Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Any drawbacks to a fast twist Swift?

I have a Savage model 10 I bought specifically on which to build a left handed 220 Swift. I am in the planning stages right now but am considering making it a fast twist, say 1 in 9, to handle some heavier bullets.

My ground squirrel and P dog days are over for the most part. I haven't been in many years and most of my shooting will be sniping coyotes, wolves and paper at potentially longish range. I assume a 55 grain will still do alright in a 1 in 9. How well will that twist handle the 75+ grain bullets? Should I consider a 1 in 8 and how do those two twists handle the light bullets, 40-50 grains?

In all the varmint guns I've had over the years, I've never had a fast twist 22 centerfire. Thought it might be time to give it some consideration with this build. Thanks in advance.

Cant think of any.....

Tried 40 gr Vmax's out of my 1 in 8 22-250ai for the fun of it and they shot fine, along with everything else I tried (except the scirrocos for whatever reason.)

If you already have a bunch of 220 swift brass I'd say run with it but if you don't I'd go 22-250 Ackley. Seems like 220 swift brass is seasonal anymore and is tough to find around here anyways.

I have a ton of 220 Swift brass, and much of it new. I am one of those guys who buys it when I see it so I've amassed a goodly amount.

Any drawbacks? Nope. Do yourself a favor and go 1-8" twist. Light bullets shoot very well with a 1-8.

I can't find any drawback to a 1-8" 22-250 and if I were building a Swift I'd go 8".




Travis

My 1/8 twist 220 swift actually shoots 55gr bullets as accurate as 75gr. bullets.
My 1/9 twist 22-250 handles 75gr Amax's fine. I am at 3500ft elevation though.
I believe the 1/8 twist is the way to go.
Brian Litz says marginally stabilised bullets lose some of their B.C.
Go 8 twist, no downside.

My latest Swift is a 1 in 9 twist and while I have yet to really wring it out, initial testing shows it to not be very particular about bullets. I may even try some 36gr Varmint Grenade's to see if I can set a new world record for ground squirrel "lift"

I'm getting ready to build a fast twist Swift on a LH 700 Action with a Shilen 1&8 twist #4 SS Select Match Barrel. I have already purchased 200 Norma Cases and 600 Hornady A-Max's and Shilen 1&8 twist barrel for this build. The reason i haven't started is the Reamer i have has a custom.244 neck and i will have to purchased a Redding Bushing die and i will have to turn the necks if i use this reamer and not sure this is the route i want to go. I think I'm just going order a standard 220 Swift reamer with bushing this week from PTG and then chamber and finish this build after Christmas . Will post photos when done. If you want to shoot the light bullets then the 1&9 twist might be just a little better , but the 1&8 will give you a great advantage over the 1&9 if you choose to use the long 75 gr A-Max's and this is the only real advantage in using a fast twist barrel on a 220 Swift or 22-250. I will start loading with IMR 4350 powder .

That settles it. It's going to be a 1 in 8 Swift.