I want a fast .224 centerfire for a walking varminter and have decided on the .220 Swift because I like nostalga. My action thoughts are a M98 Mauser (because I already have the action), a Model 70 because that is where it started and would need minimal work), or a 1903 Springfield (because it is a 1903 Springfield). What are your thoughts?

The Mauser- after you check and see how it feeds the Swift case. The semi rimmed Swift case has been known to cause feeding issues with some actions. Most of the factory actions that were made as 220 Swifts have a different mag box, follower, spring, or a combination of to provide reliable feeding. Usually a tapered spacer can be added to the rear of the mag box to keep the rims staggered so that the top rounds rim is always ahead of the rim of the round below.

My Swift is built on a Savage 10 action. I don't know about feeding issues because it is a singleshot.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!!

I have owned and built numerous 220 swift rifles.

The pre 64 Win 70 is the easiest to convert as the proper parts are available. You need the short action extractor ring/bolt stop, ejector, follower and spring - 220S, 308, 243, 257R. Then you need the swift magazine box.

There are FN 220 Swift triggerguard/mag box assemblies out there, but they are rare.

To alter a magazine box for a Swift you need parallel angled spacers front and rear in the box, which puts the rim of the higher cartridge in front of the rim of the cartridge below it.

The 98 mauser, 1903 Springfield or pre 64 Win 70 would make a great Swift.

First rifle I built in gunsmith school was a 220 Swift. Since it was my first I bought a brand new FN action (I believe it cost $65 whole dollars) and a nice piece of English walnut from the store room and a good barrel,a Pfieffer I believe. The barrel was left 1 1/8" Dia 26inches. Stock was a marksman style and scope was a K12 Weaver in a Buehler top mount. Since we weren't taught much about feeding mods at the time and the Swift is only SEMI rimmed I did absolutely nothing to the magazine and feeding was perfect. With factory ammo (Remmington) it would consistantly shoot in 1/2". When I took it home to Mississippi I liked to show off by betting I could hit a dime at 100yds everytime. I never once lost. Killed lots of crows and feral hogs with it in the following years but the english walnut blank must have been totally wet as the forearm kept warping to one side to the extent that I finally had a 3/32" gap on one side of the barrel channel. Just kept scraping and shooting till I shot the throat out.

Do yourself a favor and find a std wt pre 64 mod 70 in swift with one of these shot out barrels you hear so much about. You will have a real gun when you rebarrel with not a lot of fuss.

That's really good advice Winchester offers. Another option would be a Ruger 77 in 220, and a rebarrel for that one.

Jerry

any of the 3 you mention would be great... my first choice would be the m70, then the springfield and then the mauser... or do like i did... find 1 already shootable built on a model 54 winchester... story goes that it started life as a 30/30.. rebarrelled to .219k zipper, then rechambered to swift....with a canjar trigger added somewhere along the way... wood refinished, looks great... a bargain at $450 with dies and 100 rds of brass...

Thanks for the advice, guys. I think I'll start hunting for a Pre-64 70 .220 Swift.

Before you rebarrel that "shot out" Swift, you might want to clean the tube REALLY well and shoot a few groups with Sierra 52 or 53 grain match over a stiff load of IMR 4064. I bought a Ruger 77V and a Remington 700 classic, both in the Swift and both "shot out". Wipeout is your friend.

It would be pretty sweet on a Springfield...