What are the major criteria in deciding whether to build or buy a .22-250 Remington or a .220 Swift for varmint/predator hunting?

Thank you.

Buliwyf

I tend to like things that not everyone has but yet not so uncommon that it gets real expensive and difficult.
If you are building I would go with a 22-250ai and a 1 in 8 twist.
If you buy I would go with the classic, 220 Swift, which many other 22 calibers are compared to

Thanks Hairtrigger! That's the encourage I needed. I've always wanted a .220 Swift.

B

Me personally ... I'd order a new Savage VLP-S in 22/250 with 1:9" barrel (already done!) and get another Savage barrel to rechamber to 220Swift ... then I'd swap between the two and totally enjoy trying to work out which I prefer.
Cheers...
Con

Con,

That is an interesting idea.

B

quote:

Originally posted by Con:
Me personally ... I'd order a new Savage VLP-S in 22/250 with 1:9" barrel (already done!) and get another Savage barrel to rechamber to 220Swift ... then I'd swap between the two and totally enjoy trying to work out which I prefer.
Cheers...
Con

roger

quote:

Originally posted by Buliwyf:
Con,

That is an interesting idea.

B

Mate,
You guys are lucky having Midway and Brownells! I ordered an action wrench and barrel nut wrench from Midway through a third party (Midway wont send OS) and will build my own barrel vice. I think Midway has a sale on the wrenchs for like US$19.95 ... lucky buggers!! Just beware ... Savages are addictive because they take the gunsmithing costs out of many of your projects.
Cheers...
Con

I have spent enough time shooting 220S and 22-250 to know that I would rather build my 6th .223 than mess around with throat burning, diminished velocity returns from the larger cases.

22/250 is one fine cartridge everybody likes it, BUT it just ain't a swift aswift is a swift is a swift there just isn't anything like it. By the way did mention where I had the 220 swift tatoo?

Buliwyf, do you reload? I have 6 guns in the 220 swift Remington,Winchester,and Rugers. They are all accurate, the only problem that I have had is with head seperations after about 3 reloads.
I shoot the same loads in each gun and full length resized the brass everytime.

I now shoot a 22-250AI most of the time now. The reason being the brass lasts a lot longer (at least 8 times before case shows any issues) and I have the same velocity as my 220 swifts.

Also, 22-250 ammo is easy to find if you run out of the AI loads.

Something to consider.

If I was looking for a hot .22 centerfire and I've had several, I would go either .220 W-W arrow or something like .22-.243 middlested or .22 cheetah. I had a .220 swift and I got damn sick of the brass not lasting very many reloads, so I went to the w-w arrow and in my opinion is what the swift should have been all along. I have since sold that gun, but still have the dies incase I ever need to scratch that itch again.

But out of all the .22 centerfires that I have owned, I only have a .223 remaining. It seems to ask me to be rechambered in .223AI...

I do reload, but I don't know much about the more wild wildcats like the .220 W-W Arrow or the .22-.243 Middlestead.

I am familiar with the .22-250AI. Would you expect good case life out of a .223 WSSM?

B

The .220 wotkyns-wilson arrow is a swift with a steeper shoulder angle, it doesn't really improve on the balistics a whole lot but the cases last much longer. Downside is you cannot just fireform .220 ammo.

The .22-.243 middlested is is .243 cases run through the full length sizer die and it will easily do 4000 fps as it has about 5% or so increased case capacity over the swift...

The .22 cheetah is a 308 benchrest case necked to .224 with a 40 degree or 28 degree shoulder on it, depending on which verson you have.

I have no experience with the .223 wssm, so I cannot answer that question.

Have shot a lot of Swifts and 22-250s too. Also play with 22-6mm.

Am partial to the Swift.

Try just neck-sizing to avoid head separations.

Or adjust your barrel headspace.

Hammer

How about a couple of 220 Swift pics for inspiration?

Great marketing strategy Hairtrigger! I feel the inspiration!! Plus, good looking bench.

B

Yes, Hammer I agree. Neck sizing would improve this. I did this for awhile, but with all the guns I had and in the middle of shooting p dogs I would mix up what brass went with what gun.

As far as the .223 wssm goes I haven't shot this gun. The only thing I heard second hand is that the brass is rather thick, so the loads need to be on the hot side to ensure the case seals in the chamber.

Best thing is to find someone who has one and ask if they will let you shoot it a few times.

Had both . If you buy a Swift you'll never be happy with a .22/250 thereafter .

I have a ruger #1 it started life as a swift but went strait to the smith and was rechambered in 220 weatherby rocket. You can fire factory ammo. Case capacity if I remember is 1or2 grains less than a 6mm rem. case and I shootin 50 gr. ballistic tips at 4250. Like was said before "If you start with a swift you'll never buy a 22-250"

I'm selling a custom 220 swift if any one is intersted. vz 24 action, douglas xx barrel 26 inch, timney triger with side safty and it is glassbedded in a fagen ace varminter. dukeb@airquick.net

With 4 Remington Swifts in the gunsafe, you could kind of say I am partial to them. I am up to 6-7 reloadings on my brass and have not had one case seperation. Lee collet dies are a big plus to neck sizing along witha Sinclair neck turning tool. Swifts Rock !!!!!

For the little gained in a 220 Swift in velocity, I just can't see the hassles associated with its brass alone, worth the effort over the simple 22.250...

I just didn't need a 100 fps or so more velocity that much I guess...If I did, I'd do a 22.243....and I don't think that is worth the effort really, for the few times I would use it...

But I would take a 220 Swift any day over a 223 WSSM any day....I just prefer something with a track record.. and johnny come lately cartridges usually don't do much better than what has been around already.. especially when it comes to case design.. wildcats on existing cases are okay... reinventing the wheel so to speak with a "New" case is just ridiculous in my book...

I have some 22-250's, right now the pride of my safe is 2 1949 M70's. A Swift and a Roberts. They are all like women, the latest one you get is always better. I like the Swift over my 22-250's now, but just wait till I find the next classic and they may feel neglected.