Rechambering a .225 Winchester to .220 Swift?

[mgmorden]

Hey guys - I've got a Winchester 670 in .225 Winchester that I've had for a while now (about 9 years). I like the gun, and I have no issues reloading (I handload all my ammo anyways) but in that span since I got it brass has gone from "difficult" to find to virtually impossible. I've got exactly 41 pieces of brass for the gun right now.

I had contemplated rebarreling the gun but by the time all that is done I'm basically up to the cost of a new rifle (or about 2 "budget" rifles).

Another option that popped into my head recently: rechambering to .220 Swift. I know I'd need to swap out the magazine box and follower to accommodate the longer round, but other than that from what I can tell the .220 Swift looks bigger in every dimension than the .225 Winchester and they have the same diameter rim.

Am I missing something or is this a viable option?

Thanks!

 

[BigBore45]

I'd just find some brass on gunbroker or something of the like and stock up for good

 

[MachIVshooter]

Another option that popped into my head recently: rechambering to .220 Swift. I know I'd need to swap out the magazine box and follower to accommodate the longer round, but other than that from what I can tell the .220 Swift looks bigger in every dimension than the .225 Winchester and they have the same diameter rim.

Am I missing something or is this a viable option?

I think that would be a good way to go. Swift brass isn't exactly cheap or commonly available either, but the round has a following, and new brass is still made by Remington, Winchester, Norma, Hornady and a couple others. The round itself remains king of the hill among .22 centerfires, of course. I generally load down a little, running 55 grainers at 3,900-3,950, splitting the difference between top .220 loads and top .22-250 loads. At this reduced pressure, case life is excellent.

 

[LoonWulf]

Hey guys - I've got a Winchester 670 in .225 Winchester that I've had for a while now (about 9 years). I like the gun, and I have no issues reloading (I handload all my ammo anyways) but in that span since I got it brass has gone from "difficult" to find to virtually impossible. I've got exactly 41 pieces of brass for the gun right now.

I had contemplated rebarreling the gun but by the time all that is done I'm basically up to the cost of a new rifle (or about 2 "budget" rifles).

Another option that popped into my head recently: rechambering to .220 Swift. I know I'd need to swap out the magazine box and follower to accommodate the longer round, but other than that from what I can tell the .220 Swift looks bigger in every dimension than the .225 Winchester and they have the same diameter rim.

Am I missing something or is this a viable option?

Thanks!

the Irony amuses me greatly

I like the idea, but then ive always wanted a .220 swift.

 

[farmerboy78]

I don't see why not,I've had a 6.5x47 rechambered to 6.5 creedmoor and a 22-250 rechambered to 22 middlestead

 

[Merle1]

How does the rim size of a .225 compare to a Swift? Could be a bolt face issue.....

 

[morcey2]

How does the rim size of a .225 compare to a Swift? Could be a bolt face issue.....

They both have the standard .473" rim, I think.

Matt

 

[Jim Watson]

Like he said:

they have the same diameter rim.

They both have the same design philosophy, an odd diameter parent case with rim diameter fudged to fit a standard bolt face.

It would take some math or same scale drawing overlay, but it looks like the Swift would clean up the .225 chamber. Even though it has a smaller shoulder diameter, it is much farther forward and the taper probably accounts for it. I would do the figuring before I reamed, though.

 

[mgmorden]

It would take some math or same scale drawing overlay, but it looks like the Swift would clean up the .225 chamber. Even though it has a smaller shoulder diameter, it is much farther forward and the taper probably accounts for it. I would do the figuring before I reamed, though.

Yeah right now I've only been looking at the numbers on a diagram. Before I take the plunge I'm going to try and sketch them both out in a CAD program and overlay it so make sure the .220 Swift completely covers the .225 Win, but just from ballpark calculations it looks like it's good.

Truthfully I would have strongly preferred to go to .22-250 but looking at the dimensions it was pretty obvious that it wouldn't work.

 

[SwampWolf]

I'd just find some brass on gunbroker or something of the like and stock up for good

I agree with this advice. It would seem to be a lot cheaper and more practical to find (admittedly, it might take some diligent searching) a supply of .225 brass and buy as much as you can manage than to rechamber your Model 670-and still have to buy Swift brass. Obviously, if you literally cannot find any source for affordable .225 brass, then rechambering to another cartridge would seem to be your only option.

 

[mgmorden]

Well, if I do go down the rechamber route I checked the dimensions and I'm good. The .225 dimensions to come within 0.001" of the .220 Swift dimensions right before the .225 starts to neck down, but it does still fit wholly within the new chamber:

 

[Jim Watson]

That's pretty tight, assumes that the .225 chamber and the .220 reamer are right on spec. Good luck.
Might look at the Texas Trophy Hunter, a 5.56x57, the 6mm Remington necked down to .22. Oh wait, 6mm or even 7mm brass is itself hard to find.

 

[farmerboy78]

cool! think about the 22-243 middlestead... it easily runs a 75gr @ 3400fps and uses reformed 243 win brass. reforming is simply done by running a 243 win case through a full length sizing die and presto! it ends with a longer neck and sharper shoulder angles.