220 swift for big game?

[gajie270]

i understand its a hot topic primarily because the 220 swift was the rifle that sparked "use enough gun." however have also read and heard accounts of hunters and gun writers saying that the 220 swift is a faster killer on game than cartridges like the 7x57 mouser and 30-06. curious what people think on this?

 

[gajie270]

on the same note has anybody hunted with other fast 22 caliber cartridges(223 and up)

 

[Hillbilly Marine]

I know that folks use 22 caliber pills on deer and such but, just because someone can doesn't make it right. I have had fun with a .220 Swift but I would go for a bigger bullet for something that is larger than a groundhog or crow.

I have seen crows turn into mush, vapor, and feathers and watched a solidly hit groundhog torn in half by that .220. I have also had to clean up after a deer was hit by that same .220 Swift creating a horrible surface wound that was starting to rot away when I killed the deer 3 days later. My cousin, after seeing that, sold his rifle and that ended our .220 Swift experimenting.

 

[WAB]

I have shot deer with hand loaded 70 gr spritzers. You need to shoot very well and be very selective in your shots. To compare its performance to a 7x57 is a joke.

 

[gajie270]

IMO it come down 100% to bullet with the 224s. if you use a varmint bullet you are going to be left with a crater as @Hillbilly Marine found out. however if you go with a bullet such as the swift scirocco ii or Nosler partition you will see good results. matching if not beating some bigger bore cartridges due to the smaller diameter. (ps. i do know that smaller diameter also means less expansion and weight but point stands.)

 

[WyoBull]

I have avidly shot and reloaded for the 220 Swift for 40+ years. It is my favorite varmint round for coyotes.
Will it work for Pronghorn Antelope, Mule Deer and Whitetail Deer with a minimum of 60 gr bullet? Yes it will but you better have excellent shot placement. There better calibers for this size game.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Depends on what you mean by big game and what bullet you’re using. The bullet does all the heavy lifting.

If you’re talking whitetail, maybe….if it’s legal. But elk, kudu, eland and the like, not a chance. The physics of it all simply doesn’t lie.

 

[WyoBull]

Depends on what you mean by big game and what bullet you’re using. The bullet does all the heavy lifting.

If you’re talking whitetail, maybe….if it’s legal. But elk, kudu, eland and the like, not a chance. The physics of it all simply doesn’t lie.

You are right. Here in Wyoming it is legal to hunt Antelope and Deer with a .224 caliber and minimum 60 gr bullet. However, nobody that I know does so but am sure there are people who do.

 

[CoElkHunter]

.24 caliber is the legal minimum for big game in Colorado. Even if the .220 Swift were legal to use, say on pronghorn, I don't see the point. There are better choices. BTW, pound for pound, pronghorn are a tough animal to take down. I've chased a couple across the prairie with less than perfect shots from others.

 

[Hogpatrol]

If it were shooting a heavy for caliber bullet, e.g. 80 grains, in a fast twist rifle, muzzle velocity would be around 3200. That same weight bullet in a .243 Winchester could get up around 3400. My 2¢, I'd use the Swift for it's intended use, varmints. Along that line, I used to hunt groundhogs with a buddy that shot a Model 70, stainless in 220 Swift while I shot a Remington 700 in 22-250. Most of the time shots were 200 to 400 yards and I'd say were were about even on kills. Truth be known, I lusted after that Model 70.

 

[CoElkHunter]

If it were shooting a heavy for caliber bullet, e.g. 80 grains, in a fast twist rifle, muzzle velocity would be around 3200. That same weight bullet in a .243 Winchester could get up around 3400. My 2¢, I'd use the Swift for it's intended use, varmints. Along that line, I used to hunt groundhogs with a buddy that shot a Model 70, stainless in 220 Swift while I shot a Remington 700 in 22-250. Most of the time shots were 200 to 400 yards and I'd say were were about even on kills. Truth be known, I lusted after that Model 70.

The second rifle I ever bought was a Ruger M77 Varmint in .220 Swift in the mid '70s. Had an original (made in USA) Bushnell 4x12 on it. Only punched paper with it using my handloads, but it was fun to shoot.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

Would I hunt big game with a .220 Swift?
NO!

 

[BeeMaa]

Trying to pack 10# of stuff into a 5# bag is not the way to go about things. Uploading the 220SWIFT is to get the desired performance of a 243WIN (still not good for big game IMO) isn't the place to start. There are a mountain of other calibers to choose from that are better suited to hunting big game.

I define "big game" animals as starting at 100#, so no I would not use the 220SWIFT in this case.

In truth, I think you are taking a deliberate poke at the membership and expecting some sort of outcry and heated debate with such a thread. For this reason, I will not cast a vote.

 

[Rem700stw]

COULD one kill large game animals quickly with a well-placed shot from a 220 swift? Of course. The more apt query is SHOULD one. I think not.

 

[WAB]

I have shot deer with hand loaded 70 gr spritzers. You need to shoot very well and be very selective in your shots. To compare its performance to a 7x57 is a joke.

I should clarify that I do not recommend hunting deer with a .220 or .22-250. I shot deer for meat with a .22-250 as a poor university student because it was the only rifle I owned. I hand loaded bullets designed for the job and was very, very careful with my shots. It worked, I never wounded a deer, but I would only do it out of necessity.

 

[John Wasmuth]

I’ve used one, .22-250, while culling at a game ranch I worked on. Killed whitetail, axis, fallow, sika, black buck and hogs using 55 grain noslers and 35 gr of IMR 4895. Never lost game using it over a two year span. Shot placement is crucial. I stopped counting at 100 head. The owner took all the meat to a processor and had it turned into jerky and sausage to send to the troops in the sand box.

 

[Rocco490]

Easy NO. The question really is Why? So many cartridges that were designed for use on big game and have plenty of suitable bullets for such use there really is no point in choosing the swift.

 

[WyoBull]

Completely agree with above comments on there being much better calibers for deer and Antelope size game. I have shot thousand of 220 Swift rounds over the years but they have all been on coyote and smaller varmints.
Don't try to make the caliber do something it was not intended to do.

 

[Rocco490]

If it was your only gun and you needed to use it yes with careful shot placement and bullet choice a skilled hunter could make it work in a pinch where it is legal as many have already done with the various high power 22 cartridges but that doesn't make them GOOD options they are still far less than ideal for such purposes.

 

[TucsonFX4]

i understand its a hot topic primarily because the 220 swift was the rifle that sparked "use enough gun." however have also read and heard accounts of hunters and gun writers saying that the 220 swift is a faster killer on game than cartridges like the 7x57 mouser and 30-06. curious what people think on this?

I realize we can find an opinion for anything. And I’m no expert, but this is the first time I’ve heard that the 220 Swift is a better big game cartridge than the couple well established 7mm and .30 cartridges you mentioned. I’m always up for some critical thinking and education, so can you share the rationale behind that argument?
I’m not saying you’re making that argument, but since you wrote it I’m just curious about its merits.