I just cleaned up and scrubbed out the barrel on my 40X, .220 Swift. I love this gun for shooting groundhogs. I've shot it about 800 to 1000 times over the past 15 years. I've taken really good care of this gun, cleaning the barrel about every 20 rounds. It shoots great putting all the rounds in the same hole. That is what you'd expect from a 40X. However, I checked one thing on this gun before I put it away that has me concerned and wondering. I recently got a Stoney Point AOL gauge, so I thought I'd check the seating depth and olgive to compare it to the current OAL to what I already have my shells loaded to. To my surprise, I found the throat measured so long that I wouldn't be able to seat the bullet into the case head. Now I'm wondering if the throat has always been that long, or is it eroded that much. It still shoots, and I'm of the school, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." But now these questions on ingrained into my mind. I ask myself, 'should I replace the barrel, should I have the barrel cut back, etc.?" What are the costs of replacing the barrel with a good Krieger, Hart, Shilen, Douglas, etc.? How about the cost of cutting the barrel back! Any thoughts, opinions, advice anyone has will be really appreciated. Thanks
Want to know if its close to death, go shoot it at 300 or 600 yards some to see, they generally stay ok at closer ranges like 200 or 100 and die sooner at distance.
As otehrs say, if it shoots, don't sweat it, being SS ?? it will die suddenly, shoot great one group and horrible the next, if it were CM, it would die off slower...
I don't know that I'd go to the trouble to set it back, I'm guessing but a good tube can probably be set on for 500 or a bit more, maybe even a bit less depending on action work and what tube.
Tube choice is personal, for longest life I'd think cut rifling.....
Barrel life in a warmly driven swift would or should be on the order of 2K rounds or less...
BTW be careful with cleanign, use rod guides and a good rod, cleanign every 20 rounds could damage the barrel more than shooting it if done incorrectly.
Jeff
My Swift wouldn't shoot that good when it was new, I would leave it alone! Mine will still hold an inch group with the bullets seated out as far as I can get them with 55 gr Speer flat base. I will then try the 60 grain bullets.
I would follow Jeff's advice and test it at 300 yards.
Then make an informed decision.
whelennut
I've got my Swift cleaned and tucked away for the winter. Chuck season is pretty much over for me. Hogs are fat and getting ready for the long, cold winter. The ones I've seen out there lately, are seed for next year's shooting.When I get my Swift out in the spring and check it for zero, (as I always do) I'll take a real close look at how it is shooting. If it is still grouping to my liking, I'll just keep shooting it. If I don't like the groups it is shooting, I'll just put a new barrel on it. No problem.
Hunter01