Well yesterday was just perfect for shooting and I got some excellent data on my reloads in .220 swift


Here is an overview of conditions.

Clear and sunny 77 f temp wind was nil.

Rifle used Rem 700 VSSF. All cases used were once fired, neck sized,primer pockets done, flash holes done trimmed to length so on and so forth.

Load one.

39.5 grains 4064 Win cases Win primers 50 grain V max.

Ave velocity taken 15 feet from muzzle 3955 fs
High velocity 4000 fs Low velocity 3928 fs. Group size .635 5 rounds.


I thought this was a good steady load! after measuring mv with my new chrony I was suprised at the varation high to low.



Load two


40 grains H414 Win cases Win primers 50 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip


Ave velocity taken 15 feet from muzzle 3784 fs
High velocity 3795 fs Low velocity 3776 fs. Group size .756 5 rounds. This load is consistant with velocity. I will tweek this one to try to get it to tighten up.



Load Three



42 grains of H414 Win cases Win primers 50 grain Noslar Balistic tip


Ave velocity taken 15 feet from muzzle 3892 fs
High velocity 3936 fs Low velocity 3801 fs. Group size 1.19 5 rounds. Not going to fool with this one the rifle nor I like it.

Load four


44 grains H414 ( max listed load) Win cases Win primers 50 grain Nosler ballistic Tip



Ave velocity taken 15 feet from muzzle 4046 fs
High velocity 4089 fs Low velocity 4025 fs.Group size .311 5 rounds! That is the very best group I have ever shot! I think it was an exception rather than a constant I am capable of.



The above loads showed no signs of pressure in my rifle and I believe are safe in my rifle. I will refire the same cases a couple of more times to see if there are any pressure signs after 2-3 loadings. If there is I will go back and rework the loads.

Just for fun I put the chrony at the 100 yard target to check velocity for load one and load four

Load one 100 yard velocity

39.5 grains 4064 Win cases Win primers 50 grain V max.

Ave velocity taken 100 yards from muzzle 3597 fs
High velocity 3678 fs Low velocity 3533 fs.



Load four 100 yard velocity.

44 grains H414 ( max listed) Win cases Win primers 50 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip

Ave velocity taken 100 yards from muzzle 3679 fs
High velocity 3724 fs Low velocity 3664 fs.


No groups were measured just wanted not to hit the new chrony lol.


I was going to try 3031 as well but I will skip it for now and see if I can fine tune the 40 grain H414 load. That load for me should be just about perfect for anything I will ever want to do with the swift and it should give me better barrel life over the 44 grain load.If I can't get it any better I will use the 44 grain load.


I want to try the 60 grain Partition and see if I can get a good accurate load for yotes that will not ruin the pelts. Thanks to all who provided info on a previous swift post.

try some RL15 too. I have some very tight groups with the 50gr v-max.

Hipster: Great shooting there on several of the Swifts loads!
Good for you - and - good for Remington!
I have been a long time supporter of Remington Rifles! 40 years now!
Noslers Ballistic Tips in 22 caliber are almost always very accurate in my Varminters!
That .311"er was a wonderful group shot with your Swift!
Again congrats on that and I hope that load keeps shooting that well for you!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

You may be discovering what I found out years ago, that the Swift usually shoots best when loaded to the max. Of course that's good as that is what the .220 is for- to be fast. My old standard load is 43.5 H414 with a 55 Sierra, but my third barrel is now an AI, so I load 47 grains for 4000 with a 55 Sierra.

quote:

Originally posted by VarmintGuy:
Hipster: Great shooting there on several of the Swifts loads!
Good for you - and - good for Remington!
I have been a long time supporter of Remington Rifles! 40 years now!
Noslers Ballistic Tips in 22 caliber are almost always very accurate in my Varminters!
That .311"er was a wonderful group shot with your Swift!
Again congrats on that and I hope that load keeps shooting that well for you!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks for the compliment's but I feel the small group was luck. I did not adjust the poi from my previous load ( 50 v max and 4064) and the 50 BT with 44 gr H414 group was 2-3/16" right and and 5/8" high at 100. I wanted the speed numbers first now I can see what a little tweeking will do for group size.

Varmint guy I will pose a question to you. Based on your history with the ultra fast .22's what have you found to be magic zone for seating a bullet to be just off the lands? I really do need to get the measuring gear to see just what I have in going on in the chamber throat area.


.220 Swift = Groundhog Grenade

Hipster: Dang it with the lands seating anymore! The factory Rifles all seem to have rifling so distant down the barrels that I can't get near the rifling anymore - especially with my Varmint calibers!?
Yes we amateur accuracy chasers have known for many decades that it makes it quicker (easier?) to find good accuracy with the bullets very near (just a few thousandths of the leades of the rifling!). But alas anymore I find it rare to be able to seat bullets near the lands and have enough bullet in the case neck to keep things safe and kosher!
I think the advent and popularity some time back of VLD and heavy for caliber bullets (like 69 grain bullets in 223's!) caused the factory folks to lengthen the necks on their reamers and resultingly in their Rifles!
All three of my new 204's have VERY long chamber throats! Yet they all shoot quite well? This seems to fly in the face of things somewhat but it is what it is!
I have probably cured accuracy problems of various Rifles on 20 occassions in the past decades by going through the trouble of seating the bullets just a few thousandths (5 thousandths) off of the rifling! Like I say anymore its just usually not possible to get that close to the rifling.
I have a particular Remington 700 Varminter in 220 Swift that was turned into not a single shot but a 2 shot Rifle. It would take one in the chamber and one in the magazine (but no more than one!). Due to accuracy being obtained with the bullets being seated way out there and thus the bullets were to long to fill the magazine to capactiy - the only bullet that would still fit in the magazine was the top one!
Good luck with your Swift and if possible I say try the .005" off the leades setting for bullet length!
I have been VERY happy with the Sinclair Bullet Seating Depth Tool ($25.00 and nothing else to buy!) and have used it for many years!
Its somewhat academic anymore to find the over all length to keep the bullets within .005" of the rifling because like I said the factories make the throats real long real often anymore!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

quote:

Originally posted by VarmintGuy:
Hipster: Dang it with the lands seating anymore! The factory Rifles all seem to have rifling so distant down the barrels that I can't get near the rifling anymore - especially with my Varmint calibers!?
Yes we amateur accuracy chasers have known for many decades that it makes it quicker (easier?) to find good accuracy with the bullets very near (just a few thousandths of the leades of the rifling!). But alas anymore I find it rare to be able to seat bullets near the lands and have enough bullet in the case neck to keep things safe and kosher!
I think the advent and popularity some time back of VLD and heavy for caliber bullets (like 69 grain bullets in 223's!) caused the factory folks to lengthen the necks on their reamers and resultingly in their Rifles!
All three of my new 204's have VERY long chamber throats! Yet they all shoot quite well? This seems to fly in the face of things somewhat but it is what it is!
I have probably cured accuracy problems of various Rifles on 20 occassions in the past decades by going through the trouble of seating the bullets just a few thousandths (5 thousandths) off of the rifling! Like I say anymore its just usually not possible to get that close to the rifling.
I have a particular Remington 700 Varminter in 220 Swift that was turned into not a single shot but a 2 shot Rifle. It would take one in the chamber and one in the magazine (but no more than one!). Due to accuracy being obtained with the bullets being seated way out there and thus the bullets were to long to fill the magazine to capactiy - the only bullet that would still fit in the magazine was the top one!
Good luck with your Swift and if possible I say try the .005" off the leades setting for bullet length!
I have been VERY happy with the Sinclair Bullet Seating Depth Tool ($25.00 and nothing else to buy!) and have used it for many years!
Its somewhat academic anymore to find the over all length to keep the bullets within .005" of the rifling because like I said the factories make the throats real long real often anymore!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I am so impressed with the VSSF I went yesterday and bought another 700 this time a stainless syn in 30-06 (SPS) I have a leupy 4x12 with leupy rings and bases for it not to mention a few boxes of factory ammo 2 boxes of partitions a bag of brass, powder and yada yada yada. I was holding one of the 700 VLS in 6mm rem at the same shop. It is a perfect fit for me and feels almost as good as sex lol, at least too me anyway. I suspect I will get holy hell from my CFO if I go and buy it but I am gonna get it don't worry about that. It will be my bench gun for factory matches in 2006 and it will also see duty on yotes and wolves at longer ranges. Holding that gun almost made me come! I guess I am getting somewhat strange as I get older but it is for sure a very good strange.

Moving currently and will be off line for a few days so I will be back soon

have a hell of a good one.