Okay, here's the deal. I have about $750 to spend on a rifle and I have my heart set of a .220 Swift. I could live with a 22-250, but the Swift is what really gets me excited. Everyone and their dog has a 22-250...the Swift is a bit more unique and exotic. My second choice would be a 6mmRem, but let's talk about the Swift for now. Anyway...

The only majors I can find that catalog it are Ruger and Savage. Neither is thrilling, but either would do okay I guess. Between the 2, I would probably go for the Savage because it lists a 1:12" twist and I would have cash left over for a start at a good scope. Stainless is preferred, but not fixed in stone.

I could buy a M700 (or any of several others) cheap and rebarrel, but that would be hard to keep in the budget. Same for a M70 (my first choice) except for the whole USRAC thing right now.

This is to be a knock around coyote/cull deer/jackrabbit/range plinking rifle. 1:10" or even 1:9" twist would be nice for heavy bullets on the deer culls, but 1:12" in the Savage should handle 53gr TSX and 60gr Nosler Partitions okay I think...

I'm looking for suggestions on other brands I should be looking at, and anything else I am missing consideration upon. Price is pretty firm, unless I start selling other toys, so keep the budget in mind! It pretty much eliminates many of the 'better' choices.

Thanks in advance!

Maybe buy any savage long action used, and buy a new take off .223 barrel with a 1 in 9 twist to have rechambered? Lots of good quality savage and stevens take-offs on E-bay or classified section of savageshooters.com.
Add a fancy aftermarket stock and you could still be under budget. Or you could spend just as much on a finished project from another manufacturer. I prefer projects, and I trust Savages to be accurate. Tools to rebarrel a savage are cheap, Barrel nut wrench, Barrel vise, and a Go-gauge or resized case. The 110 I just rebarreled with a take of 25-06 shot 0.693" at 100 with the first handload I tried! Its too early to tell if that was a fluke.

CDH, if I was goin' there I'd do Ruger. Probably more votes coming for the Savage...but damn, I just can't wrap my mind around the barrel nut thing. And I don't like the layout on their safety either. That's me. The Swift is a beaut, no doubt about it, and some of the reports I've read would indicate it's a toss up on accuracy between the two rifles.

Well, the only other thing is that I'm also a little antsy about using .22's on deer. I know they will work given proper placement, and don't overlook the Nosler Partition either. 60 grains. I picked up a Rem 700SA not long ago, with the same thoughts as yourself, a knockabout multi-purpose shooter. Was a .22-250...I let it grow up into a .250-3000 Savage...shoots in the .4's with BT's and to my great pleasure it REALLY likes the 100 gr. Partitions. Good luck regardless!

Long Live the .250-3000 Savage!
Hold less into the wind!
Long live Winches...er, nevermind.

CDH:

Here's a little info about the Ruger 220 Swift, that I have learned over the last 32 years. I had Ruger rebarrel my Swift in 1995, after I wore it out, and it shoots better than the original barrel. Most every time I shoot this rifle I get a 3 shot group in one hole. The load 38RL15/55 Nosler Ballistic Tip/3850fps+/Win Cases. The old barrel liked 4064 best. I have never tried heavier bullets in this rifle, and I am sure it is a 14" twist barrel, but it sure likes the 55's. I also like Ruger's customer service, and the quality of their work. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Ruger! On the other hand we have 2 other Swifts made by Remington, and they are also great shooters, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one of those either.

If you would like more load info or any other suggestions or help, let me know. You are making a great choice, welcome to the club.

Dan isn't that supposed to be who cares about the wind! LOL!


Jerry

I rebarreled my own Savage to the Swift and never regreted it since. Rel 15 and IMR4064 are all you need to know.

Get the Model 70 in .223 WSSM

Yeah, and hang out awhile waiting for cumstomer service.

By the by, heard that two companies are negotiating for the New Haven plant. Heard also that http://www.usfirearms.com/ might be among them. Hope that is true...

Jerry...yes, of course! Don't know what I was thinking!

quote:

new take off .223 barrel with a 1 in 9 twist to have rechambered

Now that's why I come to ya'll! Everyone and their dog makes .223Rem rifles on short actions, and what, $100 would get a rechamber and boltface opened...or start with the 22-250 and save the bolt work...but buy a takeoff barrel...

Hmmmmmmm.......

I wonder if there are any Win coyote's left in town. I sure like the M70 safety and trigger.

If you go the savage route, I would not buy the 223 as the base rifle. The mag box has a block in it (making it shorter) and the feed lips will probably need some work for the swift.

Do you want a heavy barrel or sporter? Buy a stevens rifle in long action, sell barrel, replace with a rechambered, fast twist 223 barrel if that's what you want. Adjust trigger and could still be under $400.

Have you considered purchasing a TC Encore frame and then purchasing the .220 Swift 26" heavy barrel (TC made) for it from Cabela's. At least with this combo, you can buy other barrels/configurations later in the future as your needs change and you have the same feel for each barrel. The Encore with the 26" barrel is still more compact than most rifles with a 24" barrel. I just like the versatility of a swap barrel rifle.

quote:

I just like the versatility of a swap barrel rifle

Agreed. That argument goes to the Savage as well, though I'd start with a 22-250 to get the bolt and magazine correct (I didn't know about the magazine block!). Magazine feed is a nice benefit...I'm not against single shots though.

I'm looking for something under 10 lbs fully loaded, so 26" varmint weight barrels are out. A good 24" medium sporter contour would be ideal I think.

I definitely second the used Savage market. I bought one in 22-250, shot it for four years, tons of prairie dogs. Just rebarreled it yesterday to 22-250 AI....it takes about ten minutes to do it. Gonna be a sweet setup with a new 'Boyds stock, SSS trigger. I originally paid $150 for the gun.....four years and several thousand rounds thru it...I put $200 more into and its going to be real nice.

CDH - The Encore with a 24" barrel only weighs 6lbs 12oz with an overall length of 38.5". So, your 26" barrel would bring you to 40.5" in legnth and weight I do not have the specifics, but I can't imagine the rifle itself going over 7.75 - 8lbs (TC could answer you this for sure). My Encore with its 26" muzzleloader barrel is light and compact. Just think you get all this with a 26" barrel for increased accuracy and velocity with a lighter weight and more compactness than most regular rifles. Here's a question for you to thimk about regarding single shot rifles and I can reload my Encore pretty darn fast. Aren't all bolt action rifles single shots when you think about it?

I hate decisions,

Craig

CDH



I’m going out on a limb here and voting for your second choice hands down the 6mm in the Remington VLS and if you get tired of that kick it up to a 6mm AI

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire_r...00/model_700_VLS.asp

Hey CDH, What about something like this?

.220 Swift (not mine)

Simple, beautiful, ready to go and with-in budget.

I've alway's wanted one in a #1-A

Terry

well - from someone speaking that has 220 swift tatooed on his posterior - one of mine is a #1 which goes into less than 3/4" groups, and another is a 77 varmiter (bedded) that goes into 1" at 300. and like DD I just can't warm up to that big ugly barrel nut

quote:

I just can't warm up to that big ugly barrel nut

Reminds me of an old fishing trip. We came in with fish and this fellow approaches us and says what were you using. Pop gear and worms. "I just hate using pop gear was his reply". I smiled and replied "Just one thing I hate more than using pop gear coming back in with no fish!"

quote:

Originally posted by DigitalDan:
...but damn, I just can't wrap my mind around the barrel nut thing..

How is that such a difficult concept to accept? It's engineering brilliance.

quote:

Originally posted by DigitalDan:
Long Live the .250-3000 Savage!
Hold less into the wind!
Long live Winches...er, nevermind..

When it comes to the barrel nut, I have to agree with Dan. What I would like to know, how many benchrest people are shooting Savages, and winning. Just a question, I collect Model 23's, so please don't assume I am anti Savage.I just wouldn't choose a new one over say, a Rem, CZ, Ruger, Winchester, or Browning.

Jerry

How many benchrest people are shooting Remingtons, CZs, Rugers, Winchesters, or Brownings, and winning? It's kind of a silly question, unless you're wanting to shoot benchrest. The benchresters I run into are usually shooting exotic single shots with Stolle actions, and they look a lot stranger than a Savage with a barrel nut.

Awww... I'd look for a short or long action Remington, if that is what you are into... YOU can get a PacNor barrel and have it chambered and Blued for under $400.00 around here...

Pac Nor will give you a Chrome Moly barrel for about $180 to $190.00 or a Stainless Steel one for about $20.00 more....in the contour you want, with the twist rate you want...And they are darn good barrels!!!!

Gunsmiths locally here will chamber and thread it for $175 on average...

As a third thought... I picked up a Mauser with a shot out barrel for $100.00... I ended up getting a bull barrel in Stainless steel in 6mm with a 1 in 8 twist... I had it chambered in 6mm Rem, threaded and crowned... for $175.00.. It is 31 inches long....

I am also going to have a barrel just like it, chambered in 220 Swift... 32 inch stainless steel bull barrel.. 1.25 at the muzzle...

I am accumulating the stuff to be able to easily change the barrel... off of the back of my pickup! out in the field.....

Now all I have to do is get a stock ordered for it out of Richards Microfit.... a bull barrel with a 1.25 inch diameter won't drop into any old stock, even a varmint stock... the stock will cost about $200.00 or less, and I have to finish the sanding and sealing of it,.. but it will be made in a colored laminate.. I have picked out a Royal Blue and Grey....

The action came with a Timney trigger installed already, and with a bent bolt and drilled and tapped for a set of Weaver basis, so scope changing won't be a problem for the two calibers...

With a 1.25 inch straight bull barrel, as the barrel gets throat erosion, I'll just have to have it rethreaded and chambered... at 31 inches long now.. I am sure that will see a lot of bullet down the barrel before it wears out!

It also weights about 18 to 20 pounds, so it is an "off the hood of the pickup" kinda varmint rifle.... but with that weight, recoil should be none existant!

Just alittle more thought to suggest....

cheers
seafire

Yeah, the quick change barrel thing does have some appeal. I got a quote on a SSK Industries Encore...OUCH! Maybe a stock factory one for now, though they only seem to do 1:12 twists. Changing scopes with every barrel change has got to get old though...and for the price of a good barrel and good scope I could get another basic rifle!

Dang it, I wish for a year or two until I get some $$$ saved up, then I STILL can't make up my mind on what I want. Too many options... Isn't life grand!

If your going to be shooting deer and you don't have a lot of other guns then a 6mm is what to get.

The 6mm will shoot 55 gr bullets just like a Swift will. I have both 6mm's and a 220 and the trajectories and effect are the same with 55's or the 58 in the 243.

You will also get the quick twist that you want with a 6mm. Use the best tool for the job. In this case it's a 6mm.

When you start into rebarreling, often the rebarrel job can run you more than a new rifle. Especially if you're talking about one of the cheap Savages. Also, I'm not sure, but finding a smith to work on a Savage might be a challenge.
My approach would be a bit different. While the idea of a 6mm is interesting, why not buy a 700 in 22-250 and have it AI'd? That would give you the "something different" and yet you'd keep the broad range of after market "stuff" available.