i am planning to have a 220 swift built.would a long action be ok with this?could possibly someone be so kind to suggest a action and barrel for this.i will be using this as a waling predator rifle. thanks

I have my prejudices and make no bones about it....they are mine!!!!
The swift should be built only on a push feed action. Not on a Mauser or pre-64 winnie!

All my use for the swift was varminting and single shot works good.....so any action length is fine.....shove it into a short action if you wish.

The long action will work too....but remember....to me it's a single shot!

Any good barrel manufacturer will do nicely for a barrel. Dougles, Shilen, Hart, Lilja, Pac-Nor, .....any of them.....lots of BS here...all of them work well if they're properly installed.

If I were to pick an action it'd be a Remington 700 short action.....or even a M-7 Remmy. The Savage wouldn't bother me either or the Howa. My last one was on a Win M-70 push feed and it worked well too.

Savage used to use a long action for 223

I have to agree with Vapodog on this one! My current Swift is on an old Ruger 77 Tang Saftey, and while the rifle is a tack driver, and I rarely miss with it, the magazine is to short for the OAL I wish to use. Most of the time I use it as a single shot. That said I wouldn't hesitate to build on the Ruger again, but I think the 700 Remington, etc, is the ticket. Just have the barrel installer cut the throat (oal), to suit your magazine, and no worries.

Good Choice

Jerry

I think the Swift is the best all-around factory varmint cartridge ever sold.

Vapo-Dog, I know you seldom say anything for which you don't have good and sound reasons. Why do you recommed only a push feed action?

The most accurate factory Swift I ever owned was a controlled round feed, standard configuration (not FW or Match) pre-'64 Model 70. That is both a very long action and a CRF. It would very, very, reliably put 50 gr. Norma factory ammo into less than 1/2" at 100 yards.

Not too coincidentally, the 2nd most accurate factory Swift I ever had was a pre-war M70-Match, factory fitted with TWO barrels...one a spare, obviously...same deal, CRF and a VERY long action. Used it a bunch as a crow-shooter in Saskatchewan.

Third-most accurate factory Swift? Hate to say this, but it was another pre-'64 Model 70 (this time the "Varminter" model with the heavy barrel but standard stock) which I used mainly when living in Alberta for long-range head-shot plinking of snowshoe hares in the middle of the long winters.

Anyway, they all worked well for me as CRF rifles, so you really have my curiosity aroused. What are the points that lead you to favor the push-feed for this cartridge?

I also had a tang safety M77 & would prefer it built on a long action especially if you plan on using bullets over 60gr.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
Vapo-Dog, I know you seldom say anything for which you don't have good and sound reasons. Why do you recommed only a push feed action?

My reasons have nothing to do with accuracy or with suitability. CRFs do this just fine with the Swift or any cartridge.

My reasons are solely based on safety.

Nobody ever built (or bought) a Swift that wasn't interested in the very last foot/second. This cartridge is also a reloaders special as I'll bet that 99% of all rounds from the Swift are reloads. Probably no other cartridge (other than AI) gets loaded hotter than the Swift and therefore is the one most likely to have an overload. I've had this happen in a M-70 push feed and a Remington 700 and in both cases the actions contained the rupturing case. Yes....I'm not talking about a hi pressure round.....they both were ruptured cases and I don't mean a separated head from excess headspace..... Either of these experiences would have destroyed the CRF actions as the case ruptures of both experiences would have allowed brass to flow to the inner receiver ring.

As with all cartridges there is a risk in reloading but with the Swift the chances go up and more than a little. Again based only on the propensity of reloaders to milk the swift more than they should.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with CRF actions and nothing at all wrong with the old .220 Swift. Both fine pieces of equipment. The world I shoot in however does not like CRF actions for varminting where one typically reloads to the max and may, in time, find some way to make a mistake. If I have a mistake I'd like it to be in a push feed action.

Remember Fjold's photo of a Savage push feed bolt holding a .308 case fired in a .25-06? It's this type of screw up I'm talking about.

Further the only advantage of a CRF action is related to reliability of feeding and the last time I was charged by a wounded prairie dog was many years ago and a .22 RF bearcat solved the problem!!!!

Boy Vapo's right on this one. The only time a CRF is needed, and this is in the mind of some guys, is when you are running and working the action upside down, while being chased by something that either wants to eat you, or stomp you, because you have pissed them off, LOL! actually I like the post 64 Model 70 push feed to build on as well.

Jerry

Jerry

quote:

Originally posted by Jerry Eden:
Boy Vapo's right on this one. The only time a CRF is needed and this is in the mind of some guys, is when you are running and working the action upside down, while being chased by something that either wants to eat you, or stomp you, because you have pissed them off, LOL! .

Jerry

Jerry

Well, I don't take those kinds of handloaders hunting with me that Vapo was speaking of! If they haven't got enough sense to load in accord with what their rifles are designed for, then they can go find their own hunting grounds...happy or otherwise. I go varmint hunting for fun, not to provide medical backup for some dolt who habitually overloads his gun.

As for "need", who the heck is talking about "needing" CRF for Swifts?

I have never had any problems with the numbers of CRF Swifts I have had, either from feeding or pressures. But then I only use properly sized cases with carefully assembled handloads in them....or factory loads, depending on what's handy at the moment the spirit moves me.

Right now, I only have 3 Swifts...a 1st year of production Ruger #1, a Riedl single shot rack and pinion operated falling block, and a flat-bolt Ruger M77-V. All work fine, and none are CRFs.

But, if I was to come across another CRF pre-'64 M-70 Swift at a good price tomorrow, it would hop right into my vault. The CRF feature surely wouldn't discourage me from buying and using it as it was meant to be used.

I have a swift on a SA Rem. and can tell you the action is too short if it's used as a repeater. One cannot stack the rims ahead of one another if the bullets are seated out where they belong. I seat them deep and can get two rounds in the magazine. My 22/250 will hold four and I sometimes need every shot I have coyote calling.

tnyotehunter

I think I'd stay with a shorter stiffer action. Any premium stainless barrel would work great. Since you said it was to be a walking rifle I’d be looking along the lines of a 4 to 5 contour 26â€. I would use a little faster twist to take advantage of some heavier bullets because I think that is where the .220 really shines. But I would also consider one other thing making it a .220 Wilson Arrow. With the sharper shoulder you will really make a big difference in your brass life. It will just match the Swifts velocity but you will have much greater brass life and you can just shoot regular .220 Swift ammo if you run out of your hand loads. That’s my two cents worth.

quote:

I would use a little faster twist to take advantage of some heavier bullets because I think that is where the .220 really shines.

10-4 there sir.....

I had an original Sako L579 in .220 Swift . Action and mag have plenty of length for the Swift with bullets seated out . Magazine box wasn't the standard .22/250 / .243 unit though . You won't go wrong with a Sako as a basis for your project if you can sort the magazine . The box was a very basic design and wouldn't be hard to manufacture .

If I were going to build a 220 Swift. I would use the Rem 700 Action & a Hart barrel.

m70 was the first rifle for the 220 swift and Bell had one that heused for deer hunting in scotland. he stated that it was the finest rifle he had used and its cartridge as well, but he was surgeon with bullets. in African rifle and cartridges by taylor he describes that bell shot a stag with a 48 grs bullet in the brisket at 300 meters. the stag fell too the ground after a few seconds. the little bullet had penetrated just an inch into the brisket ,but that was enough. my 5,6x57 is very fine with heavier bullets like 60-75 grs bullets and thats fine for me . perhaps it will be fine on impala and so one?

Pedro

I have an old short action Remington in .220, now AI that feeds fine, and I do of course stack the rims. Mine was done by Ed Brown years and years ago. It is better to use at least a 1 in 10 or 1 in 12 twist.