Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles What happened to 220 Swift fans

You can say that all you want, but it doesn't change a thing. 😄 The 225 Winchester was the impetus that changed the cartridge world.

You cannot fight the power of the force.

Steve: I have a 1965 M70 in 225 and love it. But I didn’t know the cartridge changed the cartridge world. Could you expound on that, please. Thanks

The 225 brass inspired JD Jones to use it in his cartridges. He's a smart cookie and has demonstrated his skills.

It has thicker brass walls, not only for JDJ cartridges, but for those who still shoot the 225. With a minimum of care, they can last longer.

In tandem with the above, they work marvelously in single shots because of their strength, thicker brass and rim.

The last reason is that they simply look cool.

In Star Wars, when Obi Wan was "killed" by Darth Vader, Obi-Wan came back stronger than ever.

That is hardly earth shaking change the world type stuff. The thing that JD had that was ground breaking is that he started working with a man named Jurass who had been playing with jacketed HP bullets in the 357 mag. Teamed up with JD they made the first ever 110 JHP +P ammunition for the 357 mag and later 38 special +P and 45 acp + P which was marketed to police departments around the US under the Super Vel name in 1967 which indeed did shake up the world. This however had nothing to do with the 225. Super Vel went under in 71 or 72 at which time Jurass went back to working with JD on high performance hunting rounds for Thompson Contenders and SSK industries was born.

Absolutely nothing groundbreaking or Earth stand still came from the 225 Winchester.

You're allowed to think that. 😄

I always loved the swift. Still do
But for varmints the 20 tac and 204 have made the big guns obsolete. I used to shoot a lot of 220 22-250 and a 6-250
The 20s just flat more pleasant to
Shoot all day. And don’t give up much
Swift is still a bad azz coyote gun with 55 gr bullets

.........................................fast twist barrels, twisty scope knobs, rangefinders and long bullets.

I’m interested. If still available. Joined campfire just to respond here.

Thanks

Tony

Sorry for the redundancy here folks. I’m brand new to the forum and obviously did something wrong to include the quote 5 times...

Where is the 225 today? Not many people wanted it, nor do I know anyone that cries over its passing. It was an answer to a question that was never asked, in my opinion.
As far as the 220 Swift, my cousin has one in Remington 40x, the barrel looks shot out but it’s a nail driver. I know if another one owned by people I know.

Personally, the 22-250AI, is as close as it gets for me. My 22-250AI is very accurate and has all I need for a top end 22 caliber. The brass is cheaper, I like the design better.

With the 22 Creedmoor or the 22-250AI filling in this power level I doubt the 220 Swift will ever return.

Yeah, for sure.

I think twist was a weak spot for those of us who like heavier bullets.

I traded a .220 Swift, a #1 Ruger with drop dead beautiful factory wood.

I have a fast twist .22-250, Shilen barrel on a Mohawk. Not nearly as pretty, but I like it better.

DF

A gunsmith that I used to know, told me that a Swift was at it's best with light fast bullets. But, I thought being able to shoot heavier would be nice too.

Or a 243/6mm running a 55 grain bullet over 4000 fps.

My friend had Cooper build one for him with a 7 twist barrel. Shoots heavy bullets into a knot at 200 yards and very well at 600 also. I can’t believe a 22 caliber in a heavier rifle can be uncomfortable to shoot. Edk

I don't think that it was of a case of what happened to the Swift as much as the change in shooting opportunities left it behind.

Decades ago when the Swift was the hot number the main use was for long-range targets such as woodchucks, crows and other varmints that folks usually only got the occassional shot at. Then starting a few years ago shooters discovered Prairie Dog shooting and ground squirrel shooting and all of a sudden there were a ton of people who took up shooting them.

It did not take most folks very long to discover that a couple of hundred rounds or more a day was hard on the barrel life of the Swift. Between that and the introduction of plastic tipped bullets all of sudden you had smaller chambered rifles, such as the 204, 223, etc, that could reach out and touch stuff just like a Swift but at less recoil, noise, disruption of sight picture, and a much longer barrel life.



I am not taking anything away from the Swift, it is impressive for the occasional shot but it is more horsepower than needed in most cases.

drover

I think that’s a fair summary.

DF