Diggerman09 Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 ive always wanted a 220swift,but I've been told these are barrel burners and are a caliber of the past,is this true?anyone had dealing's with 220. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 Lead wasp on here has one. It's a powerful old beast that punches holes through targets that no other calibre has managed at the range. I'll message him on FB . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalahari Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 When Karamojo Bell retired from elephant hunting and came home to Scotland to stalk deer (when he came back he was asked if he needed help with stalking to which he replied he thought he could manage) he gave up his big rifles (7 x 57 or 318) and used a 220 swift for red deer. Mind you he was a bit of an above average shot. David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 ive always wanted a 220swift,but I've been told these are barrel burners and are a caliber of the past,is this true?anyone had dealing's with 220. Every calibre has a use, but popular calibres are popular for a reason, as are unpopular calibres! Do you reload? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipdog Posted June 22, 2016 Report Share Posted June 22, 2016 Awesome round on paper, in practice a 223 will do all you need, with better barrel life and ammunition availability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Used to be the fastest round in the world a 22-250 is close but if you want a different option go for it or we all just own a 22lr, 223 and 308 for Britain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Great round is the swift, cant beat a fast .22 for vermin and the like. Its at the top of its game in factory offerings only a few cwildcats can out perform it, and then not by much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeadWasp Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 (edited) Hi Diggerman Well.....advances in metallurgy have pretty much negated the barrel burning objection, but like most overbore catridges don't overheat your barrel for throat life. The Swift is as accurate as any other round but generates a lot of heat so a conservative shooting regime will help with barrel life. A rifle built before the late 1980's might not have great steel, especially Ruger's. As for 'calibre of the past' that's pretty dismissive - bit like saying .375 or .30-06 is old hat. Ballistically there is not a lot of difference between a .220 and a .22-250. For all intents and purposes they are interchangeable. Both the Swift at the 250 date from the '30's....the 250 being only a few years younger. Most forces have few Swifts amongst their certificate grants so it will generate some friendly interest. There is a vast selection of both bullets and powders for reloading. Factory ammunition availability is not something I can comment on. I found a rich seam of Norma 50gr softpoint in my area which seemed to be of some vintage - I bought the lot and now have buckets of brass. A typical twist for the Swift will be 1:14. Mine shoots 55gr (Nosler) exceptionally well but someone at Catton recently introduced me to the Sierra 60gr soft point that is specifically designed for 1:14" Swifts and 250's.. I'm going to give it a go. Play with Nosler's free ballistic calculator to see what the Swift can do. I like my long cases, I like my IMR powders (though Viht N150 is very good), I like the way they shoot and their ballistics. If you plan to shoot steel with a Swift don't use soft points - you can punch a core out of a 10mm thick target - or at least don't use soft point under 200yds. At the risk of firing up a 'meat damage' melee my take is that it is a pest/vermin round only. The impact is basically a fine lead particle injection machine and I wouldn't want to eat anything in a wide radius around the wound, however a non-toxic bullet might be a different proposition. Given that you can turn a small carcass inside out with this I wouldn't use it on anything I planned to eat even though the calibre is small deer legal. I think this is the territory of other .224's. Perhaps someone with experience of deer taken with this cartridge can correct me. I just can't satisfy my curiosity on a living creature whose life (and body) I might end up wasting, although I've heard of quite large deer being taken with this back in the day. Just touching on the 'calibre of the past' thing again. It makes me think of this. My father is as old as the Swift yet, at a party, whilst the young bucks are trying too hard the old man is still making younger ladies laugh. I rest my case. Edited June 23, 2016 by LeadWasp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Think i`ve seen more remarkeable shots pulled off by the Swift than any other calibre,not at pieces of paper either ! Noisy b`s tho`. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diggerman09 Posted June 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 Cheers guys,think you're sold it to me,only will be used for foxing,a few friends shoot 22-250 but wanted to try a different caliber,will let you know how I get on. Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeadWasp Posted June 23, 2016 Report Share Posted June 23, 2016 If you need any help send me a PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) Cheers guys,think you're sold it to me,only will be used for foxing,a few friends shoot 22-250 but wanted to try a different caliber,will let you know how I get on. Many thanks ? Look, buy what you want and use what you want and try what you want, but I have always had a practical approach to shooting, weather it was back in my competition days or for pest control or recreational shooting. I look at the job required and buy what I can establish to be best for the job! ONLY foxing? What sort of environments/distances do you expect? What is wrong with the 22-250 most of your friends use that a 220 Swift will address? With all due respect many people have shot many foxes in many environments over the years and done most of the groundwork for you, very few settle on a 220Swift. Look at your requirements and get the rifle best suited for it, few will buy a 220 Swift to shoot only foxes, some may, and some may find it ideal for their SPECIFIC requirements, and great for them, but they are seriously in the minority! In addition, there is seldom ONE rifle/calibre/shotgun for any shooting requirement, I have a lot of different firearms and calibres so I can select the best for any given job/environment! On the other hand, if you just want something a bit different, then go for it and enjoy, but any suggestion/thought that it may be an ideal fox gun are flawed in the vast majority of situations! ATB! Edited June 24, 2016 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodeer Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 There is a very tidy .220 swift in a hop near me. Been there for many years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 If you really really want one, ask Norman Clark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeadWasp Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) ? Look, buy what you want and use what you want and try what you want, but I have always had a practical approach to shooting, weather it was back in my competition days or for pest control or recreational shooting. I look at the job required and buy what I can establish to be best for the job! ONLY foxing? What sort of environments/distances do you expect? What is wrong with the 22-250 most of your friends use that a 220 Swift will address? With all due respect many people have shot many foxes in many environments over the years and done most of the groundwork for you, very few settle on a 220Swift. Look at your requirements and get the rifle best suited for it, few will buy a 220 Swift to shoot only foxes, some may, and some may find it ideal for their SPECIFIC requirements, and great for them, but they are seriously in the minority! In addition, there is seldom ONE rifle/calibre/shotgun for any shooting requirement, I have a lot of different firearms and calibres so I can select the best for any given job/environment! On the other hand, if you just want something a bit different, then go for it and enjoy, but any suggestion/thought that it may be an ideal fox gun are flawed in the vast majority of situations! ATB! "seriously in the minority" and "flawed" - you ought to justify comments like that. Edited June 24, 2016 by LeadWasp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) There is a very tidy .220 swift in a hop near me. Been there for many years. "seriously in the minority" and "flawed" - you ought to justify comments like that. Are you kidding, what needs justifying, if it was that good/efficient/popular everyone would be using them? And perhaps you should read and note ALL my post, not little bits! As regards their standing, just look at the post top! Edited June 24, 2016 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeadWasp Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) Well if you want to be credible then you need to explain what you've written. Oddly I have read your whole post and wait to see your justifications to words that seem very negatively biased and almost mocking. Additionally some of what you have written seems to be responding to something that hasn't been said, and then one part is contradictory (if you know your calibres). It seems more of a rant about a persons wish to have something you don't approve of. If you have valid points as to WHY the choice is seriously flawed etc. then make them. Justify your remarks. Edited June 24, 2016 by LeadWasp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 Well if you want to be credible then you need to explain what you've written. Oddly I have read your whole post and wait to see your justifications to words that seem very negatively biased and almost mocking. Additionally some of what you have written seems to be responding to something that hasn't been said, and then one part is contradictory (if you know your calibres). Which part of this didn't you understand?! Are you kidding, what needs justifying, if it was that good/efficient/popular everyone would be using them? And perhaps you should read and note ALL my post, not little bits! As regards their standing, just look at the post top! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeadWasp Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 If you are going to criticise the man's choice then you owe him a full explanation. Help him out don't knock him back. "Look...but I have always had a practical approach to shooting" - the subtext is that the OP's choice is, in your view, impractical. "ONLY foxing? What sort of environments/distances do you expect? What is wrong with the 22-250" so if a 22-250 is OK, then why is a .220 Swift wrong in your opinion if the OP wants one? "With all due respect .....very few settle on a 220Swift." What other reasons can you think of for not choosing a calibre? "seriously in the minority!" is a bit emotive for a calibre that is not commonly known well (there I've given you an answer to one of the above). "there is seldom ONE rifle" who said anything about ONE rifle?? "any suggestion/thought that it may be an ideal fox gun are flawed" why is that? "if it was that good/efficient/popular everyone would be using them" why is it not a good or efficient calibre? and I refer you above for the other bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) My post was balanced, informative, accurate, unbiased! Seems you are the only one who failed to notice that. Tuff! Have a nice day! Edited June 24, 2016 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 Dekers You don't explain why it's unsuitable I'd like to know and I expect the op would as why the 220 swift is unsuitable as a foxing rifle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) Dekers You don't explain why it's unsuitable I'd like to know and I expect the op would as why the 220 swift is unsuitable as a foxing rifle? I didn't say it was unsuitable, please read my #12! Edited June 24, 2016 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 I didn't say it was unsuitable, please read my #12! Ok I will rephrase it to flaud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) Ok I will rephrase it to flaud Good grief, will you read ALL my post, what is wrong with everyone today, please do not extract odd words out of context! Here are a few words that surround my use of flawed, BUT please read ALL my #12! On the other hand, if you just want something a bit different, then go for it and enjoy, but any suggestion/thought that it may be an ideal fox gun are flawed in the vast majority of situations! Edited June 24, 2016 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeadWasp Posted June 24, 2016 Report Share Posted June 24, 2016 (edited) There's too much that you have said which is unsubstantiated for you to be obtuse. Please can you reply to the issues you have raised for the sake of your own credibility. We are all here to help the OP. Having made the assertions highlighted in #19 (which follows a reading of ALL of your #12) surely they deserve evidence and explanation. It's only fair on the OP. Let's help the guy out with fact or say that it is opinion that is offered. Edited June 24, 2016 by LeadWasp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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