.220 Swift Rifle Cartridge

[Urban Fox Control London 8]

I have read that the .220 Swift Rifle cartridge is the fastest commercially available rifle cartridge producing around 4,000 fps.

 

That is just over one second to travel one mile.

 

My question is, does anyone regularly use such a round and if so, what for?

[weejohn 3]

federal make the 40gr vmax @ 4150fps

http://www.hornady.com/store/22-250-Rem-40-gr-V-MAX/

i have used these for foxs/rabbits and are a great cartridge.

[jamie g 17]

its a foxing round mate. ammo and brass is alot harder to come buy then 22/250. well the 22/250 isnt as fast its a better choice imo.

 

thats stats for that round are old now and with the powders of today you could make it faster. you could get 4000 fps from a 40 grain bullet in 22/250 if you wanted.

 

so a swift im betting could get even more ith 40 grain.

[Wensleydale 0]

Used to run a Rem 700VS in 220 Swift. Loved shooting it, but replaced it with a Steyr Mannlicher L Varmint 22/250 as I could buy ammo in any shop which wasn't always the case with the 220 Swift, and used less powder when I reloaded. Both excellent on fox and vermin and I doubt that they could tell the difference. Regards Jim.

Edited March 6, 2010 by Wensleydale

[Deker 3,478]

It just isn't popular, and never was!

 

As has already been said, not your everyday calibre, either by need or availability.

 

22-250 is in the area, and some may say better, not sure what you are after, but I struggle to see either will have all that much use in fox control in your normal everyday urban environment!!

[garyw 0]

get a .22br mine at the moment is shooting 40gn blitzkings with h322 skipping along nicely at 4050fps this is in a custom rig beats the 22-250 hands down you could get the swift ackley-fied and get nearer 4200-4400 load depending but the barrel would last for 1000-1500 rounds at top accuracy even a standard swift is a nice rifle to shoot if a bit load sensative.

[clint 45]

I know .204 ruger and 22-250 has taken over 220 swift do & dont argument. Both do 4000 fps with the good bullet. 204 ruger can do with less recoil.

[RicW 67]

And just out of interest, the fastest cartridge is now the SMc 5mm/35. No factory ammo, strictly wildcat. It uses the Remington 6mm br case necked down to 5mm and has been chrono'ed firing a 29gr Berger at 4800 fps. That is not a typo, four thousand eight hundred feet per second, well over Mach4.

 

Apparently the Swift is popular with ghillies on the grouse moors for fox up to 500yds.

 

Ric

Edited March 10, 2010 by RicW

[ezzy6.5 0]

I had a 220 swift built on a LH sako action about 12 years ago and it was awsome. very accurate (but no more accurate than my .223) devastating on foxes with a 60gn bullet. flat as anything. i sold it because i was worried about it getting shot out, it didn't really give me anything over the 223, it was noisy as hell, used lots of powder, no chance of factory ammo anywhere.

Plenty of rifles capable of 4000 fps, but with that comes lots of copper fouling, throat errosion, powder consumption, bullets tearing themselves apart before getting downrange.

22,250 came later but was more popular.

I used a 17rem fireball @ about 3,900fps for a while it was great for foxes and absolutely no chance of ricochet. again sold it because i just keep returning to 223 @ 3200fps.

 

Ezzy

[Deker 3,478]

And just out of interest, the fastest cartridge is now the SMc 5mm/35. No factory ammo, strictly wildcat. It uses the Remington 6mm br case necked down to 5mm and has been chrono'ed firing a 29gr Berger at 4800 fps. That is not a typo, four thousand eight hundred feet per second, well over Mach4.

 

Apparently the Swift is popular with ghillies on the grouse moors for fox up to 500yds.

 

Ric

 

 

 

Where do you find this info???? ....and that ain't quick, I can throw a ball faster than that for the dog to chase

[RicW 67]

Well and good but can the dog catch it? Hypersonic JRTs are not that common under Kennel Club rules. 0 - 3500 mph in one second flat is a pretty damn quick dawg!

 

Ric

[andyf 144]

I have read that the .220 Swift Rifle cartridge is the fastest commercially available rifle cartridge producing around 4,000 fps.

 

That is just over one second to travel one mile.

 

My question is, does anyone regularly use such a round and if so, what for?

Right then:

Firstly yes 4,000 fps at the muzzle, but it's already slowing down, so no mile in under a second!

As for factory ammo, the truth is that if you don't have a .223, 22.250, .243 or a .308, no gunshop around the UK will have much choice if any at all, and

you'll be lucky to get the same brand/bullet twice in a row, so reloading for anything else is practically mandatory.

And so to the .220 Swift, in my opinion it really is the top limit of a factory cartridge, don't go there unless you buy a brand new VSSF Remy, as others

have already stated the 22.250 is acknowledged as the most powerful practical .22 centrefire on the market, even then I would steer clear of second hand

guns especially 'well used' ones with dings and so.

Also unless you go 'all the way' i.e. top grade brand new rifle and Nightforce/Leupold/Zeiss glass, you are heading for an expensive and frustrating trip

down dissapointment avenue.

I have had a .223 and two different 22.250's, both calibres are top notch, and in truth either are as good for foxing, at the end of the day top end kit

is what really makes the difference, not the calibre.

A sound .22 Hornet with a decent scope will out perform a dodgy .220 swift with an airgun scope every time, it's just that the swift costs £1.30 a shot the

hornet £0.45!

AndyF.

[swift270 1]

just reading all the post

new to the forum thing so bare with me

 

i have a 220 swift rem vssf 2 with a lei mod on the end scope 8-32-50 sidewinder and it shoots a 3/8 group of 5 at 100yard off a bonnet with a numbty like me driving factor norma load 50gr hollow point

 

it replaced my .223 cz

 

never looked back even thought the 220 is 58"from end to end its worth the wieght

 

my friend has one in winchester and he shoots out to 480 yard with his but he is good

 

love it and so do my friends but they all saye it will burn out the barrle after 2000 rounds

but who cares you only go this way once and if you want it have make your own mind up