220 Swift-Obsolete?

R

RagnCajn

Active member
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Winchester discontinued 220 Swift rifles in 1964, when they introduced the 225 Winchester cartridge as its replacement. Probably the Swift would be in much wider use today if it had not been misused and maligned in the early years. But now, the Swift has about entered the twilight years of obsolescence. This is unfortunate. Properly loaded, the 220 Swift is a fine performer.



I pulled this from one of my early reloading manuals. The Speer Number 9. Dated 1974.
 
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Winchester discontinued 220 Swift rifles in 1964, when they introduced the 225 Winchester cartridge as its replacement. Probably the Swift would be in much wider use today if it had not been misused and maligned in the early years. But now, the Swift has about entered the twilight years of obsolescence. This is unfortunate. Properly loaded, the 220 Swift is a fine performer.



I pulled this from one of my early reloading manuals. The Speer Number 9. Dated 1974.




Yeah... can't hardly find any .220 Swift ammo or even brass these days... Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

So much for them - wonder why Speer is on the low end of the totem pole these days?


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The 220 swift is doing fine. The speer #14 has loads listed and all my other load manuals do too.If I didn't have a 22/250 already I would be looking at a swift.
 
I think the 220 has an aged but steady following (like a fine wine). I say this simply because the newer generation has no exerience with them, due mainly to manufacture trends. I grew up shooting my dads 220 but many people have never even touched one. With modern tooling and metal qualitys, I would and am looking to get a 220 because of the superb performance it offers. I have a 250's so do I need one, No, but in the sport of hunting it is becoming almost a nostalgic chamber that I think is worth bringing back to the mainstream.
 
Its Obsolete because it eats up barrels... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Or maybe because the excessive recoil... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif Better sell mine quick before its worth nothing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
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Its Obsolete because it eats up barrels... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Or maybe because the excessive recoil... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif Better sell mine quick before its worth nothing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif



Yup... you better get rid of that POS.

I have a special place for it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

There are a lot of "hot" 22 center fires, some are even hotter than the Swift...
... but the .220 Swift is a true legend, and there ain't too many of those left these days.

There is always room for a .220 Swift in my safe.


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[There is always room for a .220 Swift in my safe.



....or two!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
It's one of my favorites. I've been hoping for years that someone would come out with a swift in a sporter weight or at least med contour barrel. I have at least 1000 new 220 cases begging to be put to use. Probably just going to have to have one built.
 
Never did understand the love affair folks have for this old cartridge. Every one I had would flow brass to the neck far more than the 22-250 for basically the same velocities. Winchester was right for discontinuing it.

I know that's not going to make you die hard swift fans happy, but I've had a bunch of them come thru my shop with just that complaint over the near 30 years I ran a shop.

I figure it might be the hype of the name or something, but there are a bunch of better solutions to high velocity from a .224 bullet on the market.

I haven't shot one for years, but do have a friend whom has an old pre-64 model 70 with the 26 inch factory sporter weight barrel on it that's he's still shooting.

I changed over from the 250 a couple of years ago to the new 204 Ruger and it seems to work extremely well and at better than swift velocities. One shooting partner has one of the Ruger target models in 220 and I put together 600 rounds for him this winter.

For those that have them and reload they'll be around for a while, but I doubt that we'll ever see another production gun now that Ruger has dropped production of their target model in the swift and added the 204.
 
I just cant imagine not having a fine Swift in my safe. Over the last 30 odd years, no rifle round of any caliber has brought me so much fun. From my pre-production Ruger 77 to my current Krieger barrelled custom they have brought many a smile to me and others like me that enjoy fine shooting calibers. The Ruger was the first rifle that I ever owned that would shoot 5 shots into a ragged hole at 100 yards. Did it several times even.

Ground squirrels, prairie dogs, badgers, rockchucks, and a deer or two have all fallen to my Swifts. Never has anything not been DRT with a hit from this great cartridge. If I am (God Forbid!) ever down to one centerfire rifle round, I can tell you without hesitation that it will be a 220 Swift!
 
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Never has anything not been DRT with a hit from this great cartridge. If I am (God Forbid!) ever down to one centerfire rifle round, I can tell you without hesitation that it will be a 220 Swift!



+1 Most fun rifle I have ever owned!!!!!!!!
 
this is funny this post started, I had a remmy classic 220 swift that my buddy begged me to sell to him I got tiered of him asking so I sold it to him, this weekend at my sons graduation I asked him how the gun was shooting and he told me he got straped for money and sold it to another one of are buddys so I called him to see if he would sell it back to me so, I went and picked it up day before yesterday I sweer this gun rode around behide the seat of his pickup for two year it was a mess. I droped it off at the smith yesterday Im calling it project SWIFT new lilja barrel,stock, reblued the works.
 
There sure are a lot more Swift lovers than there people that dont like them. Every one that I have ever seen has been a great shooter and everyone that I have ever known that had one has just loved them. I seriously doubt that this one will ever go away. Just too many people know just what a fantastic round this it is. And did I mention that my first custom gun is going to be a Swift? May as well start off with a winner, eh?
 
i havent had any experience with this gun or even know anyone who does although i am only 25 that gun is alil older than me lol but if it was such a good cartrige why was it discontinued?
not trying to upset anyone here just curious
 
I was told back in the early seventies that the 220 swift was an obsolete barrel burner, funny how many folks still use them, and funny how many new chamberings are "barrel burners" That seems to be the first negative said by folks who don't want any thing other than a 223 as if that chambeing is the last word.
 
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"... For those that have them and reload they'll be around for a while, but I doubt that we'll ever see another production gun now that Ruger has dropped production of their target model in the swift and added the 204.



Not hardly.

Remington has had the .220 Swift in it's line consistently for many years, and currently has the top of the line ($1,300) VS-SF-II in .220 Swift.

Ruger dropped it in their "Target model" (is that an oxymoron??)...

... I mean, like - Who cares???


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Guys, I ran across that old manual while looking for something else. I just thought it funny the climate of thought back in 1974. There is no doubt the Swift is here to stay and is stronger than ever in its history. I have a heavy barreled varminter and a 700 Classic chambered in the swift. It is still the king of production 22 cal rifles in my opinion.
 
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Guys, I ran across that old manual while looking for something else. I just thought it funny the climate of thought back in 1974.



Ragn...

It amazes me how the hack writers in these manuals wanna sould like "experts" on stuff they don't know. I read the same crap in the Sierra manual.

I have read of the predicted demise of soooo many cartridges over the years, and with one or two exceptions, all of them are still on the dealers shelves.

Now the cartridge that "I" don't think will last is the 6.5x308x284 - I think there was only one made, and the customer didn't like it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif ...

Meow /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

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