Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 220 Swift

I'm shooting a Ruger with a 1 in 14 twist standard barrel. I have been using Hornady V Max 55gr bullets. I would like to try a little heavier bullet to see if I can tighten the groups up a little. I'm sure this will be a loaded question, but any suggestion. Maybe with that twist rate I need to try a lighter bullet.
Thanks, Kelly

I have a Rem. 700 Classic in .220 Swift. Not absolutely sure but think the twist rate is l-14.
In it I shoot everything up to 70 grain Speer bullets with no problem.

I will address with a very important caveat: I have never owned or loaded a 220 Swift! Take it FWIW.

I have dinked with four 22/250's though and will say that 50 gr. bullets have almost always been more accurate in 1-14 twists(which all of my examples were). With guns you "always" have to throw the "almost" in there!

The late Bob Hagel and others always noted the same thing, even in the Swift.

The only way you know and learn is to try. I am certain that there are guns out there that can defy this "rule". Yours may be one of them.

70 grain Speers and 63 grain Sierra SMPs.. their design allows them to be shot accurately in the one in 14 twist barrels...

so of the 60 grainers do well in the 22.250 and the 220 Swift if pushed fast enough to stabilize them....

contact the manufacturer and they can give you the RPM range, that they will stabilize in...

Nash I have a 220 swift with a 1-14 twist that will not group any 55G bullet, I switched to a 52g bullet and The gun will shoot any manufactures 52 very well. my favorite load is a nosler 52g hpbt with 42g of H414.

Thanks, I think I'll try a 50/52gr bullet
Kelly

I only shoot factory loads but my Ruger VT in 220 Swift likes the 50gr bullets best. Especially the Hornady Vmax molys.

If u can get ahold of them the 52 Gr. JLK Low Drag has a BC of .302, which is the highest BC bullet made for that twist rate. I've shot the JLK Low Drags out of several guns and have been very pleased with the accuracy of them. Try Swampy right here-- www.swampworks.com

Before you give up on 55 grain bullets try something besides the V-Max, my swift shoots much better with 55 grain ballistic tips.
Also you might want to tinker with different powders to see what shoots best in your rifle, try ajusting your seating depth too.
Just changing bullet weight wont necessarily tighten up groups.
B

I have both a 22-250 & 220 Swift. Both are Ruger heavy barrel (1-14). In both of them they like the 50 grain the best. The worst part is the Swift likes the V-Max and the 22-250 likes the Nosler B-Tip. Neither one of them ever shot the 55's as good as the 50's.

My 220 Swift will shoot the Sierra 63 Gr. Semi Pointed bullet that is the biggest it will handle. I've never personally seen a 1 in 14 shoot anything bigger well. By the way the 60 V-Max won't work in my gun either. If you have a 1 in 14 gun stay with 55 Gr or lower would be my advice. At least get a bullet that will shoot in another of your guns because more than likely you'll be trading them or they will be sitting on the shelf.

I shoot the Sierra 50 and 55 grain semi-pointed. Very accurate and perfect performance on varmints. Some of the time a barrel will shoot a flat base over a boat tail. Just my .02

Loaded some 50gr VMax and headed for the range. I went from 1/2" group with the 55gr VMax to 1/4" group with 50gr VMax. I think the lighter bullets are going to be the ticket for this gun. Thanks for the help.

Kelly

In my 220 swift. Rem 700 rebarrelled with a VSSF barrell, the most accuarate loads have been with 52 grain and 50 grain bullets the best being 50 gr. ballistic tips, 52 gr. bergers and 50 grain blitz kings. with RL 15 as my preferred powder and a F-210 match primer. The 55 grain bullets are not bad they are just not quite as good as the 50's in this gun with a 1 in 14 twist. the 50 grain bullets will shoot in the .200 to .400 range with the right conditions while the the 55 grain Ballistic tips and Blitz Kings shoot in the .5 to .75 range with the occasional .400 group. I have not been able to get the 60 grain Nosler partitions to shoot better than two inches for some reason. I have some 53 grain tsx bullets that I a hoping to try out in a few months and am hoping they shoot better than the partitions in this gun.

I have a 40X with a 1x14 twist Hart barrel. I tried the Sierra 55gr Blitzking, shotgun patterns! Talked to Sierra and they told me I would need a 1x12 to stabilize it.

Tom

I have a 700 Classic that has been bedded, trigger jobbed, etc. , and it shoots the 55 NBT's very well when pushed hard with 4064. It won't shoot 55 V Max's better than 3/4"-1", so I don't shoot them. I don't shoot 50 grain bullets in my swift, as that defeats my purpose for using the swift.
When this barrel finally goes, a 1 in 12" will replace it.
1D

Which is?

My Swift (Ruger 77V) always shot it's best with 55 grain Noslers. When it gets its new barrel it'll be a faster twist to shoot 60 -70 grain bullets.

My Swift likes 50-52 grain bullets and 36grs of Varget. Work up to that slowly if you use that powder.I have some groups in the .1's. It shoots below a 1/4" most days unless the wind is blowing harshly. Alot of the 8-9 inch twist barrels will cause the bullets to shed their jackets if you push them with a Swift loaded hot.

My '76 model Ruger .220 shoots the 50-52 grain bullets the best. However, it shoots the 63 gr. Sierra well enough for that to be my groundhog bullet for years.