I haven't done a lot of varmint hunting in years.
My best hunting buddy was just transferred to New Mexico. This was a big loss for me but he called this weekend and said there is tons of prarie dogs to shoot. One town is over 7 miles long! I have a pre-64 varmint rifle in 220 swift and another in 22-250. I can't find the data on the swift. Is there a good no fail load for the swift with a 50/55 gr. load? I do not want to push the envelope with it just a reasonably fast load that is accurate. On the subject of bullets, moly vs. traditional? I was thinking of the Hornady Vmax moly for the swift?????

Id reckon moly without question, just make sure you get all the copper out of your barrel, absolutely sterile clean, then only use moly, dont ever put copper back through it or youll have to start again! You may find it takes 20 shots or so to fully run the barrel in with moly but its worth it. Less barrel heating in my experience, slightly higher velocities and hopefully less wear! In my 22-250 I use 50gr vmax moly with remington brass, federal match primers and H4895. Oh yeah and hopefully less cleaning.

Check the reloading pages on this board, several on there.

I consider the .220 Swift and the .22-250 absolute cannons for PD's.
Load em down and you should have a ball.Shoot one while the other cools.
7 miles, , let us hear how the shoot went.

lb404: Yikes on you using that rare and classic pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in 220 Swift on Prairie Dogs!
They only made 900 of those Rifles and I own 2 of them! In other words that is a very valuable Rifle you are taking afield there!
I encourage extreme caution using it or better yet buy another Swift!
Now to the loads for your 220 Swift and 22-250!
On my Swifts (they are all Remington and Rugers) that I use on Prairie Dogs. I prefer to use the wonderful Sierra Bitz bullets in 55 grain weights for Prairie Dogs! Please try this humble and often overlooked bullet - you will be impressed! Dittoes in my 22-250's that venture into Prairie Dog land - the 22-250's and I, love the Sierra 55 grainers.
The Sierra Blitz bullets are very accurate, affordable and frangible (safe) in the field! They are also very lethal on Prairie Dogs.
My Swifts are all 26" barrelled models as is your pre-64. I prefer IMR 4064 powder in my Swifts and prefer as well the Federal 210M primers.
Best of luck preparing for your new venture!
Now remember to try the Blitz bullets! You will not be able to see the terminal effects of these bullets while doing load develoment but take my word for it they will impress you once you get into that BIG Prairie Dog town!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

my standbys are 22/250 38.5 gr H380 and a 55 gr nosler BT 220 swift 44 gr H414 and a 50 gr nosler BT

Thanks folks, I love my Swift. I am a pre-64 Model 70 c0llector and dealer. The one i have is in mint condition and I removed it from its original stock and bedded it in a McMillan stock so I can shoot it. I want to shoot relatively mild loads in both the 2d20 swuft&22-250. I would like to use the same bullet in both 50-55gr. at about 3650 f/s. That velocity should be ample for the 200-350 yd. shots. I figgure there are so many deogs out there that extra long shots won't be necessary - just move on a bit. My 22-250 is a pre-64 action with a takeoff Remington fluted barrel and it shoots very well

lb404: I have a few pre-64 Winchester Model 70's that I use for Varminting myself.
I find these actions and Rifles are capable of VERY good accuracy and of course they ARE one of the most beautiful and reliable actions ever made!
In additon to their strength they are also one of the safest Rifle actions in existence!
The cocking piece is easily seen and ascertained as to condition! The safety lever is VERY positive and next to impossible to "accidentally" disengae, and the safety very reliably keeps the loaded arm safe! The chamber is easily viewed and the shooter KNOWS if a cartridge is in the chamber after looking into the breech!
I love the old Model 70's!
I collect them as well as Hunt with a few of them. I am currently Hunting with two Varminters in 243 Winchester and I have a full custom Model 70 in 240 Weatherby Magnum!
Long live the Riflemans Rifle the pre-64 Winchester Model 70!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy, You are preaching to the choir. I hunted a varmint 243 for years and in a fit of lunacy sold it to a friend that is still shooting it. I have a buddy that has a varmint weight 240 Weatherby, infact he has two.

Any 50 Gr. quality bullet with 39.0 Gr. of IMR 4064. I use V-Max and Blitzking.

My favorite loads for my 22.250s are as follows:

Ruger VT: 34.5 grains of Reloader 7, and a 40 grain bullet... MV 4350 fps... one grain over load data in Lyman Reload Manual Number 47.....

Winchester Model 70 with a heavy magnum barrel stainless steel from PacNor... 28 inches in length....25 grains of IMR 4198 with a 52 grain Speer HP....MV is only 3400 fps, but it acts like a hot 223, and this load will extend the barrel life of this tack driver....so I stay humble with it....factory stock....

I originally bought this rifle with a dinged factory stock and a shot out 22.250 barrel ( not the original) for $300.00... action is bedded etc... bought it to add the new barrel to it.. I may eventually re surface the stock... but right now it looks like it has been a real prairie dog field battle cruiser... I like that!

cheers
seafire

I used 30.5gr of IMR 3031 with a 55gr Nosler Ballistic Tip in my 22-250 with great results on prarie dogs last year.

quote:

Originally posted by lb404:
Thanks folks, I love my Swift. I am a pre-64 Model 70 c0llector and dealer. The one i have is in mint condition and I removed it from its original stock and bedded it in a McMillan stock so I can shoot it. I want to shoot relatively mild loads in both the 2d20 swuft&22-250. I would like to use the same bullet in both 50-55gr. at about 3650 f/s. That velocity should be ample for the 200-350 yd. shots. I figgure there are so many deogs out there that extra long shots won't be necessary - just move on a bit. My 22-250 is a pre-64 action with a takeoff Remington fluted barrel and it shoots very well

I agree ib404, I have a M70 1947 k hornet, 1949 Swift, 1949 Bob, and a 1955 rebarreled 22-250. I bought them to shoot, and I do it with much pleasure. The 2 1949ers are in exellent original condition. They are worth far more to me than I could sell them for and I would be hard pressed to get a new rifle for their collector price that shot as well to replace them. By the way, I would never put seat covers on a new car so the next guy that bought it could enjoy the new seats either.

quote:

Originally posted by lb404:
Thanks folks, I love my Swift. I am a pre-64 Model 70 c0llector and dealer. The one i have is in mint condition and I removed it from its original stock and bedded it in a McMillan stock so I can shoot it. I want to shoot relatively mild loads in both the 2d20 swuft&22-250. I would like to use the same bullet in both 50-55gr. at about 3650 f/s. That velocity should be ample for the 200-350 yd. shots. I figgure there are so many deogs out there that extra long shots won't be necessary - just move on a bit. My 22-250 is a pre-64 action with a takeoff Remington fluted barrel and it shoots very well

Well I have one you could try with the swift in 50 grain using the Nosler Balistic tip



40 grains H414 Win cases Win primers 50 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip


Ave velocity taken 15 feet from muzzle 3784 fs
High velocity 3795 fs Low velocity 3776 fs. Group size .756 5 rounds. This load is consistant with velocity.

Max listed powder charge from Hodgdon is 44 grains with H414 so you are not quite 10% lower for a starting load. You might be able to get the velocity you want with a grain or two less.

This load in my rifle is very mild I just have to start working on it to tighten up the groups. Been working a bit too much need to shoot and load some more.

Hope you find a load that works for you in that fine M70 220 you lucky bugger.

Both of Jay Johnson's and Butchloc's loads reflect my experience. 55 grain Sierra with 43.5 H414 or 39 gr. or 4064, these are classic .220 Swift loads. You'll burn up the barrel pretty quick with a .22-250 or Swift on a dog town that's miles long, ought to grab a .223 for the close shots.

quote:

Originally posted by jstevens:
Both of Jay Johnson's and Butchloc's loads reflect my experience. 55 grain Sierra with 43.5 H414 or 39 gr. or 4064, these are classic .220 Swift loads. You'll burn up the barrel pretty quick with a .22-250 or Swift on a dog town that's miles long, ought to grab a .223 for the close shots.

Jstevens is right a dog town is a very fast way to burn up a Swift. I only use mine on Rockchucks for the most part. My .223 VSSF is the work horse when it comes to the PD fields.

I've found 38.0 gr of IMR-3031 with CCI-200's in W-W brass gives great to phenomenal accuracy and velocities from my Mark I 77V. I shoot paper with Hornady 52 gr. HPBTM's and vermin with 50 gr. Nosler BT's.