220 Swift loads--opinions

Its why I always have a spare barrel hanging around

I also had a Ruger bull barrel 220 Swift. Shot IMR 4064 and 52 gr Speer HP. I only shot crows and ground hogs but it would scatter pieces. I quickly read through these post and did not see anyone mention this. You will probably be wasting your time trying to get the Sierra Blitz bullet to shoot in a 220 Swift. Too much velocity and as well as rotational spin will sling that bullet apart. You will probably see a gray puff between 50 and 100 yards. Tried them in a 22-250 with same results.

While I have burned up a ton of IMR4064 in Swifts I now use more modern powders. Try RL-16 I am having great results with it. With IMR4064 we would vary the powder charge with the temperature. Not so with RL-16.

Ok, I've had two 220 Swift's, 4064. And either 50 gr. VMAX, or Nosler ballistic tips got me groups under .5 moa in the one and H414 with 55 gr GB bullets did .5 moa in the other.

Long live the Swift!!
Load it like a Swift - that means 55s @ 3800 or higher. It really is tough to beat the old 4064, but 760/H414 gets a little higher velocity for me. I almost always load the 55 grain bullets - Ballistic Tips, Vmaxs, Sierras- whichever shoots good in your rifle.
Oh yea.... Pics or didn't happen !!!
Here's my Cooper Jackson Game

Sedan cowboy tell me your load for RL16 with 50's and 55's please

42.4 grs RL-16 with moly coated 50 gr V-Max. You better sneak up on that load. I don't run my Swift at 223 velocities.

Win brass, Fed GM210M primers
Nosler 55 Varmageddon Tipped and 43.4 H4350 OAL 2.831 Win M70 3879 fps 13 ES, 6 SD 5 shots less than .5 MOA
Nosler 55 Varmageddon Tipped and 41.5 RL16 OAL 2.78, 3896 fps, 1 ES, .71 SD 5 shots less than .5 MOA. Largest ES & SD with this load was 15 ES, SD 10.8 from a 10 shot group.
I started working with N150 powder and 50 grain bullets too, nothing solid to report yet.
In Colorado I made a wonderful shot on a coyote at 460 yards with the 55 Varmageddon and it did not exit, but I would guess that if it had been less than 200 yards it would have blown through.

All loads worked up by starting at 94% of max published data.

I had a 8# keg of H414 I got at a gun show years ago, so I tried it when I got a .220 Swift. I didn't chronograph it but it worked great for me.

I'm fortunate to have a Ruger 77V (on its second barrel) that shoots most bullets accurately. My favorite is the 50 Sierra Blitz with Varget or H4895 loaded to a muzzle velocity of around 3600-3650. I realize Sierra cautions against using this bullet at velocities greater than 3600, but I've never had a problem with bullets coming apart and I've been using this bullet for many years. However, the bullet blowup potential probably varies from gun to gun.

I have IMR4895 with very good results. I am surprised I have not seen it mentioned here

Several years ago I found a deal on a Ruger number one and 220 Swift, the wood was good but the bluing was worn not beat up just worn. I wanted to make that rifle into a 221 fireball but it shot so well I could not bring myself to take it apart
Are use that rifle onto prairie dog trips thinking I would need to have it re-barreled and make it a 221 then but it never stops shooting well
I continued to use it on woodchucks which I considered light duty shooting as rarely will I get two shots in a row

I have a 220 Swift from early 70's. 1-14 twist rate 24 1/2"barrel. I used Sierra 55gr Spitzer, IMR 4060 39 grs with Rem 9 1/2 primers. Group at .3 or just a little under that @ 100yds. This load is from the first Sierra Reloading manual put out. New manual is showing a 1-10 twist rate. I didn't do anything special work to the cases. The rifle is Mauser 98 action with a 24 1/2" bow barrel. The new Sierra Manual is showing a 1-10 twist rate, using IMR 4060 35grs, WLR primers. I don't know if this the reason they reduce the powder load with IMR 4064 because if the twist rate is changed. For years with reloading manual after the 22-250 and others come out. They have reduce the loads in the 220 swift slowing it down. I kind of feel they were promoting there new cartridge, trying to show it was faster than the 220 swift. I used this rifle on ground squirrels from 200yds to 400yds. It wasn't fair to shot the ground squirrel under 200yds. For ever a 220 swift man.
P.S. Started down the road with Snowy MT Rifles for my 6mm/06 A.I. build. Rem. 700 action. Bartelin 400 H.P. 30" in a 1-7 straight twist.

Gary in MD said:

Long live the Swift!!
Load it like a Swift - that means 55s @ 3800 or higher. It really is tough to beat the old 4064, but 760/H414 gets a little higher velocity for me. I almost always load the 55 grain bullets - Ballistic Tips, Vmaxs, Sierras- whichever shoots good in your rifle.
Oh yea.... Pics or didn't happen !!!
Here's my Cooper Jackson Game

View attachment 222797
View attachment 222799

Click to expand...

Nice lookin' rifle, except they put the bolt and cheekpiece on the wrong side. And how did you ever get that close to that dog in the bottom picture?

Reemty J said:

A buddy of mine has a .220 Swift and we are looking into doing some reloading for it, leaning towards a 50 SBK and either AA2700 or H-380.......looking at a load that will stay in a coyote. Open to suggestions as some of you forgot more than I know.....................thanks!!

Click to expand...

ReemtyJ ,

I have had a .220 Swift for 30 years , and I don't think that you will be able to get any loading to stay inside of a coyote , unless it is the original Winchester loading from 1935 - a 48 gr. bullet at 4110 FPS , and it would have to be a soft lead tip . That might not exit , but I think it probably would exit , and the .220 Swift wreaks havoc and carnage on exit wounds , with any bullets , except FMJ , and they are ineffective unless a brain shot or spine/shoulder shot .

DMP25-06