Agreed, what you said, plus a little TLC like "resting your barrel" between shots goes a long, long way in promoting longer barrel life.
22-250 vs 220Swift
- Thread starter SkipB
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
leftyviper280
Member
They both are just don't get caught up in the speed thing. figure out your pet load and run with it. That's why reloading is fun to Frankenstein your rounds. Theyll all be fast !
Hairtrigger
Well-Known Member
Barrel burner is an old wives tale along with the fact modern barrels are much better quality
I had a Swift, before somebody stole it, it was a stone cold coyote killer, off the shelf M77 Ruger. I am building another one now, I hope to get it built before summer I can hardly wait.
I have an old factory M670 225 Winchester that I have had since I was 12 years old, Its not quite as fast as the 220 Swift or the 22-250, probably 75 fps slower than the 22-250. Anyway, I load it as fast as it will push a 55 Gr Sierra, right around 3650 FPS, I probably have 2000 through the tube and it shots just like it did back in the late 70's when I started reloading, same powder, same OACL.
I have an old factory M670 225 Winchester that I have had since I was 12 years old, Its not quite as fast as the 220 Swift or the 22-250, probably 75 fps slower than the 22-250. Anyway, I load it as fast as it will push a 55 Gr Sierra, right around 3650 FPS, I probably have 2000 through the tube and it shots just like it did back in the late 70's when I started reloading, same powder, same OACL.
Sorry but I can't agree with you there. After you surpass 3000 fps it becomes easier to trash a "modern barrel". Surpass 4000 fps & it's very easy to do. Some experts say as few as 60 rounds, fired rapidly, can cause severe throat erosion. I recently bought a barely-used rifle that shot only fliers. Soon I discovered that the throat was gutted.
I conducted an online poll a few years ago specifically concerning .22-250's. Barrel life ran anywhere from around 60 rounds to around 4000 & even 5000 rounds. Folks with the longest barrel life were the ones who kept them as cool as possible. The ones who liked rapid fire were, of course, the ones with the shortest barrel life. The dude who only got 60 rounds admitted jokingly that he trashed his barrel on a big family of "dogs" - but that it was worth it to him.
You don't have to read many magazine articles or talk to many arms manufacturers to learn that throat erosion IS very real & NOT a wives tale.
Many of us shooting high velocity ammo accept the fact that barrels ARE a "consumable" & that's the price that we pay for laser-like accuracy....but with a little common sense & TLC barrel life can be greatly extended. One manufacturer said that the average
.22-250 should get 2000 - 3000 rounds of barrel life, with a little care.
A 222 rem is my absolute favorite, with the right bullet these little guys are capable of a lot, I've killed everything from squirrels to deer with them. The speer 50 grain varmint is what I've used lately and they seem to be just right for 222 speeds and are 1 hole accurate with 4198 powder, here's the latest victim with this load and he was drt@ 110 yards
Terry Lightle
Well-Known Member
You did really well!great cat and gun
I grew up with a Win M70 220 Swift, my Dad bought in 1958 for Fox hunting. He noted that you could see the fox drop before you heard the round go off! He was usually shooting under 100 yards, but out of shotgun range. I reloaded a lot of 52 grain SMK for it which always worked well. I bought my girlfriend, later wife a Rem 700 varmint 22-250 that shot very well with everything I loaded for it. Both are great rounds! I do believe though that the Swift works better with the case filled more to capacity. I always recommend loads that maximize capacity as much as possible for consistency. One interesting fact about the Swift, I have quite a few boxes of 60's vintage Winchester 48 grain ammo. I tried a few across my Magnetospeed and they run 4100 + FPS as claimed!
I also picked up 10 boxes of first year production 1935 Winchester 220 Swift ammo that look pristine, haven't tried any of them and don't plan on doing it either.
I also picked up 10 boxes of first year production 1935 Winchester 220 Swift ammo that look pristine, haven't tried any of them and don't plan on doing it either.
Buck1970
Well-Known Member
There seems to be a theme here.
I've the ruger 77 heavy barrel 220, shoots anything well.
Bought a new 220 rem 700 stainless fluted A few years back, would not shoot crap. Was ready to swap it for a 3 legged dog. My buddy/reloader took it. He worked over the trigger, we took off the *** plastic stock and added a nice laminate Boyd's.
Finally found a 40 grain hand load that it will do sub .5 MOA regularly.
Never had the 250, but one would be hard pressed to beat my 220's.
Also
Killed my first deer with 222. My darn brother lost it in a pawn shop. Some things you just don't forgive.
I've the ruger 77 heavy barrel 220, shoots anything well.
Bought a new 220 rem 700 stainless fluted A few years back, would not shoot crap. Was ready to swap it for a 3 legged dog. My buddy/reloader took it. He worked over the trigger, we took off the *** plastic stock and added a nice laminate Boyd's.
Finally found a 40 grain hand load that it will do sub .5 MOA regularly.
Never had the 250, but one would be hard pressed to beat my 220's.
Also
Killed my first deer with 222. My darn brother lost it in a pawn shop. Some things you just don't forgive.
Have owned both, but my swift is the rifle that no matter what the cross hairs settle on, it dies. Have owned a few different swifts over the years, but the one that goes everywhere with me is my Ruger #1 V 26" wearing an older Burris 8x32 Signature with the posi lock. Also the stocks were changed to Bell and Carlson composite. The rifle is ugly as sin with faded camo tape and all, but deadly. 55 gr V Max and H380 stoke the fire.
jjmp
Well-Known Member
Skip, that's a tough question, and even though I'm a proud 220 swift owner ,I'm not that silly to put the 22-250 down . If you had the greatest gunsmith make both rifles exactly the same , bbls,actions, stocks , scopes & triggers and had the best benchrest shooter shoot them ,but had the identity of the cartridges hidden, then you'd have to get a great reloader to hand load for each . Then you'd get one of two answers, either a tie,Or one would edge the other slightly. For the record the Swift is not a barrel burner, shoot a 22 rim-fire long and fast enough and it will do just that , but let's let Common sense prevail and the truth stand , Cheers!!!.
Bruce Treloar
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2017
- Messages
- 182
I've worn out three 1 in 14 twist 22.250 barrels and couldn't get the pin point accuracy from these . Only set up I might try in the future is a 22.250 made on the small rifle primer Creedmoor case My shooting friend has a Swift he considers the ultimate 22. After two field shooting trips with him he admitted my 22 PPC was more accurate and scored hits further out than he could . My friend pulled the swift apart and that barrel is now a 22 PPC. The down side of the PPC is the case head being between the small and large case head but everything else is fantastic
The 222 Rem your friend suggests is just about the best 22 I have ever shot in benchrest competition or out to 350 yard field shooting. My cut off point is 30 grains powder in a 22 bore, nothing bigger. The 222 Rem Mag is the ultimate cartridge for a bolt action rifle if you want more than the 222. The 223 is quite suitable for an automatic rifle, it's designed for but the short neck limits it for longer bullets in fast twist barrels.
I just finished building a 788 Remington for myself chambered for 222Rem standard neck on one of my all carbon stocks completely solid carbon under the action so it won't change point of impact ever, topped with an old 10x Lyman scope This will reach 90% of the game I will come across in my shooting patch
Hairtrigger
Well-Known Member
I had a Ruger NO.1 in 220 Swift that looked like HELL. I bought it to rebarrel and chamber in 221 but when I got it home and fired it that ugly thing easily shot sub MOA. I used it as a truck gun for awhile and then was invited on a prairie dog hunting trip. I figured I would finish that barrel off. 40gr bullets at 4200fps using 4895. Brass did not like it and made loose primer pockets. After almost 2 days of shooting and returning home that rifle shot as good as ever. I used it on woodchucks for a few more years before selling it
I still have a NO.1 in 22-250 and M77 tang safety rifles in both calibers. Cannot control myself when I see a deal on a 22 caliber varmint rifle!
Who said 225!?! That is a fun caliber! I have not pushed it hard but have enjoyed this for years
I still have a NO.1 in 22-250 and M77 tang safety rifles in both calibers. Cannot control myself when I see a deal on a 22 caliber varmint rifle!
Who said 225!?! That is a fun caliber! I have not pushed it hard but have enjoyed this for years
That's a rabbit hole question, a good question never the less, but... with nearly no winner at the end of the conversation. With that said and from the .22-250 Rems and .220 Swifts I've personally owned over the years I'd go with the .220 Swift. Just my 0.2 on the topic. Cheers.
