Hey all, I’m looking for hand load ideas for the 220swift. I’m shooting a ruger m77 red pad tang safety, 26in barrel, and I believe it’s a 1:14 twist. Wanting to develop some smokin hot hand loads for it. I do realize this will cut down on barrel life, but I want to push the swift what it’s made for, not loading it to the max potential is like putting a v6 in a corvette! I’m wanting to do a 50gr varmint bullet, not sure on what powders, primers, etc. I’m really hoping to consistently achieve over 4000fps MV with this and not getting to crazy over pressure issues. What is yalls input for powder, grains of powder, primers, and what it reads on the chronograph? Anyways, any input would be much appreciated! Thanks all for the input! Looking forward to smacking the coyotes with a nice load setup.

My ruger liked 4064 and ballistic tips at least up to the point of burning up the throat a little. At one time considered re-barrel but not that much to really use it on around here so it just sits in the safe these days. I suspect the current published load data says to generate 4k isnt in the cards and will put you over pressure. If you have really old manuals you would find listings of 4k plus at least with some powders but always wonder how accurate the fps and psi data was back then. My chronograph normally would give me reading of around 3975 but I'd imagine I was at top end pressure or over.

Heavy barrel models?

I believe mine is a medium heavy barrel, it doesn’t seem to me like it’s a full bull barrel

Mines a thin barrel, asked a buddy to send me a couple load recipe

Awesome! Thank you

I've had several 220 Swift's. Never tried to hit the 4000 fps mark, I was after bug hole groups with good speed.
Every one I had ran good on 4064 around 36-37gr.+/- and got around 3600 fps.
Brass had good life and didn't have to trim it constantly. The hotter you run it, the shorter life you will get from your brass. The closer you get to 4000 fps you will start getting other pressure signs as well.
4000 always sounds like fun, but it comes with other costs.

Keep us posted on how it goes. I'm honestly curious how everything holds up.

If any one knows of a ture heavy barrel one thats available id appreciate a pm?

My .22-250 shoots factory 45gr HP white box winchester a little over 4000fps. Perhaps instead of more powder you could use a slightly lighter bullet? I get good results on coyotes in my Tikka T3.

I have an old Ruger 77V. It’s been my go to rifle when I was doing ADC work. And killed piles of ground squirrels and rock chucks with it.

4064 is the powder in a Swift though I’d think Reloader 15 might be a good option. During Trump’s first term I bought up eight pounders of just about every powder I thought I’d need but never found an eight pound jug of 4064. And at the time one pounders of it were scarce. So my supply is low. I do have a lot of Reloader 15, H4895 and 4320 and all will work in the Swift. 40-50 grain bullets are the sweet spot in the 1/14 Swifts. Most of them will shoot 55 grain bullets fairly well and I’ve run into a few guys who have had decent luck with some of the shorter 60 grain bullets. But you’re never going to safely get 4000 fps with 55+ grains.

I never have worried about barrel life. I run my Swift at full throttle on most loads unless the load likes it lighter, which is rare with my rifle. Most Swifts like full throttle loads. New barrels are not terribly expensive. Far less than a replacement rifle. And if you shot enough to wear out a barrel, good on you. You had lots of shooting and hunting opportunities and presumably a lot of fun.

T3,s are to light for my use..22-250 is a pelt wrecker and that BT is a splash bullet

That’s what I’m also thinking is maybe if I can’t get it with the 50gr to barely bump
It down a view grains to try and achieve 4000 with good accuracy

most calibers can be pelt wreckers with the wrong bullet

That’s one thing I’m definitely not worried about, pelt damage is completely fine with my line of work!

I used 40gr Noslers w 4064 in that same gun with good results.

Killbuck do you know what the muzzle velocity was ?

nope

Keep your barrel clean.

Velocities of 4000fps and more cause noticeably more copper fouling.

A note on resizing your brass. Full length resizing every time you load a batch of fired brass does more to reduce case life and encourage case separation than do max loads.

If you are not doing it all ready either get a neck sizing die or set your full length sizing die so that it just sizes the neck to the juncture where the neck meets the shoulder. You can check this by coloring the neck with a sharpie. Your loaded round should have just a sniff of resistance when chambered. I’m not talking about having to reef on the bolt to close the action. Just the slightest hint that the shoulder of the case met the shoulder of the chamber. That will ensure your brass fits your chamber and you’ll get far more loads out of your brass. When brass was plentiful and relatively inexpensive it wasn’t such a concern but finding 220 Swift brass today is sketchy and expensive when you do find it. After 2 or 3 firings I’d anneal the necks as well.

Thank you for the really good info!