220 Swift

tjmiles

tjmiles

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Anyone out there know much about this cartridge? My father in law has been talking about it for ages but can't seem to find one. Any ideas?
 
I owned one many years ago.It has slightly more case capacity than a 22-250,and produces slightly more velocity.It used to be available in rifles from several manufacturers,but it is now quite rare in factory rifles.
 
Its a top performing 22 cal. and is a proven varmint killer. I had that cal. in a Remington VSSF and was a very accurate round but found I occasionally had problems with the rounds getting stuck in the mag due to the rims, it didnt happen much but enough that it bothered me.
 
I had one for a few years and it still bugs me that I let it go. It was a older ruger that I picked up from a friend of my dads. It shot amazing little groups and was a nightmare for local coyotes. It always drove my buddies nuts when we would see a coyote and I would let them get out to 400 where they do that little stop and look back to see what they were running from then zap dead dog. But I pushed those little bullets a little fast and had trouble with fouling. It would shoot great from a clean bore but after about 20 rounds groups would start to open up and by 40 you couldn't hit sheet. When I got rid of it the first couple inches of the bore was missing any rifling but it still would shoot under an inch from a clean bore. I should have just had it rechambered to 223 or somthing but traded it off on 223wsm. Not a good trade hated it and the three more that followed it not one would feed from the magazine.
 
I've got a 700 VS in a Swift.

Has excellent gopher "splat" factor when driven fast.
Not really much faster than a 22-250 though.
 
Top performing varmint caliber that has and still receives bad press. I have one in a Ruger M77 Target that I would not trade for anything. Clean properly, use a bore guide, and if you reload, don't push it to the max. It will run 52gr. at 4000 fps. no problem. I use Sierra 52gr. HPBT match at 3800 with RL15 powder. Neck size the brass. Deadly on coyotes out to 500 if you know where to hold. 52gr. bullet rarely exits, and if it does dollar size hole. Unless you hit a rib, then it will open them up like a tin can! The only factory rifles still chambered in it is the Remington VSSF, and Coopers.
 
Here is an interesting article on the .22x64, the .270 Win. necked down. These fellows, and gals, used the .220 Swift with great success on springbuck, blesbuck, fallow deer, red mountain reedbuck and duiker.

http://www.gsgroup.co.za/22x64.html

223_to_22x64.jpg

.223; .22-250; .220 Swift; .22x64
 
I liked the one I shot, definatly has a different crack,(sound) than other calibers. Factory ammo harder to find than 223 or 22-250 but if you reload it doesn't matter that much.
 
It is an old, supurbly accurate cartridge and still represents one of the fastest factory cartridges on the market. I think the 204 ruger may have taken the top honour away, but you get the idea.

Velocity is the secret to a superlative varmint round and the swift has it in spades. Part of its noise - like all ultra fast cartridges - is likely due to its bullets doing 4+ times the speed of sound when they leave the barrel

Down sides are barrel life and finding good quality brass. I have a great admiration for using the old tried and true... the swift definitely falls into that category.
 
We've got a NIB Ruger #1-V in 220 swift coming in December. Hasn't been made for some yrs in 220 but we found a dealer that had one and bought it from him. :)
 
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