A while back "Blaserman" started an interesting thread regarding the whereabouts (status?) of 220 Swift fans.
I responded along with many other folks and I enjoyed/enjoy that thread.
By coincidence I bought a mint condition used Remington 40-X in caliber 220 Swift during the early term of that thread.
I have been on hold trying to get to the range with my newly set-up 220 Swift - mostly weather delays but many family obligations and out of state visitors added to the delay in shooting.
AND... I have not been able to find any 220 Swift brass in the last month to build my own ammo for this nifty old Rifle (manufactured May of 1992).
So I settled on buying some Hornady 220 Swift ammo that uses the Hornady 55 grain V-Max bullet.
Well today in mixed/marginal conditions (raining, head wind at 3 to 5 MPH and heavy smoke/poor light) I finally got to my friends private range and sighted the new to me Swift in.
I had bought 5 boxes of the Hornady 55 grain V-Max ammo so I was hoping it would shoot even just okay with that factory stuff.
Well to say I was thrilled with the results (the Rifle and the Hornady factory ammo) would be an understatement!
To begin with the first two shots (from a cleaned and oiled barrel!) at 100 yards were cutting each other on the cardboard backing that I attached my target to!
Promising that - I thought.
I adjusted up a foot and over a few inches and fired two more shots (again they were touching each other there at 100 yards).
I decided to fire a five shot group next - no matter where they were to hit from my point of aim.
The resulting 5 shot group at 100 yards measured .304"!
Remember this is with factory ammunition in a "high performance" caliber!
I was just shaking my head in semi-disbelief at those results - and at the same time thanking my lucky stars.
I fired one more round after adjusting the Leupold 6.5x20 variable scope to adjust to final intended point of impact.
Now I had 10 rounds of Hornady brass to someday begin load development with and as the rain was now coming down hard (and I left my coat back at home where it wasn't raining when I left) I decided to call it a day.
I know that ONE five shot group at 100 yards is not absolute proof of a Rifle/ammunitions prowess/potential but in this instance I am very confident that Rock Chucks and Prairie Dogs better be wary.

Over the last several years I have had occasion to shoot factory Hornady ammunition in several different heavy barrel Rifles (including 7 Rifles in 204 Ruger, 3 in 223 Remington and 1 in 22-250 Remington) and in every case the factory ammunition performed (accuracy and lethality wise) way better than I expected.
So here is an "atta-boy" to the folks at Hornady munitions - keep up the good work.

Anyway here is another long time "Swift fan" with another big smile on his face!
Long live the 220 Swift.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: And to you few Leupold "naysayers" on this forum, I say - you are getting easier and easier to ignore.
The Leupold scope today performed just wonderfully - and as I adjusted out EVERY bit of parallax on my 100 yard target I looked at the "parallax yard markers" on the Leupolds adjustable objective and it read EXACTLY on the 100 yard indicator!
In full disclosure I have had some Leupolds in the past that were a bit off "the mark" at 100 yards, parallax markings wise - but again NOT today.