Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles What has happened with the .220 Swift?

The 243 was not the culprit in killing the Swift. The Swift was effectively doomed when they changed the original Wotkyns Swift (22.250) to using 6mm Lee Navy brass. Sharpe mentioned that Winchester didn’t think the 250 Savage brass had a thick enough web to handle 4140 fps measured at 53 ft. with a 48 grain bullet on top of 39 grains IMR 3031. Others say Winchester didn’t want another makers brass being used.
In 1937 Wotkyns, Gebby and Smith introduced the 22 Varminter which immediately was hailed as a more versatile round than the Swift by both Sharpe and later Ackley. As a wildcat it took off eclipsing the Swift in popularity.
Browning put the last nail in the Swifts coffin in 63 when they started chambering the 22 Varminter wildcat in their factory rifles. Winchester killed the Swift in 64, replacing it with the 225 Winchester which was DOA. Remington made the bastard 22 Varminter a legitimate round in 65 as the 22.250.
The Swift is still a good accurate round. Mine is a pleasure to shoot. 4000 fps is easily reached although I don’t push it that hard anymore.
5 shots.