Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Ruger M77 220 swift

Bought a Ruger 77 HB 220 Swift in 1977, made in 1976 and barrel is stamped accordingly. It was stunningly accurate when new. After a few thousand very hot loads accuracy has fallen off but will still easy shoot under an inch. I made many one shot kills on mule deer with a bullet not recommended for big game. It did stabilize the Speer 70 grain, but I never shot a deer with it. I hope you like yours as well as I like mine.

Wonder what 10 twist was around when that bullet came out many moons ago?

The recommendation is for 12" twist in 223/556. (yes, I know)

But it leads one to wonder if 12" 223 barrels were available at the time the 70 gr SMP was introduced.

My Hornady 3rd Edition 3rd printing, (1981/1982) had 12 twist for their 223 and from what I can find the 12 twist was standard for the 223.

Of course tighter for military applications and heavier projectiles.

Thinking more about this I seem to remember chatter of the 60 grain Partition not stabilizing in a 22-250 with 14 twist. May be because not enough twist or guys not loading them hot and a Partition seems to like some gas underneath of it.

The Speer is a little longer but some stuff I have found, and the 222 my pard had they seem to shoot. I guess it's one of those have to try it to see if they will shoot.

The partition with the gilding metal section is a bit longer than a typical lead core bullet.

My experience, as previously noted, is the 60 gr Hornady spire point is the longest bullet I could ever get to stabilize in 14 inch twist. Even when pushed to the firewall in the 22-250.

I would be very surprised to see a 60 gr partition stabilize in any 14 inch twist barrel.

I have a Ruger 77V in 220 that I bought off a New Mexico cowboy. He had the barrel cut to 20” so he could put it on the dash of his old truck. I still have it, though it’s on barrel #2. I’ve tried a lot of bullets in it over the years. The heaviest one that stabilized was the 63 gr Sierra SMP. The 60 gr Nosler Partition almost stabilized. It worked in some climate conditions. What didn’t work was any bullet longer than those. Probably if I had loaded the 60 gr Partition hotter and from a 26” barrel, the Partition would have stabilized.

If you want to shoot that 65 gr Sierra, Ain’t no way in that 14 twist. I tried it. I have no idea where the bullets went at 100 yards.

I have not had very good luck with anything over 55gr in my Ruger 77V. It was made in ‘75 and is very accurate with 52gr Sierra MKs so that’s what I shoot mostly. We have a 2” gong at 200yds at my range and hitting it with this rifle is so easy my Grandkids do can do it.
Longer heavier bullets just won’t shoot well in this rifle. It’s a good honest old varmint rifle with a Canjar trigger and 12x Leopold scope, at my age I doubt I will ever rebarrel it, but if I did I would go with a faster twist barrel for sure.

Looks just like the one I'm getting.