Which do you prefer for hunting varmints? What do you consider the maximum range for these rounds? I'm using a 50gr. Nosler Varmint bullet and H-380 powder.
220 Swift of 22-250 Remington
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LittleCooner
Member
I call these "400 yard guns". That is about max distance for consist hits on small targets like prairie dogs. Shooting coyotes, I would call them 500 yard guns. In years past, I have shot many rounds of both 22-250 and 220 Swift. I actually prefer the 220 swift round over the 22-250, but there is very little difference. With my guns, the swift just seemed to shoot good groups with about anything you fed it and appeared to have a little more accuracy that my 22-250. I love those 50 gr nosler bullets for the prairie dogs and years ago, many a crow has gone to the great corn patch in the sky because he encounter one of those 50 grainers out at distance of 200-300 yards. I won a few six packs of beer decades ago making bets on shooting eastern woodchucks in the head when we hunted the soy bean fields and the only time you could see a 250-325 yard shot was when they would stand up. Head shots with the swift at that distance produced a 6 pack about 75-80% of the time if I had a gullible hunter riding with us. Enjoy, they are fun to shoot.
I have both. If loaded with a 55gr bullet they are very similar.
My 22-250 is built on an AR-10 platform. I use a 55gr ballistic tip. Max range for me is between 4-500 yards.
My 220 Swift is a Ruger #1. I use a 40gr ballistic tip. This shoots a little flatter & further. The drawback is it is a single shot. If you misjudge your distance, you have to find your target again before you shoot.
I like both but the 22-250 gets the nod due to the AR-10 I shoot it out of
My 22-250 is built on an AR-10 platform. I use a 55gr ballistic tip. Max range for me is between 4-500 yards.
My 220 Swift is a Ruger #1. I use a 40gr ballistic tip. This shoots a little flatter & further. The drawback is it is a single shot. If you misjudge your distance, you have to find your target again before you shoot.
I like both but the 22-250 gets the nod due to the AR-10 I shoot it out of
bulletslap
Member
I prefer the Swift, however there isn’t much difference and 22-250 is chambered in a greater variety of rifles and the ammo comes in a much greater variety. The Swift is fine if you hand-load and find a rifle that meets your needs.
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OP
I do hand load. I haven't bought factory ammo in over 20 years.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
I think the distance depends on the accuracy you and your rifle can achieve. With my 22-250, I never killed a varmint beyond 425 yards, only because none offered me the opportunity!
The actual limits would be, how far can you hold within a six inch group (for groundhogs) and can you accurately guess the range (or laser range) that far for proper scope adjustments or hold over.
I have a Single Shot 223 by Savage that will hold 3 to 5 inch groups at 1000 yards. The hand loads still have about 275 ft lbs of energy, so it would be a clean kill, I just never get the opportunity when I'm at that range! Hundreds of other people use it and would all love to nail a Wood Chuck at a Grand!
Ivan
The actual limits would be, how far can you hold within a six inch group (for groundhogs) and can you accurately guess the range (or laser range) that far for proper scope adjustments or hold over.
I have a Single Shot 223 by Savage that will hold 3 to 5 inch groups at 1000 yards. The hand loads still have about 275 ft lbs of energy, so it would be a clean kill, I just never get the opportunity when I'm at that range! Hundreds of other people use it and would all love to nail a Wood Chuck at a Grand!
Ivan
I prefer the 22-250 to the 220 swift. I believe you will get a bit more barrel life out of the 22-250. I have a 77V that I bought when they first came out and I was an avid hand loader. 6- 18 Redfield on it. Seems to me published velocity( from memory) was like 3810 fps, and the swift was over 4K. I agree with the other comment about 400 yards. If i were looking for a bit more distance, I would be looking for a 6mm Remington, or move up to a 270 Winchester
The 22-250 never let me down on varmints. Mine was a Remington 700 and shot very tight groups. Before that I owned a Win. 70 in .225 which was accurate but ammo was gettin tough to find in the early 70s. Heard it was suppose to replace the Swift at one time but that never happened.
Firesticks
Member
Go 22-250. Handloading it will do anything the Swift will do. Ammo and cases are easier to obtain. H-380 was developed for the 22-250 "Varminter" using 38 grs of it. I am going to try the Hybrid-100 and see what it will do. Supposedly increases velocity without increasing pressures. Only question is exactly how temp sensitive it is and how it this and the burn rate effects accuracy. Swift is a great cartridge and gets some bad writing about barrel burnout. It takes lots of high intensity rounds to do so. Loaded to 22-250 levels it is no problems and what very little gain achieved with hot loads is just not worth it. Of course if you live to hot rod cartridges then the Swift is the round for you.
It depends on the rifle, I favor the 220 swift. I don't run them
the advertised 4110 FPS because I shoot 55gr bullets instead
of 50s that ammo companies use for advertisement. Most 220s
are heavy barrel which every thing being equal is not that much
different than 22/250. You do encounter a lot of 22/250s with
Sporter wieght barrels and even some ultra lites. These rifles
can be very finicky and usually have bedding issues. A 222 or
223 with 55gr running 3250fps are solid 300yd groundhog guns.
With HB Swift I had a field where I regularly made 400-500 yd
shots. My serious ground hog gun is a Custom 98, Douglas berrel
Canjar trigger and stocked as bench gun. I shoot 85gr BTSP in
It. Longest shot I ever made was slightly over 600yds with it
The Swift I would say approx 450.
Before the coyotes ate them all we shot groundhogs several
night a week to everyday if weather was right. You shoot for
500, the local official bragging quota. You shoot so many I is
hard to remember a shot unless it was special. Like Exteme
range or some fluke out of the ordinary. I live were I can start
shooting a 100yds from house. Everyone had a groundhog gun.
90% of the were Rem 700s or 788s in 22/250. 90% of them are
shooting factory ammo. There are a lot of 22/250 being traded
in on Ohio Legal Deer guns.
the advertised 4110 FPS because I shoot 55gr bullets instead
of 50s that ammo companies use for advertisement. Most 220s
are heavy barrel which every thing being equal is not that much
different than 22/250. You do encounter a lot of 22/250s with
Sporter wieght barrels and even some ultra lites. These rifles
can be very finicky and usually have bedding issues. A 222 or
223 with 55gr running 3250fps are solid 300yd groundhog guns.
With HB Swift I had a field where I regularly made 400-500 yd
shots. My serious ground hog gun is a Custom 98, Douglas berrel
Canjar trigger and stocked as bench gun. I shoot 85gr BTSP in
It. Longest shot I ever made was slightly over 600yds with it
The Swift I would say approx 450.
Before the coyotes ate them all we shot groundhogs several
night a week to everyday if weather was right. You shoot for
500, the local official bragging quota. You shoot so many I is
hard to remember a shot unless it was special. Like Exteme
range or some fluke out of the ordinary. I live were I can start
shooting a 100yds from house. Everyone had a groundhog gun.
90% of the were Rem 700s or 788s in 22/250. 90% of them are
shooting factory ammo. There are a lot of 22/250 being traded
in on Ohio Legal Deer guns.
Bob R
US Veteran
This is a no brainer for me. 220 Swift for the win. I shoot 53gr Varmegeddon bullets at appx 3800fps out of a 1976 vintage Ruger M77. Shoots like a laser, will outshoot my 22-250 Model 700 all day.
Besides, when was the last time you heard someone compare a new varmint round (or old) to a 22-250, they are compared to the 220 Swift for a reason.
bob
Besides, when was the last time you heard someone compare a new varmint round (or old) to a 22-250, they are compared to the 220 Swift for a reason.
bob
double-dipper
Member
I would pick a 22-250 over the 220 Swift, but I prefer my 204 Ruger when calling and shooting coyotes. Ether one would be a good choice and will work just fine.
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I have a heavy barrel Belgium Brrowning on a sako action in 222, and at 100 yards it will put 5 rounds in a penny sized group from a rest.While I own a 76 or 77 HB Ruger 77 in 22-250, I really love the 222
Had my Ruger 220 Swift when they first came out.
52 gr bullet at 3900 + fps and less then a half inch 5 shot group at 100 yds.
Never saw a need for another rifle in it's class.
Did try some 40 gr bullets that my crony said hit 4400 fps but looked like a shotgun group at a hundred yds.....
Never loaded them again.
52 gr bullet at 3900 + fps and less then a half inch 5 shot group at 100 yds.
Never saw a need for another rifle in it's class.
Did try some 40 gr bullets that my crony said hit 4400 fps but looked like a shotgun group at a hundred yds.....
Never loaded them again.
bmcgilvray
Member
I have a couple of .220 Swift rifles. My dad has had a .22-250 for years. Am familiar with both cartridges. Both are accurate. The Swift is swiftest.
4255 fps was the fastest load ever clocked over the chronograph screens, a 10-shot average. The load used the Sierra 45 grain spitzer with a full charge of IMR 3031 behind it. It was one of the more accurate loads for me. As I wanted to conserve the barrel I didn't make much use of it beyond the developmental stage though it tore up a flock of crows on an occasion.
Five deer have been taken by the Swift here and my dad's taken a couple deer with the .22-250. All were shot with 55 grain Sierra boat tail spitzer bullets driven to top velocities except for one deer which I took with the Swift using a Sisk 55 grain bullet. Both cartridges give perfect satisfaction on Texas whitetail deer.
It's easy to "throttle the .220 Swift back to .22-250 velocities and obtain fine accuracy and flat trajectory. The barrel seems to appreciate it.
Two Swifts
1937 Winchester Model 70 (top)
1972 Ruger Model 77V "Flat Bolt" (bottom)
4255 fps was the fastest load ever clocked over the chronograph screens, a 10-shot average. The load used the Sierra 45 grain spitzer with a full charge of IMR 3031 behind it. It was one of the more accurate loads for me. As I wanted to conserve the barrel I didn't make much use of it beyond the developmental stage though it tore up a flock of crows on an occasion.
Five deer have been taken by the Swift here and my dad's taken a couple deer with the .22-250. All were shot with 55 grain Sierra boat tail spitzer bullets driven to top velocities except for one deer which I took with the Swift using a Sisk 55 grain bullet. Both cartridges give perfect satisfaction on Texas whitetail deer.
It's easy to "throttle the .220 Swift back to .22-250 velocities and obtain fine accuracy and flat trajectory. The barrel seems to appreciate it.
Two Swifts
1937 Winchester Model 70 (top)
1972 Ruger Model 77V "Flat Bolt" (bottom)
I have used 22-250's for over 15 years, and prefer the 55 gr. Nosler over a full load of Varget. I do consider it a 500 yard gun and have killed prairie dogs at that distance, (but I prefer around 300 yards as my eyes are getting too old).
My friends tell me I'm not old enough to use a 220 Swift, I'm only 77.
My friends tell me I'm not old enough to use a 220 Swift, I'm only 77.
lrb1200
Member
It's a 220 swift all day.
Back in the day Ruger 77V with a 6x18 Redfield, and handloaded
Speer 52 grain HP, around 4000 fps.
The Ruger sported a heavy 26 inch barrel, half MOA with
my handloads, and never an exit wound with that bullet
on saleable pelts.
Back in the day Ruger 77V with a 6x18 Redfield, and handloaded
Speer 52 grain HP, around 4000 fps.
The Ruger sported a heavy 26 inch barrel, half MOA with
my handloads, and never an exit wound with that bullet
on saleable pelts.
Attachments
I have two 22-250's. A Remington sporter and a custom built two barrel in 22-250 improved. Both are Llija with different twist. One is a 1-14 twist that just snorts the 50 gr Nosler like the swift could. The other is a 1-16 twist that the swift could only hope for. With this one vapor trails are common. I have been using a Berger 50 grain that stays together at 4465, however accuracy is diminished. Hit a groundhog at 100 yds and I have to go behind the mound 10-12 feet before seeing blood splatter. Have to slow it down to 4000 for sub MOA. The 1-14 twist has done a .252 5 shot group at 100 yds with the 50 gr nosler at 3950. I used a Stole Panda action and a bench rest stock and Dan Dowling did the gunsmithing. For Me the 22-250 rocks. If I ever come across a pre-64 Mod 70 in 220 swift that I can afford I will jump on it.
OP
Thank you for your opinions
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