This is my first venture into the world of the 220 Swift and I need a little advice. I am shooting Hornady 55 gr. off the shelf ammo through a pre-64 M70 topped with a Leupold VX III, 6.5x-20x, 40m AO with a varmit reticle.

I started in the sight-in process yesterday with temps in the mid-teens. Once I got the rifle shooting on paper I felt pretty good but I am not where I want to be. My questions are:

1.) given the temps generated by the 220 load, how much time should I wait between shots?

2.) the scope is set to zero in at 200 yards. What is a respectable group for that rifle (1955 build w/oroginal barrel) shooting over the counter ammo at 200 yards from a benchrest?

Lastly, any advice getting this set-up dialed in? (Reloading is not really an option for me right now).

Thanks

Thanks, Vapodog. How do you think that particular load will work for coyotes? Is a 55 gr. bullet more than necessary for them?

Thanks again

I have owned many 220 Swifts and all but one were pre 64 Win 70's. The first thing with a used Swift is to thoroughly clean the bore and I mean get the copper and other fouling out. You will be amazed at the accuracy difference in a "shot out" Swift after it has been cleaned.

Also screw torque is an issue. Snug up all screws with lots of room left to tighten. Tighten the front action screw first and very tight. Tighten the rear screw next and equally tight. Tighten the middle screw about half as tight as the other two. Tighten the fore-end screw fairly tight and then loosen and just turn it in until it stops.

Now to get it's potential, you have to reload. Use 52 gn Sierra HPBT MatchKings .015" off of the lands and IMR 4064 powder. Find your sweet spot between 35.0 and 36.5 gns. I use Win cases and CCI-200 primers.

If you can't get half inch groups have it bore scoped. If you need a new barrel, I know a guy with 3 or 4 as new take-offs. I don't think a round was fired through a couple of them.

One last point is Swifts will group tight for a few shots and then they are going to open up. The case is just overbore and fouls easily. I now shoot a 1:8 twist 223 Rem pre64 70(a salvaged 222 Rem Hornet conversion). It will blow a Swift away and is still match axccurate @ 600 yards.

quote:

How do you think that particular load will work for coyotes? Is a 55 gr. bullet more than necessary for them?

I should be devastating!

BTW...the comments by airgun 1 are very good and appropriate.

Thanks gents. This is exactly what I was hoping to learn. I know that I need to give the bore a thorough cleaning - hopefully this weekend when I get back home.

Gotta tell you that I am VERY suprised at the report of the rifle. REALLY loug and precussive and a lot of muzzle flash. I put on quite a show for the guys sitting down a couple of benchs who were sighting in their ML's.

By the way, the scope is wonderful to use. (Heck of a lot different than the Leu 4x and 6x on my big game rifles. Crystal clear optics and bright even in low light.

55's wreck coyotes in short order it will suprize you out to 300 yards on how much damage the 55's do to a song dog. If you want to try to save pelts see if you can find some 40 grain loads ( Winchester Supreme in the black box)The 22-250 is much more popular and eaiser to find ammo for but it aint a 220 swift weclome to the club. If you realy want the most out of it though you will have to look into reloading in the future.

quote:

Is a 55 gr. bullet more than necessary for them?

Out of a Swift? It’s more then enough.

Hornady makes several loads, including a 40 gr V-Max bullet. I'll buy a box and give them a try. 4200 fps at the muzzle and still almost 1800 at 500 yards.

A related question: the scope adjusts for windage and elevation @ 1-click for 1" at 100 yards. So what will 1-click do at 200 yards? (Since the charts say the 40 gr loads will be .60 high at 100-yards, should I zero in .60 high at 100 and that should give me comparable groupd at 200-yards)? My shooting range has a 300-yard back-stop and eventually I want to be able to shoot accuratly out that far.

Doublegun: Sights including scopes are adjusted in the term minute of angle. A minute of angle @ 100 yards will be equal to 1". A minute of angel @200 yds, will be 2". Just multiply the bullet movement in inches, by the number of 100 yds. So if you move the scope 1 click, and that equals 1" @ 100yds, one click will move it 2" @ 200yds or 5"@500yds.

The only bullet I shoot in my Swift is a 55 Nosler Ballistic tip, with 38 grains of RL15 and traveling over 3800fps, it is devistating on coyotes. In fact out to 300 yds or so you'll find it hard to beat the Swift for coyotes or any other critter of similar size.

But handloading is the way to go with the Swift for best performance.

Jerry

What is a .222 Remington Hornet?

My pre 64 Win 70 was originally a 22 Hornet from the factory. Somewhere along the line they opened up the bolt face a little and rechambered the barrel to 222 Remington. The model 70 22 Hornet barrel is 1:16 twist. That twist is totally unsuitable for a decent 222 or 223, as you are limited to 40 gn bullets. I didn't word that post very well.