy before rebarreling. The 25/45 sharps is another option for me. In a bolt gun its even better

If you choose the swift will you run light bullets orhae the barrel twisted fast for the heavys? Ive always wondered what a swift could do with 80 to 90gr bullets
Click to expand...

Any idea as to case capacity on a swift vs the 22 Creedmoor? I'm generally not a creedmoor fan, but if I was going to build something like the OP wants it would be on my list to consider.
 
Much as I like the 22-250, I think if one is going to go bigger than say the 22 PPC, a guy should just go 6mm/243.
 
I have set up some .22-.250AI rifles with long 1:8 twist barrels to use heavy bullets. This combination really shoots. With bullets in the 74-80 grain range it will kill caribou as if struck by a bolt of lightning. A quick twist Swift would be a real performer. I suppose one could be used for long range varminting, although that isn't typical Ontario woodchuck hunting.
I suspect that a lightweight thin jacketed varmint bullet launched at 4000fps might very well disintegrate in flight if launched from a 1:8 barrel.

It would be a real fun project to set up a classic vintage varmint rifle in the Swift. Something like a Model 70 in a walnut stock with a long externally adjusted scope.
 
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I currently use a .220 swift for coyote hunting in Sask. It's a mess of used Remington parts. Rem 700 SPS SA left hand, take off SS fluted rem 700 varmint barrel, LH BDL stock with barrel channel opened up, old rem 70p walker trigger re-worked.

It shoots lights out with 50gr vmax and Varget. SD under 5, 3850fps, ES of 5. It really shoots well and I've taken many coyotes with it. I always wanted a swift (because it's a little different), left handed ones don't really exist, so I put that together.

The pro to the swift: really fast and hand loading you "can" push it past a .22-250 (factory It's on par)

Cons: Brass is hard to find. Being slightly rimmed, brass stretches so brass life is short and trimming brass is required almost every reload. Finally, after having a rim, you need to stack your rounds into the magazine properly and in order, or else it'll jam and not feed right.

Your way to get around the brass stretching, is to have your smith set it so it head spaces off the shoulder and not the rim. Or better yet, go to something like a .220 Wilson arrow or some other variant with a flat shoulder so that brass doesn't stretch.

Me personally, once this barrel is done, I'll go to a 22-250ai. The only reason for this is that brass life is longer, but sourcing brass is very easy.
 
You want something with more reach and you've dismissed the 223 and 22-250, so it sounds like your critieria comes down to "just wanting one" - so do that. When I shot goundhogs in Huron County, I used a 243 with 75 gr bullets because I had it. While I could typically sneak up on them to a close range and use a 22LR, it allowed me to deliberately take 300-500 yd shots and so would a Swift.

They seem to show up on the Exchange Forum a few times a year, as do components.
 
J have owned several Swifts, beginning in the 1970s. This chambering is a winner IMHO.
Flat and deadly on varmints of any flavor. Barrel life is actually not as bad as some would have us
believe. I rebarrelled my first swift, [a Ruger M77V Tang safety] at a bit over 2400 rounds.
It would not quite hold MOA at that time.
It is possible, with modern components, to drive 50 grain bullets t0 4000+ and 55 grain bullets
to 3900 or so in a 26" barrelled Swift.
I have busted hundreds of crows with the Swift, and a hit on a perched crow is a source of
laughter, with everything but the wings disappearing in a cloud of feathers :) Dave.
 
If you don't care about the cost of Dies, or having to fireform your Brass instead, burning out a barrel in short order (1500 or so) or just wanting something of coolness factor or rarity...

22-243 Middlestead could be the alternative to any of the above mentioned Cals.

IIRC one of the members on the PHC Board (and actively on here) when it was alive back in '12/13 was running one on 'Yotes and getting somewhat fur friendly results and some really good long range grouping.

I looked into it, as I had the .243 platform in a Savage 10 Predator at the time already, but the barrel life or lack-there of was the final deciding factor.
 
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Thanks for the input guys-very much appreciated. Although my experience shooting 22-250 is fairly limited, I have shot groundhogs with it and found the results no more spectacular than .223 or .204. The light (32gr) V-Max out of the 204 can be remarkable from time-to-time. lol

For those who own, or have owned 220 Swift-what's the report like compared to 243? Used to shoot groundhogs with that caliber too. Recoil was never an issue of course, but she had some bark. lol
 
About twenty years ago when I had one I shot a groundhog with my 220 swift using a 40 grain moly coated bullet I believe it was going over 4200 FPS, distance was maybe 60 yards, not much left of the critter.
 
The swift is one of the rifles I greatly regret selling. Had a heavy bbl Ruger 77(tang safety) with a Bausch & Lomb 6-24 scope on it.... Beautiful combination, and deadly accurate.

I have since had a few 204 Rugers, but there is no comparison IMO.
 
If its 200 yards then I choose 222 or 204. How many rounds do you plan on shooting at said groundhogs for your barrel to heat up? If you don’t load, then a 223 for factory ammo but I don’t know how accurate cheap ammo is at 200 yards? If you are shooting to 400 a 220 swift or 22-250 will help with bullet drop. Tough call but I’d likely bring a 204 with 35 to 40 gr pills. Then again, I have a really fast 4000 fps plus load with 40 grain NBT’s that shoot really flat out of my 22-250. Good luck, they are all fun.
 
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Don't think you'll burn a .22 250 barrel out ground hog hunting in Ontario anymore. I always wanted a swift but case/ammo availability Mae be just go .22 250 instead. Which is my favorite out of all the .22cal centerfires I've used.
 
220 Swift is a good cartridge (yes, I have one) as is the Ackley version. They really aren't much (if any) improvement over a 22-250 AI or a 22-243 Middlestead or either of the 22 CHeetahs (or a 22 Creedmore for that matter, which really is a bastard twin of the Middlestead). I still have an AI 22-250 (and the regular variety) and my Middlestead, rebarreled my CHeetah long ago. But they all work similarly. On groundhogs, it will take you a while to burn out a barrel. It isn't like clearing out a gopher patch. - dan
 
dan belisle said:
220 Swift is a good cartridge (yes, I have one) as is the Ackley version. They really aren't much (if any) improvement over a 22-250 AI or a 22-243 Middlestead or either of the 22 CHeetahs (or a 22 Creedmore for that matter, which really is a bastard twin of the Middlestead). I still have an AI 22-250 (and the regular variety) and my Middlestead, rebarreled my CHeetah long ago. But they all work similarly. On groundhogs, it will take you a while to burn out a barrel. It isn't like clearing out a gopher patch. - dan
Click to expand...

Indeed, slight velocity advantage with 10 gr. more power per shot. Higher velocity, almost 20% more powder = bigger barrel burner than .22-250 for sure.

Unless you hunt in the one or two counties here in southern Ontario that have .243 as a caliber limit, my favorite for ground hog has been 6.5 x 55 with 120 or 130 gr boat tails. 6.5 CM would be a good choice also.
 
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