I have a rifle in need of a new barrel & I am considering a couple of different cartridges. I have decided on a 22 centerfire with a barrel length of atleast 26" & a twist of atleast 12". The two cartridges I am looking at are the 22-250AI & the 220 Swift.
I thought that I would put a poll out & see what the general consensus was. This rifle will probably see most of its use at the range & an annual trip out west for some prairie dogs & coyotes if the oppertunity comes around.

Question:
Which cartridge?

Choices:
22-250AI
220 Swift
Other (Please elaborate)

 

I voted Swift because I don't want to fire-form cases. But, you can't make a bad choice here. the .22-250 AI may be a more flexible cartridge for handloading.

My perception is that both the 220 Swift and the .264 Winchester Magnum seem to be enjoying a renewed interest from shooters.

I voted 22-250 ackley, less time trimming brass.

Swift.....standard rounds just make more sense.

Well since it will spend most of the time at the range I would leave it a simple 22-250. No forming, less powder and longer barrel life. My 22-250 is on it's second barrel. I've never had a feeling an extra 100-150+/- would make a difference.

If I was looking for a fast twist heavy bullet I would look to the AI, swift or TTH.

If I had to choose between the two a swift just because of it's history.

.223WSSM

I would think because of your desire for mostly range work that the 22br would easily be a better choice for your application. Better brass, just a little less velocity, certainly less powder, and certainly better accuracy potential.
Thats my 2 cents,
Cdog.

I'm a shallow reader

In the other catagory, I'd say go .223, perhaps ackley. Cheap brass, does alot with a little bit of powder, and in a heavy gun recoil is so mild you can shoot it all day long. Also longer barrel life. With a faster twist tube and heavy bullets it's a solid performer to 600 yds.

Can't think of a better platform to improve ones skills way out there.

I voted Swift.
I have both and love my 22-250ai with a fast twist.
I believe the Swift is what the 22-250ai is trying to be LOL

hvy barrel,

I voted for the Swift case as, in my view, there is no benefit to so called improved chambers. Also the Swift case is much stronger

While I voted for the Swift I would much favor a 6mm. Its the 6mm bore with its much quicker twists thats dominated longer range varmints and target shooting for half a century now.

My choice was and has been the 243 and now that the 55 and 58 gr bullets have been proven to work the 6mm overlaps the .224".

22-284, go for the gusto. Mine will shoot the JLK 80gr vld's over 3600fps and 1/2moa out to 600yds
22-250, moderation for the range
either way, get a 1:9" twist.
You can shoot the 80gr VLD-style bullets that way. I have a converted Savage 12BVSS. Went with the 223 to get the 9" twist fluted barrel, 26" long. Buy a 308 boltface and have it rechambered. Single shot action = better accuracy.

Rich
DRSS

I just got my 22-250 ackley back from my gun smith and shot 12-15 factory rounds thru it to make some brass and I cant believe how it shoots with them. I'm not sure it can shoot any better with the ackley brass over the factory loads. The factory loads are 45gr JHP on sale 40 rds for 20 bucks. If it will shoot any better with the formed brass i'm not sure i can shoot that good. Very impressed with the gun!!!!

22BR or 6BR with the edge going to the 6BR.

MSwickard,

ever wonder how they cut 3/4" off of the 6mm Remington case and then claim it increases the velocity? Me too...

Rich
DRSS

Not sure about increasing velocity, but the trend these days is a shorter chubby case. Since the 6 PPC made its mark in the Benchrest world and dethrowned the Duece every case now has to mirror it. I guess it all marketing. However, what this type of design has proven is you do not need big cases to reach a certain velocity. The cases are now more efficient.

Selma Hayek or Julia Roberts. I like Selma.

Selma

+1 220 Swift

9 twist 223. Three times the barrel life, cheap brass, all the performance and accuracy you can use outside of a full-blown bench rifle. JMO, Dutch.

I appreciate all of the suggestions & opinions. Please keep them coming.
The rifle I have has the 308/30-06 bolt face & I am just looking to change the barrel, so anything with a different bolt face size is not an option for me.

I voted for the 22-250AI.

The main reason is the brass lasts longer, and less trimming for the same loads. I load a 50 gr BT ~ 3800 fps for both guns. I have 6 different 220 swifts and 3 different 22-250AI.

As 7mm mashburn pointed out, the AI will shoot 22-250 ammo with the same accuracy when fire-forming the cases ( hits a bit lower ~ 1 inch @ 100yds), so it is easy to have a lot of cases on hand after a p-dog shoot.

If you do chose the swift, keep a case extractor with you on the p-dog hunts. I have had a few head seperation problems since I full lengthed resized the brass everytime. It would have helped if I could have kept the seperate brass for each swift, but when you are in the middle of shooting it tends to get mixed up.

Another vote fof the 22-250AI. I'm already partial to the 22-250 as I use it for utility purposes where I live. Great little round and if I change it, it will become an AI. R.

Looks like the Swift is widening its margin in the voting.

Any guesses why?

I've got a 22-250 AI and have loaded the brass 10 or more times. If you shoot and reload A LOT Ackley makes more sense. If you want a truly classic rifle (no plastic) to shoot occasionally the Swift would be my choice. Brass grows as much as .010" per shot! If you're looking to build a magazine fed rifle like a Mauser the feeding can be a real pain with the Swift.

gunmaker,

How does the brass grow when sized to the chamber?

I voted other. I have a 223 WSSM that smokes either the 22-250 AI or 220 swift. It shoots .25 MOA with a 40gr NBT at 4400 fps. This isn't a Max load.

DR B

quote:

I I have a 223 WSSM that smokes either the 22-250 AI or 220 swift. It shoots .25 MOA with a 40gr NBT at 4400 fps. This isn't a Max load.

DR B

You may want to double check that.
Looks like an overload per this
40 GR. NOS BT 40 H414 .224" 2.200" 47.5 4069 53,300 PSI 50.5 4301 62,400 PSI
40 GR. NOS BT 40 H380 .224" 2.200" 46.3 4114 54,300 PSI 49.3 4292 62,300 PSI
40 GR. NOS BT 40 Varget .224" 2.200" 41.0 4074 54,100 PSI 43.5 4278 63,800 PSI
40 GR. NOS BT 40 BL-C(2) .224" 2.200" 43.4 4190 56,400 PSI 46.2 4352 61,800 PSI
40 GR. NOS BT 40 H4895 .224" 2.200" 40.4 4121 54,300 PSI 43.0 4320 62,900 PSI
40 GR. NOS BT 40 IMR 4007 SSC .224" 2.200" 45.0 3745 46,500 PSI 49.0C 4089 55,900 PSI
40 GR. NOS BT 40 IMR 4320 .224" 2.200" 43.0 3979 48,700 PSI 46.8 4319 62,500 PSI
40 GR. NOS BT 40 IMR 4064 .224" 2.200" 41.0 3946 44,800 PSI 45.2 4362 62,500 PSI
40 GR. NOS BT 40 IMR 4895 .224" 2.200" 42.0 4010 45,200 PSI 44.7 4289 60,600 PSI
40 GR. NOS BT 40 IMR 3031 .224" 2.200" 39.0 3992 42,200 PSI 42.5 4334 63,400 PSI
40 GR. NOS BT 40 760 .224" 2.200
http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

Knowing what I know today I'd go for the 22-250 Ackley, but with a fast twist barrel for the heavy (69 grain and over) 22 calibre bullets. I would pass on a custom Swift simply because the case is semi-rimmed
In the FWIW department, I'm on my third 22-250 and am still happy with its performance on varmints, but I'd be happier if it bucked the wind a little better. I also shoot the 220 Swift and can see no discernible difference between it and the 22-250 in the field when using 55 and 60 grain bullets.

buckshot,

What problems does the semi-rimmed Swift case cause?

Thanks.

You have to align the rims in the magazine or they will hook and not feed. This isn't very hard to do, and I wouldn't like it on a cape buffalo rifle, but missing a shot at a coyote isn't the end of the world. I have never seen where a Swift needed any more trimming than any other high-pressure cartridge. I made mine into an Ackley chamber last barrel change.

Thanks jstevens.

A friend of mine loads for his .300 H&H and told me he doesn't have "brass growth" problems. So, I was wanting to understand why a Swift would.

Never dawned on me the rims would hook in the magazine box.

One final word on the Swift, don't believe all the common wisdom from ones who never owned one about how finicky it is to load for. I've had several and am on barrel no. 4 on my favorite, they seem easier to load for than a .22-250. If sized to fit the chamber, trimming is similar in all cartridges loaded to similar pressures.

.223

quote:

Originally posted by jstevens:
One final word on the Swift, don't believe all the common wisdom from ones who never owned one about how finicky it is to load for. I've had several and am on barrel no. 4 on my favorite, they seem easier to load for than a .22-250. If sized to fit the chamber, trimming is similar in all cartridges loaded to similar pressures.

Very true! I've never had trouble with the Swift when using reasonably sane loads. It is at the top end where trouble begins, and that holds true for all modern cartridge.

220 Swift

How available is factory ammo these days in your location?

I see slightly renewed interest in the cartridge.

quote:

Originally posted by CanadianLefty:
220 Swift

How available is factory ammo these days in your location?

I see slightly renewed interest in the cartridge.

It is available, but that does not concern me too much.

Prefer the .22/250AI. Much longer case life and fireforming is not an issue, just use factory .22/250 in the Ackley chamber it works fine and the brass comes out right.

Have two AI's, a 1:8 twist HB job chambered for 80gr MatchKings and a 1:12 for normal size bullets, they both work great.

Of the two you list I would chose the 220 Swift. Personally I like the 223. Lou

22 Dasher w/7" twist 28"Mine will shoot same velocity as my 22-250AI 24" with less powder and is more accurate.

I voted for the plain old vanilla 22/250 Hence an other vote.