Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Pre 64 Swift?

Before my dad passed, he indulged himself with a ridiculously-priced 1952 Win 70 in 220. Like in expensive ridiculous, bought it off one of Shrap's Bozeman cronies. Total safe queen, not a mark, nice looking. We scoped it, shot it and were not impressed, just under 2 MOA at best using factory Swift varmint ammo. Talked about what to do and I convinced him to let me get the action out of the stock, which we needed to do anyway just to check for corrosion, to clean the moving parts, etc. It was sprung as heck, of course, and pretty dirty inside, especially the bolt.
So, I cleaned it all pretty, then decided to shim up the action and barrel to "float" the mess.

Instant sorta-varmint rifle, we both got groups in the low 8s. Much more interesting. I went about ordering a sacrifice stock from a fellow Campfireman, and then COVID nailed my dad. So now I have finally hacked and clawed my way into the test stock, got the action to click in and sit happy with wiggle room for the barrel and barrel lug. I've got a couple boxes more of factory, will shoot it again shortly.

I swapped out a Leupold modern scope for one of Shrap's "vintage" Swarovski's, it just looks more appropriate, mounted nice and low instead of in orbit like most tactical scopes demand.

The goal here is to make this thing shoot like it should and then send it to my cousins in Nebraska, when we divvied up Dad's guns that was our agreement.

But looking ahead, I know nothing about Swifts. I don't want to waste much barrel life (or mine) on load development, and components around here are still sparse AND spendy. Would rather work with what I have plenty of.

I have 4895, Varget, H-414, CCI, Win large rifles and Rem large magnums, and a decent count of both 50 and 60 VMaxes. Have some 50 TNTs, some 52s, I think even some 55 VMs. Have some TAC, too.

So, can any of you suggest a Swift load out of my stuff that worked for you?

I have the exact rifle but mine wears a 4x12 leupold, load I'm using is 44.5grs of H380 with a 50gr ballistic tip, shoots under 1/2" or better, don't know the round count on my rifle as it was giving to me by my friends wife when he died

36 grains 4895, standard primer, 50-53 of any flavor is a nice glorified 22-250 load ~3700. Easy on the throat so you won’t eat much.

36-37 grains Varget, standard primer gave me good accuracy but was rather poochy IMO. ~3600 with 53, ~3650 with 50.
Another nice easy on the throat load

I have a couple pre-64 Swifts, but most shooting experience was with a 40XBKSS. On its second barrel. We used 50 gr Rem PLHPs, Sierra 53 gr HP and their 63 gr SMPs. With the 63s we used IMR-4350. With the lighter weights we used IMR 4064 and H-380 mostly.

With respect to the pre-64s a serious collector friend had close to a dozen. He used John Dewey's load. IIRC, that was a 53 gr Sierra HP ahead of 37-ish gr IMR-4064. Think some of the old Lyman manuals also suggested that load. My friend told me that not one Swift would fail to approximate 1/2" for 5 at 100 yds with that load. My guns are in that range.

In your position I'd try Varget and 4895 with std LR primer. Start with the 52 gr weights. Hodgdon online has current recommendations re max charge, but they're close to the Dewey load.

A Ruger 77V I once owned did very well with 37.5gr of H4895 & Sierra 50 MV Blitz, 38.5gr of IMR4064 & Hornady 50 SX, also 38.5gr of RL15 & Hornady 50SX, all in Norma brass with WLRs. The SX & Blitz were rather harsh on groundhogs out to 400+ yds & they all made to the target intact.

I also had a Model 54 Winchester in 220 Swift that shot little tiny groups with the Sierra 50 MV Blitz & 36gr of IMR3031 in Norma brass with Fed.210s.

No barrel strainers, but c. 1/2" or better 4 shot groups @ 100 yds with everything above. Start lower & work up because my stuff is different than your stuff.

I've got some leftovers of slowish IMRs including 4064 so this is a good start. Not wanting to burn it up, but want it to be "swift," right? I've got the Hodgdon bound manual with the Howell case grafs and it's been a fine starting point. Keep 'em coming if you've got something different than so far. Thanks!

My Swift is a 1954 Model 70. Not much in the way of high volume varmint shooting around here in North MS, so mine gets used to hunt our small whitetails. The old 55gr Hornady SP over 39gr IMR 4064 gives me excellent accuracy at 3860fps.

Sweet!

Nothing over 55 if plastic tipped and even the a long 55 plastic and if a slow 14 twist may not play well.

IMR-4064 is a fine Swift powder. Doubt you will burn it up building a load. Not like you're going full rapid fire. Keep it cool with time between 3 shots and 3 shot groups and it will have a lot of barrel life.

H-414 is spherical so it could burn a little cooler than a stick powder. May give good accuracy with 55s as well.

For me though its a 50 of some sort and a tank full of 4064.

Dave Skinner: I would put that "not a mark on it" pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in the somewhat rare 220 Swift caliber right back in a safe and enjoy pride of ownership of that family heirloom -and let it appreciate in value and be appreciated by you and yours for the future.
Buy those relatives a nice Remington 700 or Ruger 77 in 220 Swift and let them whang away it!
Or sell that nifty pre-64 Winchester Model 70 to me.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: All my pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters in caliber 220 Swift that I shot, were VERY accurate (both Varmint and Standard Rifle Models). I used my own carefully crafted handloads for this.
I would look to that factory ammo as the more likely cause of 2" groups at 100 yards than the Rifle.

My 40x Remington test target was a 52 match bullet and imr3031 powder. I’d have to dig it out to tell how much but from what I can remember after looking up the load it would’ve been a pretty mild 3500-3600fps load.

I haven’t personally shot the rifle enough to even work up a load but I’d guess the Remington custom shop guys were using that combo for a reason.

I have a Win 70 in 220 Swift that I love.......would NEVER shoot any factory ammo well............
But with hand loads H414, and 55gr BT's it puts them through the same hole. only issue that does not bother me is that the bullets are seated out to the lands making it a single shot (OAL too long to fit in the magazine)

I like relatively slow powders in the Swift, with the exception of 8208XBR with the 36 gn Varmint Grenade.
Using 50 to 55 gn bullets I like 2000MR, H4350 or R17 with 210 primers or, my favorite, Reloder 16 with 215 primers.
IMR4064 and 760/H414 performed well but were too temperature sensitive for my taste.

Winchester case necks were always too thick, so much so that a bullet could not be fitted into a fired case. They also had great variation in neck-wall thickness and needed neck turning. Norma cases proved to be nearly perfect.

Cheers,
Walt

VG,
I think the Winchester fetish is the worst thing one can do to the rifleman's rifle. Just think, Jack O Connor would have never killed anything with a 270. Given all the zillion dollar shotguns out there that do patterns, I'm okay if this turns out to be a rifle that, 70 years after birth, finally fulfills its intended purpose.

This will be a coyote gun for the cuzzins, a last family gift from Uncle Bud and Cousin Dave to the cornhusker side of the clan. I don't know if I'll do the original stock modern-style or just the generic stock, so it could still be in "factory" form -- but not shoot worth doodly -- which is probably why it was a hang-tagless safe queen.

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll be shooting this donor before the weekend, conditions are supposed to be near ideal.

I found a decent load for a pre 64 swift with 60gr BT and 42 (99% sure) gr of imr4350.

55 grain bullet over 38 grains of IMR 4064. In my rifle it's very accurate, moves out at 3750-3825 fps so it's not that hard on the barrel.

My Ruger M77V Tang Safety digs both IMR-4064 with the Nosler 55 grain BT and Varget with the Sierra 62 grain GK.

I always liked h 414 in my swift and 55 gr bullets
I will have to start ove now as I hear they quit that powder

Not really. Winchester 760 is the same stuff. Back off a bit to account for lot-to-lot variation and work up.

My Ruger 77V likes Hunter powder and bullets 55gr and under due to the twist rate in the barrel.

JB had an article in Rifle magazine a while back that got me started with that powder. It also is now my powder of choice in my 7mm Mauser.