SmallCaliberCentral

To all those out there who own this caliber please help me out. I have wanted one for years and am considering ordering a Rem 700 varmit SF with the stainless action. The rifle itself is still a current model but is not being produced at the moment according to one of my local gunshops so I will custom order it. I would just like to get a factory produced rifle while they are still in production.

I have heard wonderful things about the caliber. I have also heard from a gentleman I work with is that they are picky to reload for? I am new to reloading so I would stick with factory ammo for the time being. As for the bullet choice go light or heavier? Sorry if this is hodged podged together.

My Swift is an older tang safety M77V. It shoots very well with RL-15 and the Nosler 55gr BT, right at 3,700 fps, and has been bedded, floated and a Rifle Basix trigger installed. It rarely gets shot any more.

No big deal, but this is typical accuracy results from mine......there are much more accurate varmint calibers to be had:



That said, I wonder with all the great current caliber offerings, you'd opt for the Swift. Any one of my 204's will outshoot the Swift, do it with less powder, less recoil, less blast, flatter shooting, more accurate, has the ability to see the hits/misses through the scope, and have much less expensive and more available brass for handloading. There's a reason the Swift is a custom order proposition these days.......

Unless you just want a Swift for some nolstalgic reason or just like to trim brass (Swifts are notorious for stretching), I'd suggest a much more efficient round like the 22-250....does all the same in regard to field performance in a better, more modern and efficiently designed case, but with more available brass and factory rifles. Just a thought.

Thanks RIO. I have been juggling that thought in my head for quite some time. I would eventually like to own both calibers some day but doubt that will happen.

I don't know what intrigues me about the swift....
My uncle has a 6mm over the more popular .243 maybe being different just runs in the family .

I do own a 204 already and am making plans for another already.

Like RIO I have an older tang safety M77V. It was a real shooter but groups opened up and I put a new barrel on it last Fall. I haven't shot it yet but I'm sure it will shoot better than the factory barrel. After my wife created what's now a "perty" little scar on her eyebrow after ringing her head with the scope I went out a bought a Cooper 204R and a Cooper 20VT. The 20VT is now my go to choice, and the wife's favorite, but darned if I didn't go out and buy a Cooper 220 Swift. After this post I'll never get any respect from RIO but I enjoy shooting off the Swifts every now and then.

Cal

csand wrote:After this post I'll never get any respect from RIO but I enjoy shooting off the Swifts every now and then. Cal

Ah heck Cal, I enjoy shooting ALL my rifles every now and then. Some just get shot more than others.

And no respect from me? You with multiple Coopers in some of my favorite calibers, what's NOT to like or respect? We like-minded types have to stick together, after all, we all share the same passion. And as far as I'm concerned, a guy can't have too many rifles!

Of course you can never have too many rifles. For me its convincing the other half hehe

I was just joshin' you RIO otherwise I wouldn't have said it . You definitely appreciate a fine Cooper lineup. Not to change the subject, but what's your opinion on a few of the sweet 17's? I want to feel the "need" for a new Cooper in my future.

Cal

Well I have a rem 700 on order in the swift cartridge. I also ordered a 700 in 204. Let's see if the swift shows up. If not ill get the 22-250. Eventually I will have a few Coopers in my safe.

220 Swift is major "Old School". There are so many great .22 calibers out there. Hope it does what you need it to. If I was going for a .22 I would look hard at the 22BR. Have fun no matter what caliber a new rifle is always an adventure.

Bodei wrote:220 Swift is major "Old School". There are so many great .22 calibers out there. Hope it does what you need it to. If I was going for a .22 I would look hard at the 22BR. Have fun no matter what caliber a new rifle is always an adventure.

I have been reading up on the cartridge and comparing it to the .22-250 and each caliber has its own following. I guess the main reasoning for my purchase is that it is caliber I have wanted for 5 or 6 years(and I love small fast cartridges). My brother has a .22-250 and I opted to go a different route.

Well, sounds like you need a 220 Swift! Get it while you can, probably soon to be banned, sounds like a very EVIL cartridge !!!

savageboy: You're now just reading about the Swift? Well, after shooting and handloading for mine for many years, I'll just add that it is indeed very "old school", takes waaaaay too much powder to git 'er done, hard to come by brass, expensive too, semi-rimmed so it's an oddball to start with, obsolete case to boot with a shallow shoulder angle that's very prone to stretching (and not too efficient). It also requires a long action.....in a varmint rifle.

Go ahead and satisfy your "want", but you'd do much better with a more modern cartridge that burns less powder for the same performance and is easier on barrels. If you feel you "need" to burn in excess of 35grs of powder to achieve 3,600 fps with a 55gr bullet and love to trim cases......then go for it and ignore the fact that many more .224" CF cartridges have been introduced since the Swift reigned supreme......and for very good reason. Only nostalga or a wild hair would justify a Swift any more.....appears you've got a wild hair.

Rick in Oregon wrote:savageboy: You're now just reading about the Swift? Well, after shooting and handloading for mine for many years, I'll just add that it is indeed very "old school", takes waaaaay too much powder to git 'er done, hard to come by brass, expensive too, semi-rimmed so it's an oddball to start with, obsolete case to boot with a shallow shoulder angle that's very prone to stretching (and not too efficient). It also requires a long action.....in a varmint rifle.

Go ahead and satisfy your "want", but you'd do much better with a more modern cartridge that burns less powder for the same performance and is easier on barrels. If you feel you "need" to burn in excess of 35grs of powder to achieve 3,600 fps with a 55gr bullet and love to trim cases......then go for it and ignore the fact that many more .224" CF cartridges have been introduced since the Swift reigned supreme......and for very good reason. Only nostalga or a wild hair would justify a Swift any more.....appears you've got a wild hair.

Yes sir I have just started reading up on it now. I have known about the cartridge for years though. My time has mostly been spent on gaining more knowledge about the .223 remington and .204 ruger. I tend to like to do the opposite of most people hence the reason for the swift over the .22-250 or other .224"CF cartridges. If it takes more powder and trimming so be it. I love the sport of shooting and hunting if thats what it takes to get the job done....so be it. A wild hair would be a great way to explain my purchase yes but o well.

While I do not yet own a swift, if the right one comes along I will bye it. From the factory point of veiw , I have never bought a new gun that went down in value. Guns in my opinion are a excellent investment! My wife bought me a rem 700 BDL in 22-250 about 15 years ago. She paid around 500.00 today list on a BDL of any caliber is 998.00 They quit producing the BDL in 22-250 several years back. This gun will only increase in value. I will never sell it ,my kids can fight over them after I am gone! I have bid on some swift reamers and yet too own that. The 220 is a barrel burner. But we all love fast! Shooteers fourum I beleve has some good info on reloading for the 220. When the 220 came out it was a premere bench rest cartrage. as was the 22-250. I have to say good luck, I want one too. I gotta tel ya ,out to 400 yards my 204 isnt a slouch in comparison! Just my opinion!

Oh and savage on your post about owning a few coopers. I have to say I just dont get it. I am very handy though and can build a gun that will out score a cooper any day! They are beutifull guns and I think mostly due to the awsome stocks. The accuracy is better than the bigger factory guns ,OH IM in trouble here, with exception maybe? Savage! But for the price point ,I think you could have a good smith help you build a nice bench gun, that will make a cooper look sick! Sorry Cooper lovers just my opinion! I feel people are paying allot of cash for a nice piece of Walnut with a barrel runnin tru! I think they have cought on as most manufactures sell guns with weather proof stocks now. Weather proof my butt! While they are more stable bottom line is they cost pennies compared to fine walnut stocks! I will stick to wood and laminate stocks all day! I think a blueprinted rem 700 done right will make a cooper look sick at the range for the same cash or less!