Heavy load for 220 swift?

[Crab]

This is my little rat gun that I've owned for several years. It's a Ruger Mark II (ss varmint) that is in more or less stock form. I had the action trued/blueprinted, trigger (I believe a timney on this one), and bedded in a Boyd stock.
My buddy loads up 43grns of H380, WLR primers, and 50gr V-max bullets at 3900fps. This has been a great load for rats, but looking for samething with more of a splat factor on chucks. Do you guys know of a better load for the bigger varmints? I'd like to get more lead out there but know I'm limited and considering buying/building a 6mm. Heading to Montana in late June and hear it's pretty windy (never been there) and don't want to be under powered when I get there. Suggestion please!!

 

[WildRose]

Why do you need to go bigger? I killed a large White Tailed Doe this week with a 50gr VMAX Moly at 300 yards this week with a key hole shot through a hundred yards of Mesquites.

If you justt want to shoot bigger bullets you can and I believe you can find .22 cal VLD's up to around 70gr but I see no benefit to them unless you are going to be trying to shoot beyond 600yds.

 

[brentc]

Most factory twist guns aren't going to work well with the heavies. You would probably need at least a 1/9 twist to transition into the "heavy" .224 calber bullets.
That said, you might be able to get by with driving a 60 grainer hard, but I think that's probably tops.

 

[Freebore]

I shoot a 1-12 Douglas 27" and can stabilize the 69 Sierra's no problem using RL-22 at > 3300fps and have hit PD's at 700. My standard load is N-160 with 55 Bal-Tip at 3900, longest game kill, antelope doe 627 one shot. I'm pretty sure that the 220 Swift Savages are 1-12 factory FYI.

 

[joseph]

Most factory twist guns aren't going to work well with the heavies. You would probably need at least a 1/9 twist to transition into the "heavy" .224 calber bullets.
That said, you might be able to get by with driving a 60 grainer hard, but I think that's probably tops.

I have the same rifle as Crab, but completely stock. It shoots consistently under .5" for 5 shots at 100 yds. I shoot 55 gr. bullets at 3,600 fps to save the barrel.

I also agree with brentc that the 60 gr. bullets will be the heaviest you will stabilize.

joseph

PS: I had a 6mm norma BR. built by Kevin Rayhill of Stockade Gunstocks. Using .105gr. Berger VLDs and Varget it shoots 5 shots WAY under .5" at 200 yds. Here is one of the groups at 200 yds.

 

[BEAR CARAWAY]

i use 2 bullets for my 220 swift. a 40gr Noler B/T and sierra 52gr match hollow point. i use H380 for both bullets. both hit hard. to save the barrel i use the 52gr more than the 40gr. my gun a rem 700 bedded in a Boyds thumbhole and a new timmeny tirgger and a Ruger mod 77 old tang safety with a shielen barrel. both shoot sub .5 MOA at 100yds. both will drop crows past 300 yds with ease and deer at 300yds with neck shots all day long. it is a fun cailber to shoot... play with it and enjoy it for what it is..... fast and flat...Bear.

 

[chronic]

My 2 swift loads are 55g SBK with H380 at 4030fps and 64g Berger with 44.0g 4831 at 3609fps. This is with a 30" Hart barrel 1:12. Rifles shoots .1 to.2" 5 shot groups all day.

chronic

 

[joshiwa220]

I have the same gun and used almost the same load fr years. Then I tried the 60 gr vmax. They kill coyotes and rats much better. The bigger bullet fragments more and has a much louder plop when it connects. I used with reloaded 15 and got them over 3700 fps. I could get any other 60 grain bullets to shoot though. Idont think they would stabilize

 

[Crab]

Still here and taking it all in. Keep it coming! Ordering up another 500 rounds of brasslightbulb

 

[Crab]

Why do you need to go bigger? I killed a large White Tailed Doe this week with a 50gr VMAX Moly at 300 yards this week with a key hole shot through a hundred yards of Mesquites.

If you justt want to shoot bigger bullets you can and I believe you can find .22 cal VLD's up to around 70gr but I see no benefit to them unless you are going to be trying to shoot beyond 600yds.

Yep, looking for more range. I'm very confident with the loads that I'm using to 400yrds. Just want to cut the wind and carry it out there a litter further.

 

[WildRose]

Yep, looking for more range. I'm very confident with the loads that I'm using to 400yrds. Just want to cut the wind and carry it out there a litter further.

With anything less than a 1:9 twist 60gr is probably as high as you can go and still stabilize the bullet.

You might want to give the Nosler BT Varmints a try in 55 and/or 60gr.

http://www.nosler.com/Bullets/Ballistic-Tip-Varmint.aspx

 

[bushido2222]

Wind in a PD town is the single hardest factor to deal with. Most days your 220 will get the job done out to 300-400 yds. Some days it will work to 500-600 yds. Every once in awhile it won't work at 100 yds. Those days I break out the .338 ultra with 300 SMK's. Not joking

 

[Crab]

Okay!! I didn't want to sound foolish but I just had a 300RUM built and hasn't had a single shot through it yet.
Winchester 7mm STW converted
#5 Lilja barrel 9:1 Throated for 220g Berger
Pillar Bedded/free floated
Mcmillan Lazzeroni Thumbhole stock
Extended box to take the 220g VLD's w/hinged footplate
Pachmayr decelerator
Jewell target trigger set at 2lbs

I still haven't decided on what rail to put on it or glass. I have the Leupold 6.2-20 30mm tube 50mm bell varmint reticle with target turrets on my 220 swift. Considering putting it on the 300RUM and picking up a Vortex for the swift?? Any suggestions?

 

[WildRose]

Okay!! I didn't want to sound foolish but I just had a 300RUM built and hasn't had a single shot through it yet.
Winchester 7mm STW converted
#5 Lilja barrel 9:1 Throated for 220g Berger
Pillar Bedded/free floated
Mcmillan Lazzeroni Thumbhole stock
Extended box to take the 220g VLD's w/hinged footplate
Pachmayr decelerator
Jewell target trigger set at 2lbs

I still haven't decided on what rail to put on it or glass. I have the Leupold 6.2-20 30mm tube 50mm bell varmint reticle with target turrets on my 220 swift. Considering putting it on the 300RUM and picking up a Vortex for the swift?? Any suggestions?

I had the same scope on my 300 RUM when I bought it and it worked fine.

I then bought a 6-24x50 IOR and put it on the Rum and moved the Leupold to my .300wm. It's working great there as well.

If you're looking to shoot rabbit and PD sized game at extreme range you might think of going up to the Vortex in the 25x range but can probably get by with less. I've shot PD's out to 600yds with the 4.5-14x44 Conquest many a time and it was more than ample at that range.