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Dude270 Offline OP
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I am going to start loading for a swift, which I have never loaded for before, and would like to hear some good loads.

I am mainly wanting to shoot 55 and 60 grain bullets, maybe the 63 sierra as well.

Let me know whats working for you swift users.

Thanks

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I used to use IMR 4064 but the ball powders like H380 and WW760 are easier on barrel steel . Start there . MM

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Originally Posted by Magnum_Man
I used to use IMR 4064 but the ball powders like H380 and WW760 are easier on barrel steel . Start there . MM


Haven't found a powder yet that is easy on the barrel when loading a Swift to its potential. AA2700 and H-380 is a good start.



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Originally Posted by Dude270
I am going to start loading for a swift, which I have never loaded for before, and would like to hear some good loads.

I am mainly wanting to shoot 55 and 60 grain bullets, maybe the 63 sierra as well.

Let me know whats working for you swift users.

Thanks


What twist is your barrel? I have a 1-14, and it shoots better with bullets less than 55gr. It will really depend on the bullets you want to use, but be careful with most of the newer 55gr (mono) and up, as they may not stabilize very well.

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Back in the 1980's when I started loading the Swift, I used IMR4895 for 50-55 grain varmint bullets and IMR4350 for the 60-grain Nosler Solid base, about as good a .224 big game bullet as was available back then.

Have had several Swifts since. In the most recent rifle, a tang-safety Ruger 77 identical to my first rifle, Ramshot Hunter worked great as an all-around powder for 50-60 grain bullets, but the 1-14 twist wouldn't shoot the 53 TSX consistently at any elevation below about 5000 feet, even on warm days.


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Originally Posted by Dude270
I am going to start loading for a swift, which I have never loaded for before, and would like to hear some good loads.

I am mainly wanting to shoot 55 and 60 grain bullets, maybe the 63 sierra as well.

Let me know whats working for you swift users.

Thanks


Start with Rel 15 and you may not have to go any farther


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My first .220 Swift didn't shoot 55s very well. It was a Remington 700 VSSF with a 1-14" twist.

It did not shoot my regular load well with new brass. My procedure with it was to fire form WW brass to my chamber by jamming a Speer bucket mouthed 52 grain hollow point hard into the rifling and pushing it to about 3300 fps with IMR 4064.

I'd "bump size" ... in other words, set up my FL die so it sized the whole neck and just kissed the shoulder so chambering was easy but not sloppy, there was a little resistance on the bolt handle but it was not "hard."

My regular operating load used home mollied 50 grain ballistic tips over 43.5 grains of H380, WW brass, and Fed 210M primers. Average velocity clocked 3987 FPS and accuracy was in the high 0.4s for 5 shots.

My 2nd Swift was a Ruger #1V. Nothing to learn from it, it had a loose spot in the bore and never shot worth a crap.

The final was a custom 700 with a 26 inch straight cylinder barrel, 1-14" twist, 3 land and groove PacNor. it was a primer blowing SOB even with most book starting loads. Finally ran it over a chronograph and found those "starting" loads to be more than 200 fps faster than the book-predicted max. No wonder, huh?

It finally did come around for me. My final load, which wouldn't fit in new brass but would, with a drop tube, go into formed cases, was 44 grains of IMR 4831 under 55 grain ballistic tips ... naked, not coated.

The final 3 shots, before I sold it, punched the 3 push-pins on my 200 yard target through the backstop.

The reason I sold it was that despite the accuracy, with that heavy barrel the balance point was ahead of the front sling swivel screw and I was having a real hard time not having it nose-dive off the front of the bags. (Serious, not exaggerating.)

Tom


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Dude270 Offline OP
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its a 14 twist.

I was thinking about shooting the 60 hornady sp and hp, the 55 hornady sp along with some tipped 50s and 55s and maybe a 50 or 53 tsx.

I have a soft spot for the Swift because when I started hunting deer with a centerfire the Swift was what I used. I also shot a lot of groundhogs with it. My dad had a tang safety ruger 77 that was "my" rifle when I was a youngster and though that rifle is long gone I ended up with another and want to get some loads going for it

Thanks for the help

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43 gr. H-414 and most any bullet 55 gr. or less.

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Dude270 Offline OP
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Sounds like the TSX may be a no go.

Thats fine, as the old 60 grain hornady Hp factory load worked well on all the deer I remember being shot with my dad's Swift.

I know 4064 was a standard back in the day and will try it.
I also have RL 15, 4895, 4350 and H380. Wish I had some Ramshot hunter to try but none is available that I can find.

MD, What bullets do you like for deer at in the swift discounting the TSX and the old solid base noslers?
I've had good luck with the 55 hornady SP and 63 sierra SMP in other 22s but I wonder what you think are some of the better options for the swift


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Originally Posted by muddy22
43 gr. H-414 and most any bullet 55 gr. or less.


That is the load I use with 55 gr. bullets.


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H4895 has worked very well in both of my Swifts.. My bullets of choice are 50gr Vmax or BK.. I have also shot 63 gr and 64 gr. bullets for deer and turkey, here I used I4350..


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Dude270 Offline OP
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Wyo, What's your load for the 63? What speed are you getting?

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Nosler #3 listed 39gr RL15 with the 55gr bullet. I loaded it with Hornady v-max and shot 1.5" 3 shot groups at 350yds at 3915fps. Nosler stepped it back in subsequent manuals to 37gr of powder. Just as accurate, but about 150fps slower. I think. It's been a long time. Jim Carmichel's go to load was 38gr IMR4064 and a 52gr match bullet, which also shot small groups. I finally settled on 39gr 4064 and the 50gr v-max at 4100 and change. 3/4" groups at 200yds are standard. This is all in a M70 heavy varmint. Don't know how to make it shoot big groups.



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Originally Posted by muddy22
43 gr. H-414 and most any bullet 55 gr. or less.
I would pretty much go along with that. I have shot three barrels out, mostly with 43.5 H414 and 55 Sierras, killed a few pu loads of deer with it as well.

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Maybe ask scenarshooter. I've seen pictures of at least a train load of game he's killed with a swift.


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Varget and 55 gr. HORNADY V MAX will not dissapoint.
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I'm inclined to go with 414/760/2700 and shorter bullets in a 1/14 twist for high velocity explosive bullets. Meters well for a loading session with a progressive that gives me enough loads for a while in a single loading session. I might take very light big game as targets of opportunity but only at close ranges where the bullet carries most of the energy it started with so 60 grain round nose works.

In particular having learned from Bryan Litz (and reminded by John Barsness that bullet speed is no substitute for faster twist) that a barely stabilized bullet has an effective ballistic coefficient much lower than advertised I reserve the lovely little plastic tipped boat tailed 53 grain Hornady and Barnes bullets for the appropriate twists rather than kid myself when elevation and meteo conditions combined with pushing them to the limit show stability on paper. I now think they may be stable enough to shoot acceptable groups but I'm not getting the benefit of the advertised ballistic coefficient with these longer bullets so I've gained nothing but the ability to shoot more expensive bullets.

I figure the temperature sensitivity doesn't matter that much to me because I don't tote the rifle around in extreme heat anyway but use something else.

My own is a very heavy Hart barrel and very much a niche rifle - hold on hair to long eyeballed ranges but not a laser the range and dial it in with high ballistic coefficient bullets -that don't work in a 1/14 twist anyway - rifle.

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Originally Posted by ClarkEMyers
I'm inclined to go with 414/760/2700 and shorter bullets in a 1/14 twist for high velocity explosive bullets. Meters well for a loading session with a progressive that gives me enough loads for a while in a single loading session. I might take very light big game as targets of opportunity but only at close ranges where the bullet carries most of the energy it started with so 60 grain round nose works.

In particular having learned from Bryan Litz (and reminded by John Barsness that bullet speed is no substitute for faster twist) that a barely stabilized bullet has an effective ballistic coefficient much lower than advertised I reserve the lovely little plastic tipped boat tailed 53 grain Hornady and Barnes bullets for the appropriate twists rather than kid myself when elevation and meteo conditions combined with pushing them to the limit show stability on paper. I now think they may be stable enough to shoot acceptable groups but I'm not getting the benefit of the advertised ballistic coefficient with these longer bullets so I've gained nothing but the ability to shoot more expensive bullets.

I figure the temperature sensitivity doesn't matter that much to me because I don't tote the rifle around in extreme heat anyway but use something else.

My own is a very heavy Hart barrel and very much a niche rifle - hold on hair to long eyeballed ranges but not a laser the range and dial it in with high ballistic coefficient bullets -that don't work in a 1/14 twist anyway - rifle.


I found that out a long time ago. Feeling your pain. No offense but the highlighted part gave me a really big chuckle or 2.

Thanks for sharing.



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dude270, I believe I use around 39 gr. of I 4350 and Sierra 63 gr., Nosler 60 part., and WW64 gr. Those bullets have killed a bunch of deer and turkey for me over the years.. I also killed quite a bit with the plain old Sierra 55 gr. HPBT..


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