220 Swift

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deerhunter61

deerhunter61

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Does anyone still make the 220 Swift? I have been thinking about purchasing one but someone told me that the gun makers are no longer making them and the only way I will be able to purchase one is to find a used one...not opposed to that but I would like to see what my options are if they are still being produced.

Thanks,
 
It's a 30 minute job to buy a cheap Savage or Stevens, and install a Shilen (or other brand) match barrel in 220 Swift.
 
if your not into the remingtons you can still find alot used rifles in 220 swift for a decent price or you can build your own. ruger made their m77's in it & win 70's were also availible, lot of benchrest mausers were built in it too. i have a 50's style mauser benchrest rifle in 220swift ai & i'm gathering parts for another one in 220 wotkins wilson arrow. its similar to a 220 swift ai but the neck goes farther back to increase the shoulder angle so normal 220 swift ammo will not chamber in the 220 wotkins wilson arrow
 
I picked up one in a pawn shop last fall. It was a remington 700 VS. It came with a sling, nice redfield scope and harris bipod. Paid 450 out the door. I have been very happy with it so far.
 
What's your goal? For small varmints, 204 Ruger may give you equally flat trajectory with less noise, cost, and barrel erosion. All I hear about 220 Swift is incredible noise and short barrel life.
 
Although it is pretty hard on barrels, a lot of what you hear will probably be from the early days of the cartridge; when barrel steel wasn't as good as it is now.
 
Though the Swift is a grand old cartridge and certainly a hellbender of the First Order - the .204 Ruger is definitely worth a serious look. My youngest son has shot numerous deer and hogs with it (head and neck shots) and swears by it. Just sent me a pic of a smallish (maybe 70 lbs.) hog he plugged at the base of an ear at 176 yds. per his rangefinder with the .204. Pic is too nasty to post though.:barf:

The Swift does roar, though.:eek:
 
Does anyone still make the 220 Swift? I have been thinking about purchasing one but someone told me that the gun makers are no longer making them and the only way I will be able to purchase one is to find a used one...not opposed to that but I would like to see what my options are if they are still being produced.
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Looks like Remington may be the only one still making it. But there are TONS of used Rugers out there. I've not been without at least one 220 Swift for over 25 years. My first, and dearest was a Ruger 77V with a 26" heavy barrel. I took quite a few deer with it and was fond of showing it off to hunting buddies by sparrows out of trees at 100 +/- yds. The rifle was extremely accurate and would run a 55 gr. bullet over 3800 fps. I sold it to a buddy who had been borrowing it for deer and decided he just couldn't live without it.
I also owned a Ruger #1-B. It was a nice rifle though not quite as accurate as the 77V. I sold it to a buddy who was a lefty. Fit him perfectly.
I currently own, and have owned since it introduction, a Rem. 700 Classic. I hunted with it some, and my wife took a deer or two with it. It too is just incredibly accurate. My best group ever was fired with this rifle. A 3 shot group spanning exactly 1.1"...and fired at 350 yds. It routinely groups loads under 1/2".
As far as barrels out, I wouldn't worry about it. That was a problem decades ago prior to the advent of modern steel. And I doubt the Swift is any more over bore capacity than the 204 Ruger.
Noise? I've fired several hundred rounds of 220 Swift through three different rifles and I don't find it any louder than any of my other 20 or so centerfire rifles.

Good luck with your decision.
35W
 
I believe you can still get a Ruger No. 1 in .220 but I'm not for certain.
 
i know a few people who have well over 1000 rounds out of their swifts without showing any signs of degrading accuracy. as long as you don't get it to too hot it will keep going for a long time.
i have right at $475 tied up in this one. its a columbian fn action, old fajen beaver tail stock, weaver k-6 with a litschert 12x booster & a cheapie a&b barrel. i haven't realy had time to work up any loads yet but i picked up a box of factory hornady 55 Grain V-Max ammo to use for fireforming some brass & it put them into 5/8" groups at 100 yards. i'm sure it will do alot better after i get rid of the military trigger, glass bed the action & start working up some loads.
220swift.jpg
the 220 ww arrow will be done in the same style
 
It is simply because I have wanted one for a while...I already own a .223 and a 22-250 so it is not like I need it for a specific purpose...I just wanted to add one to my smail collection of rifles.

What do you all know about the 6.5mm X 55mm Swede? I have been looking at this as well. I own a 7mm-08 and a rem 280. I am wondering how it would compare to these two rifles?

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR RESPONSES.

There is a Gun Show coming up week after next and I think I am going to look to see if they have either of these at the show for a good price.

And Dirtyjim that is a good looking rifle! Interesting scope.
 
220 Wotkins Wilson Arrow. That has to win the obscure cartridge award.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's a new one on me, and I've been known to scour an Ackley manual or two. Dirtyjim, you sure know how to build up a cheap but accurate rig - where do you live? Never heard of several things you mention, including that scope. What's "a&b" barrel?
 
The Ruger KM77VTMKII is available in 220 Swift, and is an excellent rifle Laminated stock, beavertail fore end premium recoil pad sling swivels, full adjustable trigger Mauser style non rotating control feed extractor, three position saftey, integral scope mount and rings, all steel bottom metal, phosphate Target Grey 26" heavy stainless steel hammered forged free floated and crowned barrel.

The trigger is a premium grade ,adjustable for over travel, weight of pull and sear engagement. Absoultley no creep and breaks clean.

With good ammo it is able to produce 1' groups at 100 yds easily.Quality handloads can cut this in half!

It is a good buy and if shopped for can be had for less than 700 bucks.
 
Weaver scopes have been around forever-I have a Weaver K4 that's gotta be at least 25-30 years old. A&B is a company that makes rifles barrels and barrel blanks-they have a large line of completed barrels for Savage 110s, for one. I have one of there 35 Whelen barrels on my 110 and am very happy with it.
 
My swift had well over 2000 rounds down the tube. Some were some very hot loads too with 40gr bullets. You just can't shoot and shoot and shoot untill the barrel is glowing red like you can with some other cartridges out there. Keep her cool and keep velocities off of max a tad and you will have a varmint vaporizing laser accurate varmint rifle. Mine was handed down to me from my dad who got it from his dad it was a Ruger M77VT with a jewell trigger set to 8oz and a Weaver k10 scope. That gun would shoot under 1/2" 5 shot 100 yard grops and I could nail a squirrel at 300+ yards with it. It loved a stedy diet of 52gr SMK on top of 4064. The 300 yard shots would still seperate a squirrels head from his azz in a red mist flying frenzy.
 
Yeah, that's a new one on me, and I've been known to scour an Ackley manual or two. Dirtyjim, you sure know how to build up a cheap but accurate rig - where do you live? Never heard of several things you mention, including that scope. What's "a&b" barrel?
Click to expand...
i'm just south of houston in alvin texas. i search for odd stuff & snatch up bargains when i see them. a&b is adams & bennett a budget line of barrels sold through midway. i paid $75 for the barrel. i figured since this rifle will probably only see 300 yards i would try out the a&b barrel & if it didn't work out i could sell it & still get most of my money back.the litschert booster was a common way to increase the magnification of a scope back in the 50's & 60's, they fit with the look of the rifle & are alot cheaper than a lyman or unertl target scope. i may fit a set of double set triggers to it.
i picked up the 220 ww arrow barrel for $16 & midway has the dies for it.
 
Z-Michigan said:
What's your goal? For small varmints, 204 Ruger may give you equally flat trajectory with less noise, cost, and barrel erosion. All I hear about 220 Swift is incredible noise and short barrel life.
Click to expand...
You will attain the same barrel life out of a swift as you will any other. Like any other, if you load to maximum for that 4200 fps, constantly, that life shortens
 
I have the remington vs SFII with fluted bull barrel. I reload and mine shoots clover leaf big holes at 100 yards. I'm at 1,000 rounds and it is still a laser. I will just swap out barrels once I shoot this one out. Shoot it till you can grab the barrel you will be fine
 
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