220 Swift v. 22-250

Of course, there are also cartridges like the 22/30-30, that push about the same velocity and are formed from 30-30 brass. There is also a 6mm/30-30, for those who are fond of a slightly larger bullet. Based on my long-term plans, I'll be reloading and wanting to stick with rimmed cartridges for my Encore setup (avoiding headspace problems) and the 22/30-30 is a 4000fps varmint popper with a rim. :-)
 
Of course, there are also cartridges like the 22/30-30,....
Click to expand...

Look up the .219 Zipper....

loading a wildcat, for a specific rifle, you can do almost anything you want. including re-inventing old cartridges, or concepts at different pressures and velocities.

The .22-250 survived for decades as a wildcat, and became so popular, it was eventually made a factory round. Because it is very good at what it does. Good enough to rival the .220 Swift (a factory round from its introduction), survive and even prosper. The Swift hangs on, but its not as popular generally as the .22-250 has become.
 
I look at it this way: The 22-250's bullet/velocity range is 'close' to the Swift's, but achieves this in part w/ higher max cartridge pressure (65ksi) than the Swift (62ksi) to make up for 10% less case capacity. The Swift, on the other hand, will beat out the 22-250 at its lower pressure by 150+ fps, and can still be loaded down just slightly to match the 22-250 -- at pressures in the 55-56ksi range.

And that's the magic pressure number for barrel life.
 
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Like i said im more of a fan of the 22250 then the swift. I own 4 22250s and only one swift but that been said if velocity is your major consern the swift will beat it every time and is just as accurate.
 
It seems that people are way to concerned about a one or two hundred feet per second difference, where, in the real world, it doesn't amount to a yellow hole in the snow.

I usually shot 55 grain bullets and deliberately loaded my .22-250 down just a bit to minimize both case stretching and barrel erosion while retaining acceptable wind deflection at long distance, compared with the lighter bullets available at the time. None of the critters or targets I shot every complained that it was a bit slower than either factory or Swift velocities.

The newer, tipped bullets probably cut the ballistic difference between the older bullets in the Swift and today's bullets/powders. I've never used bullets lighter than 50 grains in .22-250 and find it incredible that people were using 40 grain bullets in the Swift, but "whatever floats your boat".
 
This has been an interesting thread, about 1/2 fact/semi fact, 1/2 pure hyperbole, 1/2 pure historical BS not backed up by real world shooting various bullets over a chrono

Nobody asked but you want a real worl solution to all these issues.....get a 20TAC. You will never shoot a .22 centerfire again. 500 yard capability, bullets with a BC 50% higher, far easier on barrels, all with 30%-40% less powder. Oh and by the way, far less recoil so you can see your hits. That gentlemen, is game, set & match.
 
I've never seen .20TAC ammo for sale in Lander, WY or any where else for that matter. Seems we may need to play that game over before we declare set and match!
 
No but they sell presses, Lee loaders, and Lapua brass. In a pinch go with the 204.

P.S. until last year they did'nt have indoor plumbing out there.:D
 
With equal barrels/bullets (whatever lengths/weight) at equal pressures: The Swift beats the 22-250 every time.

The Swift equals the 22-250's best performance with significantly less (barrel-burning-wise) pressure.

These are empirical facts borne out by hunting experience starting the 50's and picked up again in the new millennium. (In the 50’s, nothing beat the Swift for CNS knockdown on Whitetail at reasonable ranges/reasonable shot placement.) The speed/pressure observations are also born out over my actual chronograph readings w/ corresponding QL analysis

Now here’s the Bottom Line:
Yes, if you have a 22-250, there's no reason to change out.
But if choosing anew between the two, the Swift wins.
 
ill argue the whitetail knockdown thing too. Ive shot a few deer with both the 22250 and 220 swift and yes they will knock down deer but i dont think they hold a candle to my 257 wby or my 264 mag in that dept.
 
Giggle- snort. Back around 1950, I watched my father with his Swift and my uncle with his Varminter. They both ruined jackrabbits at fair distances via spotlight. So the years go by and I wind up with a Swift, doing in feral cats at around 300 yards. Then cometh a factory Varminter, aka .22-250, and it did quite nicely. A buddy of mine used his on a 400-yard crow. Fast forward some decades and I take my father's Swift and do in a 400-yard prairie dog.

So I'm pretty well stuck with the notion that they're both good and there's not enough difference between them to matter. :D
 
Awww, c'mon, Art! This was fun reading why the 22-250 is superior to the Swift. Or was it the other way around? Anyway, this is like watching two dogs marking the corner hydrant. Mine! No! Mine! No! Mine! :rolleyes:
 
I own two 22-250’s, a couple of old swifts one in sporter and one BB and several .223’s. guess what i acquired from sportsman’s warehouse in rocklin a few weeks ago brand new

.220 swift in a fluted BB rem 700 stainless


They still chamber that ole round. 1:14 twist


This ole debate pops up once in awhile, actually tonight someone asked my opinion and i remembered this thread from 3 years ago, because i pointed someone else to it then. so just for fun thought id stir this one back up, as i know he’ll be looking around tonight.

my .02 i always enjoyed my swifts. if i want a work horse, i shoot my .223’s. my small block powered bet ever reliable rig. if i want a fast mileage getting corner cruiser i’ll look at a mazda miada and my .204.... but if i want garage art and a classic a 427 powered chevy II i shoot my .22-250 if i want my 426 powered hemi cuds i dig out the .220 swift.

the 427 bow tie and 426 hemi were a close rivalry but for some reason one dominated daytona a little more than the other. but ..............


anyways just stirring the pot.

point is to those guys shopping keep in mind a .223 or a .223AI will provide a work horse of a firearm. and a AI will get you that extra punch while allowing you to still buy and use bulk ammo. but when you step to the next realm your looking to buy something outside of the run of the mill street cruiser, and for many its not a mater of whats cheapest or easiest, if that was the case a .223 all day long.

the .22-250 and the swift are both hotrods of the bygone era big block technology. you want fuel mileage and less burned tires ....(less powder and similar speed) theres other options. I love all three of those calibers listed above, i find more often than not i grab my .223AI for a lot of things that i used to grab my .22-250 for, and when i am out coyote hunting my prefference is my .220 swift and those hand loads of 52Gr SBT at 3900 fps so she tends to be the ride along. when i head to SD and hammer dog towns i bring 3 .223’s and maybe the .22-250 as my occasional hot shot shooter, but it just depends on who I’m with, most my buddies out there still pound the really long shots with their .220 swifts so ammo between friends isn’t an issue if i take the swift. So again more often than not the 22-250s arent getting used much these days. so its a awash, nostalgia has a place
 
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Since this chat is back, I'll respond to wyoredman's question about a 50's Swift. Actually, my first Swift was a 1953 pre-64 Win Model 70. Great rifle, but I sold it and bought that 77V tang safety Swift that I still have and reloaded for just yesterday. Just wish it would stabilize that 64 gr BSB in cold weather.
 
Lemme see, I have a Springfield 1903 re-barreled to .220 Swift, good shooter.
Next is my Winchester 70 chambered for 22.250, really a tack driver.
and, finally I have a Sako L46 chambered in .222 shoots very well, I like them all but, I give the edge to the 22.250....but that's just me.
 
False argument. Anyone who knows anything about gun, knows that the .225 Winchester beats ANY other poodle shooting caliber.:)
 
Mehavey, the 64 gr BSB did stabilize at late summer temps. Ballistic data suggested that colder weather would make it slightly less likely to stabilize. So, I waited till colder weather and found out that sure enough it was less stabilized. Still hit the paper, but groups were rather large.

The shorter 63 gr Sierra will stabilize. The longer 65 gr Sierra GK won't even hit paper at 100 yards. I have no idea where the 65 grainers went.

I really wanted to shoot those 64 gr BSB bullets in the 220.
 
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