Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Remington M700 Varmint SF in 220 Swift ?

Does anyone have one or have had experience with it? Can you tell me about it? I am looking to buy one, but haven't had recent experience with Remington guns.

I have 2 Swifts. A 700 Rem Varmint Synthetic, no flutes, and a Ruger 77. The 700 is a very good shooter with RL15 and 50 or 55 grain ballistic tips. Velocities at 38-3900 fps. The 700 shoots in the .5 range 3 shot groups. The Ruger however, outshoots the 700, by about .200, if that is important to you.

Jerry

Too bad Ruger isn't making them anymore.

How do the triggers compare?

I had a 700 VSSF for a while .. first generation.

It was not a good shooter with new brass, so I don't know that factory ammo would have done well, but with handloads from fired cases, wow, it was a whole different gun. Half MOA with 50 grain ballistic tips at 3987 fps average.

Tom

My 700 has a Walker Trigger, which I prefer in Remingtons, as I was taught long ago by one of thier armorers how to adjust and service that trigger. That said, the trigger in the Ruger was poor enough, that I changed it to a Canjar single set trigger. I don't know if you can even get one of those anymore, as I have had this rifle since 1974, it's on it's second Ruger Barrel now, which was factory replaced in 1995. Sorry, I didn't mean to get this away from your original thread. Like any Swift, they will require a little futsing around with load development, but once you find the sweet spot, it'll shoot as good, in most cases better than most of the other hi-po 22 centerfires. BTW, there are a number of Swift's both Remington and Ruger, available on Gun Broker.

Jerry

JH, I have a couple Swifts, I love 'em.. I really haven't had trouble finding a fine shooting load for either.. BUT they are not stock Rem. 700's .. I did just buy a 700 Varminter in .243.. It shoots very well with a number of loads and little fussing..I did have my gunsmith adjust the trigger and it was not a problem..
I have had several Ruger .220 Swifts, and NONE of them shot as good as the .243.. BUT that was before the plastic tipped bullets we have today, and before Ruger made their own barrels.

I am a Remington man all the way.. The Swift is one of my very favorite calibers..

Triggers ... depends somewhat on what vintage of rifle you're talking about and whether you're insistent on strictly factory triggers out of the box, factory triggers adjusted, or aftermarket options, and whether you're comparing apples to apples ... in other words, expecting the factory trigger for one brand to compete with a tuned factory trigger or aftermarket trigger for the other.

I don't find the factory trigger on either rifle suitable for varmint shooting. They can be tuned to a point where they are marginally useful, but only marginally.

Tom

Sounds like you already had the answer to the trigger question. Change it out if you want, as I did in the Ruger. But the Remington is just fine as is, as I said from a bench it's a .5 or better shooter, just fine for any varmint shoot.

Jerry

I shoot two Swifts one is a 1951 Winchester Model 70 and the other is a Remington 40X Stainless. I feed them 55 grain Sierras with either H380 or IMR4064. The 40X will outshoot the Winchester somewhat. .5 as compared to .9. Probable due to the worn barrel on the 70. Great dog town rifles.

Iwas able order one. Should be here Tuesday.

I think you will love it.. Just wish I had made one 40 years ago.. The .22-250 is great, but to me the Swift is awesome..Enjoy...

Your 51' mod 70 in swift is prob a std wt barrel unless it is a target model, if you ever run across a varminter in swift buy it as it will shoot with the 40X, Winchester only made 904 of em,so that can be hard to run across, mine is a first yr, 59' and it shoots lights out. The swift is the king of the 22 varmint cals. very best

Yes it is a standard weight and it heats up quickly so 5 shots and let it cool.

I've had 'em in VS(blued/walnut and matte/synthetic),VLS,VSSF(1st Gen),Classic and BDL. Rugers in MK I Sporter and Varmint,MKII's in Varmint,both transition ad CRF.

In summation a 14" Swift is easy to pass upon.

It can't hang with an OEM 223,at LR...and that fact reliably gets Whiners,Whining.

Pass the 22" 223 and hold the Fluff.

I have several in 22-250 and they all shoot really good. you can expect good results from a swift I have 2 and they are both good shooters. 1 a heavy barrel sako the other a tang safety ruger sporter,,

I have a Rem 700 VSSF Gen 1 in 22-250 not the 220 that you are looking at.

I wish I would have bought a truckload of this model in different calibers like the 220 and .223 as it has turned out to be the best shooter in the history of my safe. After adjusting the trigger and getting a load to work it will go .50-.70 all day long with 3-5-7-10 rounds. Amazing shooter and I like it better than the Gen 2 of the same model with the palmswells.

I'm using 50g Nosler BT over 37.5g of Varget for around 3850 fps is devastating on coyotes, rock chucks, jack rabbits and mule deer.

I would jump at the chance to pick up another VSSF Gen 1 if the barrel is a solid.

I prefer my Remington 700 VLS in 243 winchester. It currently shoots 60gr sierra hp and both 85 gr Sierra HP both in the same hole at 100 yds ( different Point of impact obviously ). This rifle has killed Prairie dogs at 625 yds even in a 20 mph crosswind.

I prefer the 243 win. because it offers better wind bucking ability then my 22/250 or my 223.

Buy a VLS, drop the trigger pull to 1.5 lbs and make sure the barrel floats. Then buy a good camera to hold on to the memories.
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