Always fun to learn about other places

Too old to hunt am I ???. You notice I'm using it at 500 yards, were it not for something in my eye I'd be doing that with open sites.

Osky

But you are right, I'm thinking of letting it go and maybe finding the same gun in a .243 as if I need another one in that caliber.

You can't even see 500 yards. The do carry eyeglasses that may be able to help you though.
There is a hardware store that carries them but I forget the name of it?

now your talking Osky….make me miss my bull barreled Rem 700 from mid 70's with a Fecker 15x scope...…..you rat...……..lol
Dad and I set that up to shoot crows and chucks out past .222 Rem range and it was neat to see a black puff of feathers out past 400.
Wow, I forgot about that gun.

LOL...BnB..I get my shooting and welding glasses for $1 from ACE Hardware, since the magnification is the entire lens and not just at the bottom like my bifocals.

Bought a new 77V swift about 1979 with the 26" varmint barrel. After floating the barrel it shot like a dream. Many a coyote fell to the old swift and I still have it today. Also have a Remington 700 classic swift also bought new about 1991. Floated the barrel and bedded the action and she has killed many a coyote. Have killed lion, antelope, whitetail and mule deer with my Swifts also. Luckily both my guns like the same bullet and load. I use Sierra 52 gr. match hollow points, IMR 4064 and CCI BR2 primers. I prefer not to shoot bobcat or fox with my swifts unless they are 200 yards plus. I have tried many bullets looking for the most fur friendly bullet and the Sierra 52 is the best for what I shoot. I have never met a swift that didn't like IMR 4064 powder. Both of my guns have the factory barrels which I clean often and the accuracy is still very good. I believe most people who bad mouth the swift either have very little experience with it or do not clean and take care of their barrels. Just my two cents and almost 40 years of practical experience with the Swift.

Traprj..... I.m glad it bring back good memories. I'm taken back at how many guys have used and like this caliber. It was always that interesting "shadow" caliber I always heard about.
I will tell you of two witnessed shots with my favorite gun. I knew the distances head of time but we shot it again after at 431. I was challenged to hit a small grapefruit size animal while I was standing but allowed to lean back against something which I did. I called the shot 12" up and 12" left into the 10-12 mph cross breeze. I made the shot. About 45 minutes later 2 crows were circling over the scene and I was challenged again. I took aim at the crow after it landed at the kill. I figured the same leads and standing in the same spot I tickled the trigger. Two poofs of black feathers. While concentrating on the first crow out there the other had hopped in line about 7' behind it which I wasn't aware of.

Larry B it's interesting that here and on the net where I've been searching it seems the 77V and the model 700 are the first two models generally mentioned, and the rest very good models as well. I will have someone load up the round you suggested, does it hold decent in the wind?

Bucks.... Now don't you worry over my eyesight. It's good enough to find that well worn snow machine trail to town and from there a blind man could find what I wanna see. Which is nice.

Osky

Osky, The bullet and load I quoted does do as good as any 22 caliber load in the wind. As you can tell I love my swifts. I like my swifts for antelope hunting but if it is very high wind I switch to my 25-06 with 100 gr. Nosler ballistic tips. I use IMR 4350 and CCI BR2 primers in it. For elk I use a 30-06 with 150 gr. Hornady BTSP's, IMR 4350 and CCI BR2's also.
The swift is still a pretty popular caliber here in the open country of the west. There are quite a few of them around here but nobody wants to sell them and there's a reason for that !!!!
.

Larry that's my second favorite 06 load as well. Federal premium 180 grains I like a bit more, they are devastating.

Osky

Osky,
I believe you mention your swift is a #1 Ruger. If it doesn't group to your satisfaction you may need to find a gun smith who is familiar with #1 Ruger barrel bedding. I haven't had a #1 but have heard of bedding problems and needing a smith who has experience with them. My favorite smith (who is no longer practicing) had mentioned occasional bedding issues with # 1's.

I have had a retail firearms business for the past 14 years.
My youngest son wanted to remove my old 77V from my collection. He is an avid coyote caller and just about worshipped my old gun. I informed him he was not to take my old gun but I would do my best to find him an old 77V Swift in decent condition.
About 7 years later an old rancher walks into my shop one evening with just what we wanted. Seemed his daughter was moving to the city and he wanted to trade the rifle for a handgun to give her. It was obvious that it had been hauled around in a pickup quite a but the bore looked good. My question was why a rancher was willing to part with his 220 swift ? His reply was he wouldn't except he had bought two of them brand new in the late 1970's and he had the other one still in the box ! What a smart dude, I wish I had done that ! So we made the deal, that is the only 77V in 220 that I ever took on trade or bought used.
I cleaned it up and put my preferred Leupold 4x12 VX-2 scope on it after lapping the rings. I did take quite a bit of copper fouling out of the bore. It groups great with my favorite load and we haven't even floated the barrel.
Needless to say I have one happy son. I wish making his mother happy was that easy !
Enjoy your rifle.
Larry

That's a terrific story Larry. I hope your sending that rancher a card and free box of handgun rounds for the pistol he bought so he keeps you in mind should that V in the box become available.

I picked up a grimy dirty resemblance of a rifle from the end of a shelf in a gun shop west of Minneapolis maybe 30 years ago. Under the dirt and neglect was an old Remington 270 factory long barrel 721 I believe. Cleaned up like a reformed drunk, oiled stock and very decent browning became exposed. Like you some hard bore scrubbing. Most accurate factory rifle I own, it'll tear the same hole as far as you want to shoot it with good ammo.

Once the storm passes here I'll stretch this no 1 out. I can go safely out to just over 800 yards off the deck here but I'm going to curb it at 500.

Osky

Looking at what even used ones are bringing, I think you found a Diamond!

Maybe if you guys were younger you could just WALK closer to the target.

I have a old tang safety Ruger 220 Swift. I’ve been told it has a factory Douglas barrel on it. I was standing in a sporting goods store parking lot when a elderly lady pulled up beside me. She had two firearms wrapped up in quilts in the trunk. She asked me if the store bought used guns. I replied I don’t know if they do but I sure will. She pulled out the first gun and it was a brand new Ruger 220 Swift with a 12 power Leupold scope on it. It still had the price tag on it and the scope was mounted with the crosshairs like a X and not a +. She said her husband bought the rifle to go prairie dog hunting but never did and had passed away. She said her grandchildren were not of the gun type so she thought she would try to sell them. I bought the Swift. The other gun was a brand new Remington 1100.
This was nearly thirty years ago. I finally got to be the guy with the money at the right place at the right time. I have killed a large number of coyotes with this rifle.

160 I like that!! Does it come with a kit to mount a rifle scabbard?

Actually add a lead sled to the front and I would REALLY be in tall cotton.

Osky

Similar story for me...……..An elderly lady came into a local shop with a gun wrapped up in a blanket. They opened it up and it was a WWII vintage original BAR with the canvas case and extra barrel. She found it hidden after her husband had passed away. The shop told her to get that thing out of there! She asked what to do with it and they suggested finding a bridge somewhere to throw it off. I should have followed her outside!