.220 Swift

[josie wales]

I am about to purchase a new rifle. My 788 .222 just is not putting the big eastern coyote down as it once could. Not my fault just the coyotes are getting bigger. I have been using CT 50 grainers at about 3100 fps.(I reload my own) So I have been looking at the 220 Swift not only because it is fast but being 57 years old it is an old school round. I have come up with a problem, the only gun I can find chambered for the Swift is the Remington 700 VS SF. I checked one out at a recent gun show and all I can say is WOW! By the time you put a scope on it it would be over ten pounds. In the east, hunting coyote, there is a lot of walking and that gun weight would not cut it. I know Ruger used to chamber the Swift also Winchester and Savage but I can not find where they do now. Any help and information will be appreciated.

[charles p]

Remington makes an LVSF that is something like you are describing.  Don't know if the Swift is one of their offerings.  They run some unpublished calibers once in a while for distributors.  I have one in an unpublished 7mm-08.

[josie wales]

Thanks Charles! I wrote to Remington about that model with a chance I could get a custom chamber in it this was their reply "We no longer carry the LVSF and unfortunately it is not offered in a custom configuration. Sorry we could not help. Thanks!"

[Lone Star]

You can get the M788 re-barreled to .220 Swift easily.  Feeding from the clip may be a problem, or not.  Ruger chambered its M77 in .220 for years, you may be able to find one used.  If you go to the .22-250 (more old-skool than the Swift) you will have a huge number of choices.


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[billy_56081]

I rebarreled my Savage 110 to 220 swift myself. I really love it, shoots good and very very flat. Another good choice for big yotes would be a .243.

[kevthebassman]

Coyotes too big for the .222?  Might want to jump straight to a .458 winmag and silver bullets, because those coyotes of yours are not of this earth.

[Catfish]

I had trouble keeping them down with a .204 so I went up also. I`m not having any trouble with  my AR in .223, which is very close to your .222 except I always have another quick shot ready to go. I also use a .22-6mm with 80 gn. bullets for longer shots. If you not into wildcats you might consider a .243. They hit a coyote pretty hard, and I think are a better choice than a .22 Swift.

[billy_56081]

Having a 220 swift is just kinda cool! The guys I hunt coyotes with like the looks of that big ole case and that lil bitty bullet. I been shooting 40 grain CT ballistic tips till I run out of them then I guess I'll see how the regular 40 grain Btips do.

[josie wales]

The eastern coyote is not a true coyote or coydog but a wolf/coyote hybrid. The yotes I had trouble rolling weighed in at 74# and 61#. This size is uncommon except in the last part of the season when big males start feeling a little friskie. Both shots were front shoulder(lot of bone) and my fault of to much lead. Range was under 75 yards. Both required tracking for over a mile. The little .222 does a great job on coyotes in the 25# to 50# range. The 22-250 is a great round but the Swift well it is still king of the small bores.

[beemanbeme]

A model 7 or 788 in 7-08 or 308 would work for a Swift length wise but not being a smith I don't know how much work would have to be done on the magazine or feed rails. Actually, if your varmint shooting is like mine, I just load and shoot single fire anyway. Maybe get one of those magazine blocks to make it into a single fire.

75# huh. You sure you didn't shoot somebody's Shetland pony? 

[Coyote Hunter]

Josie -

Sine you're ging for coyotes instead of prairie dogs, and since carrying the rifle a good dostance is part of the game wher eyou hunt, let me suggest a .25-06 pushing a 75g V-MAX to 3600fps or better.  I use a 26" heavy-barrel .22-250 and 22" .257 Roberts for varmints and much prefer the Roberts.  I push the 75g V-Max to +P velocities (near .25-06) and have taken two coyotes with one shot at ranges over 480 yards. 

In addition, the .25-06 or Roberts are perhaps the best dual-purpose varmint/deer cartridges around.  Just something else to consider.

[josie wales]

A pony, nope I knew it was not a horse. I thought for a second it was a German Shepard because of the size but on second thought if it was a shepard it was up to no good,being in the woods and following a blood trail I laid down. Dogs in the woods this time of year(non-hunting species) are just killing deer. I have a Remington 700 BDL I bought in the mid sixties (30-06) and used to use it with 130 gr. Speer hollow points, it did a good job in cutting them in half. What I want to know is who other than Remington make a sporter in the Swift. The Remington VS SF I know is a great rifle but it is just to heavy. I would like to buy MADE IN USA, but if I have to I know Mauser will custom the swift for me in the M 98. This gun is a little high in price for me and I may end up getting shot by my wife but what the heck.

[Graybeard]

Ruger chambers for the Swift I'm pretty sure in both M77 and #1 but I think all will be heavy varmint barrel guns. I doubt anyone chambers a standard weight to it. That would require a rebarrel of a standard sporter I suspect.

[billy_56081]

I saw a Rem 700 classic 220 swift at a gun show a few months ago if you can find one the classic was available in a sporter weight barrel. Try one of the auction sights.

[Hairtrigger]

Ruger used to make the M77MK2 220 Swift with a sporter weight barrel. There is one in my safe.

[SingleShotShorty]

You just have to love the performance on a 220 Swift, as P.O. Ackley said speed kills

[Mohawk]

   Even a 70+lb coyote should fall to a .222   Try a standard, factory, Remington Core-Lokt. It should work fine. I don't see any coyote, even big, just shaking off a .222   If you are tracking over a mile with a shoulder shot then it is not a caliber problem but maybe a bullet problem. Don't know what a CT is but use a core-lokt. It will be fine.

[pastorp]

I would look for a pre-64 Model 70 in 220 swift. They are getting a little pricey but they will fill the bill on what you say you want. Byron

[trotterlg]

Even if you do a rebarrel of a Savage it will still end up at close to 10 pounds.  I have a Savage 10 with a 24 inch barrel .500 at the muzzel in 17 Remington, wood stock and a 4-12 Swift Scope, it weighs 9 1/2 pounds empty.  Problem is the Swift and 22-250 both need the barrel length to use all that powder.  I have a 5 1/2 pound Handi Rifle in 17 Remington FB, it is good for the 18 pound Coyotes in AZ but would probably just piss off their east coast cousins.  You need to find a light weight long action, probably not an easy task.  Can you get a 308 series magazine and bolt head for the 788 and just chamber your rifle in 22-250? As I recall the .222's were a 1 in14 twist, just what the 22-250 wants.   Larry