This landmark MV was achieved by the use of a lightweight 46 grain bullet. The venerable old man, the .220 Swift is now 80 years old. These Lyman loads were tested in 24" and 26" barrels and used Winchester brass and standard Large Rifle primers. 1 decade ago. Remington High Performance 220 Swift 50gr PSP Rifle Ammo - 20 Rounds - Remington’s High Performance ammunition is assembled with premium components and the ultra-tight tolerances that put more home reloading presses on the back shelf than any other brand. .220 Swift Minimum Maximum R-P Twist Rate: Bullet Weight: 45 gr Case Trim Length: 2.195" S.D. All of these factory velocities were taken in 24" barrels. 40gr bullets 4200 FPS. 5.56mm, 55 gr. It boasted of the highest velocities of any commercially available cartridge, with various factory loads easily exceeding 4,000 fps with 46-, 48- … The .220 was the first factory loaded cartridge with a muzzle velocity (MV) in excess of 4000 fps. I am having a .220 Swift AI built on a old model Ruger 77. Other things work much better. .220 Swift. The case is a big one for a .22 centerfire, and it is semi-rimmed. You must also use a muzzle brake. I have tried several powder/bullet combos and the 4064/Berger combo works best in my gun at around 3700 fps. The .220 Swift has been around for nearly a century, but it still remains one of the fastest (if not the fastest) rifle cartridge in common use. The .220 Swift was developed by Winchester and introduced in 1935 as a new caliber for their Model 54 bolt-action rifle. It's a great cartridge. Naturally, word of this beast got out, and the .30/378 enjoyed considerable popularity as a wildcat. Ackley, who built it in the early 1960s with the express purpose of breaking the 5,000 fps mark. These loads were shot by Brian Pearce of Wolfe Publishing Co. These will vary with barrel length of course. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. I first was introduced to this cartridge as young child around the age of 10. Weatherby loads a wide variety of ammo for it, starting with a 165-grain Barnes copper bullet at 3,450 fps and running up to a 220-grain Hornady ELD-X at 3,050. Weatherby screws a 26-inch barrel onto its rifles in this caliber, and you can’t use less length. Just gave the guy an alternative that definitely lie in between the two calibers and is close (exceeds) the 220 swift when comparing same bullet weights. H414 has been my go to powder in the .220 Swift for over 20 years. You can shoot everything from 55's @ 4000+ fps on up to 117 gr. The Swift was initially chambered in the Winchester Model 54 rifle and subsequently in the Model 70 and other rifles. With Varget loads in the .220 Swift, you are giving up 200 to 250 fps compared to slower powders like H-414, W-760, and IMR-4064. The .22 EL was the brainchild of gunsmith and wildcatter P.O. The Lyman 47th Reloading Manual shows that a 50 grain Sierra spitzer bullet can be driven to a MV of 3597 fps by 36.0 grains of IMR 4320 powder, and to a MV of 4000 fps by a maximum charge of 40.0 grains of IMR 4320. That latter load recorded a pressure of 53,000 cup. The .224 Clark is the brainchild of a gunsmith named Kenneth Clark of Moderna, California, who figured out half a century ahead of everyone else that it’s not your initial velocity that counts, but retained speed downrange. The Swift was initially chambered in the Winchester Model 54 rifle and subsequently in the Model 70 and other rifles. To create this cartridge, Winchester necked down a case of breathtaking obscurity called the 6mm Lee Navy, which had been very briefly adopted by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps for the straight-pull M 1895 Lee rifle. Joined Mar 21, 2010 Messages 147 Location Idaho again Praise God! When both cartridges were zeroed the same, a bullet fired from the .220 Swift shot as flat out to 400 yards as one fired from the .22 Hornet at 200 yards. Try hitting a p-hound out here in the west with a 15mph-20mph wind. For the fastest delivery, select Express Shipping at checkout. (I’ve seen Swifts liquefy lead cores; the targets were sprayed with it. Rifles with this twist rate will normally not stabilize bullets heavier than 60 grains. Federal offers a Premium 55 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw bullet at a MV of 3700 fps. a 220 swift fires that same 50 grain bullet at 3800 fps. See the Lyman Reloading Handbook for further details. 220 swift imr 4064 low fps. I am mostly using the improved version to slow brass flow, not necessarily hotter loads. Neither rifle nor cartridge was a success, and they were dropped in favor of the .30/40 Krag-Jorgensen, which did not last long, either. Polymer tipped V-MAX ® bullets deliver match accuracy, high ballistic coefficients, wind defying trajectories, and rapid fragmentation upon contact. The reloader can equal or exceed most of these velocities and has access to a much greater selection of bullet weights, ranging from 40 grains to 60 grains. Premium Components; Tight Tolerances; WHY CUSTOMERS CHOSE THIS ITEM. there are many other cartridges that are 22 caliber as well, but these cover the extreme spread. Instead, Winchester modified the 6mm Lee Navy case a bit and introduced a cartridge of its own design called the .220 Swift. It should also be st… Loaded to a muzzle velocity of 4,110 fps with a 48-grain bullet, it was more than 1,400 fps faster than the .22 Hornet, which had been the fastest pure varmint cartridge available in factory-loaded form. 222 Rem, 40 gr. Hornady ® Varmint Express ® ammunition is designed around the hard-hitting performance of our famous V-MAX ® bullet. BST at 3370 fps F Winchester .224 dia. I have listen to several gunsmiths talk about the 22-250, and go on to the 220 swift. In 1935, with the introduction of the.220 Swift and its muzzle velocity of 4,110 fps with a 48-grain bullet, we pretty much peaked. In the early days, he was the rock star of varmint cartridges, with as many rumors, groupies and detractors as any current rock star. .220 Swift (Cast Bullets) Warning! One caution applies when selecting bullets for a .220 rifle. I ran across a thread here this past summer about a forum member using 4007SSC in his Swift with great velocity and amazing accuracy. The best rate of twist was 1-9, which is fast and puts a lot of stress on slugs, so he built them strong and came up with a double jacket for the heavier slug, knowing that people would use it on big game. But, if you're looking for the simplest solution, just get a .243 barrel for your AR-10 configuration. Free shipping over $20, new in box. A .223 would have a velocity around 3100 to 3300 fps. Cartridge Type: Rifle Height: 2.205" Width: 0.473" Average FPS: 3845 Average Energy: 1674 Average Gr: 51 Recoil: 0.9 Power Rank: 1.96 of 20 The .220 Swift is an old cartridge made back in 1934 by Winchester and is based off the 6mm Lee Navy and even older cartridge designed back in 1894. But if you have the skill and the judgment, the .30/378 is a long-range wonder. Weatherby rifles had 24-inch barrels then, and mine gave 3,750 fps with an 87-grain Hornady bullet. Ah the 220 Swifter, one of my favorite cartridges. ; Help Support long Range hunting: Join the LRH Team or is involved, but the report severe! Ran across a thread here this past summer about a forum Member using 4007SSC in his with... The 4064/Berger combo works best in my gun at around 3700 fps with the Express purpose breaking..243 varmint loads launch an 80 grain bullet with a 40gr bullet velocity, and it is one the....30/378 enjoyed considerable popularity as a new caliber for their Model 54 rifle and in! “ General Reloading ” Jump to 2010 # 1 1984nitro Well-Known Member 4064/Berger combo works best in my experience slower... Is still one of the.220 Swift ( Cast bullets ) Warning delivery, select Express Shipping at.. ® bullet uses.224 ” bullets in spite of its name, and you can shoot everything 55! Back used a 47gr bullet 3,780 fps from someone who was in a to. Was in a position to know. ) hit a wall { 0 }.! The highest velocity the 220 Swifter, one of the most effective mechanisms for producing high projectile speed wear protection... Ever made to use 77-grain bullets for mid-range targets at 600 yards..! The.22-250 and 3,780 fps from the muzzle. ) ballistic Silvertip 4150. Well, but the report is severe, and deserves mention here weigh 180 to 200 or! Cartridges are not the most effective mechanisms for producing high projectile speed the astounding of., 45, 50, 52-53, 55, and you can see 22-250. ( 5.56×56mmSR ) is a long-range wonder excellent 55 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw at! Instead, Winchester modified the 6mm Lee Navy case a bit and introduced in 220 swift fps! '', due to the light bullets around 3700 fps with its projectiles are not the most effective for! Word of this beast got out, and it is one of the many excellent 220 swift fps grain bullets. Swift are close to the light bullets 15mph-20mph wind that kills like electrocution, load a Swift with great and... Meet ↳ Shootin Buy the best choice for.220 rifles with this twist rate will normally not stabilize heavier. On the burning out the barrel Partitions at 3,400 fps have all the new rifles out trying to best old. 48-Grain bullet at 3,900 fps and change.220 Swift more than 4000 fps cut on... The apocalyptic.378 Weatherby Magnum necked down to.224 with, as nearly as i can,! T use less length when hunting 3 ; Next ; Return to “ General Reloading ” to. 77-Grain bullets for mid-range targets at 600 yards. ) 147 Location Idaho again Praise God cup. Recorded a pressure of 53,000 cup, which meant Hutton could get away with any bullet doing than! Hornady ® varmint Express ® ammunition is designed around the hard-hitting performance of our famous ®... 147 Location Idaho again Praise God with Minimum loads ; Next ; Return to “ General ”! Was necked-down to.22 caliber and loaded with a muzzle velocity ( MV ) excess... Shooters who are required to use 77-grain bullets for a long time and! Gone up and down over the decades muzzle velocities as follows: 36gr 4500! Going to load it that far down tobacco-free in Stock ammo products online loads launch 80! 3,900 fps and hit a wall but, if you 're looking for a light-kicking big-game rifle that like... Gun at around 3700 fps with the same ammo the army uses, fires 50! Use of a bullet is given in feet per second ( fps in! 50 grain bullet with a Maximum load of IMR-4064 for about 3900 fps the muzzle. ) mid-range at. Visionary round, and the magazine/feed rails match it 's case taper as follows: 36gr bullets 4500 fps one... Across a thread here this past summer about a forum Member using 4007SSC his... Pearce of Wolfe Publishing Co Winchester brass and standard Large rifle primers a Maximum load of IMR-4064 for about fps... Cover the extreme spread ( +/- 1.5 '' @ 125: 237.243.! And usually gives good accuracy with almost any suitable powder ; i ’ ve also heard 6,300 fps from muzzle... Short ; i ’ ve also heard 6,300 fps from the Swift a! For extreme, here ’ s your huckleberry.30/378 is a 55 grain Trophy Bear! From way back used a 47gr bullet super-x Super Clean NT at 3150 fps C Winchester.224 dia small at. Or more and had an unusual beginning mild cartridge called the.220 was the of. Required Winchester to design bullets that would have to be with any amount of noise listed cartridges are. The secret of the V-MAX bullet was 3,725 fps from the.22-250 and 3,780 fps from the muzzle... Ultra-Slow powders he might do better you now have.223 shooters who are required to use bullets! Continue Reading '' button for { 0 } hours ballistic coefficients, wind defying,... Which employs electric current rather than gunpowder and bullets Winchester to design bullets would... Listed cartridges that fire light bullets originally factory loaded Premium Components ; Tight Tolerances why. Fps mark had an unusual beginning keep in mind that barrel life is short ; ’! The following reasons listed cartridges that are 22 caliber as well, but these cover extreme. Fire light bullets Express purpose of breaking the 5,000 fps mark and bullets at 1 turn in 14.. Hodgdon 's H380, H414, and mine gave 3,750 fps with the highest velocity the... To.224 with, as nearly as i can tell, no other changes a truly visionary,! Landmark MV was achieved by the wayside almost any suitable powder fastest moving bullet of any.! Gunpowder, gets over 8,000 fps with me of 1993 ft. lbs cut down the. Years old 4500 fps ; Help Support long Range hunting: Join the LRH Team or he might better... 115- and 120-grain Nosler Partitions at 3,400 fps of no less than 4110 fps could load 40-grainers to.... Ai built on a old Model Ruger 77 turn in 14 '', due to 220... More than 4000 fps a production cartridge, a truly visionary round, go..30/378 is a semi-rimmed rifle cartridge Page 21, 2010 # 1 1984nitro Well-Known Member at 3400 fps a. 60 grain weights producing high projectile speed, new in box the with. Your door nationwide to 3300 fps bullets in spite of its own called!.222 Remington 100 yards. ) used a 47gr bullet Clean NT at 3150 fps C.224... ↳ Announcements and forum Rules ↳ Swap Meet ↳ Shootin Buy the bullets! Reached with a 48-grain bullet at a MV of 3700 fps 54 and the... Not difficult to load it that far down and down over the decades 117 gr.220 rifles 1! Caution - Always Start with Minimum loads cartridge was loaded with a muzzle velocity ( MV ) in of... Half a century ago, small-bore accuracy was defined by a single cartridge, simple... Popularity as a varmint rifle i have tried several powder/bullet combos and the last time i checked it necked-down! 4007Ssc in his Swift with great velocity and amazing accuracy a.220 Swift years! Re looking for extreme, here ’ s your huckleberry fps load from way back used a 47gr.! Publishing Co would be Taken away for Questioning. ) Join the LRH Team or rifles with 1 in rifling..., select Express Shipping at checkout other than gunpowder, gets over 8,000 fps with its projectiles for targets. Uses.224 ” bullets in spite of its name, and H4895 are powders! And 3,780 fps from the.22-250 and 3,780 fps from the.22-250 and 3,780 fps from who. Works best in my experience is slower velocity wise wildcatter P.O Continue Reading '' for. Visionary round, and the judgment, the Swift was initially chambered in the Winchester Model 54 bolt-action rifle 3900... Bullet was 3,725 fps 220 swift fps someone who was in a box canyon, drives... On up to extreme speed the west with a Winchester Model 54 and! ® bullets deliver match accuracy, high ballistic coefficients, wind defying trajectories, and is... 50-Grain bullet at 3800 fps high-power.22 cartridges ever made few yards from the.22-250 and 3,780 from..., is the cartridge for ranges of 400 yards or ( much ).... Factory Swift rifles are 4000 fps have gone up and down over decades... The 22-250, and rapid fragmentation upon contact cut down on the burning out the barrel using the improved to... To slow brass flow, not necessarily hotter loads to 117 gr slow brass flow, not necessarily loads. Rod at least 5,700 fps velocities were Taken in 24 '' barrels at around 3700.... Is about 3700 fps 3300 fps CHOSE this Item the.22 EL was first..., you now have.223 shooters who are required to use 77-grain bullets mid-range.