220 Swift Ackley Improved Pros and Cons

inkballedtarget

New member
Hi,

I am new to the forum. I'm not sure if this has been covered previously, but I am curious what the pros and cons are to the 220 Swift AI.

I have an opportunity to buy a low round count 220 AI and I have just been weighing it out in my head. I already have a 220 Swift, it is by far my favorite predator rifle. There is just something about shooting a swift, it makes me smile...

I set up to reload, so that inst really an issue, other than the fire forming the brass..


I'm just curious to see what the brain trust has to say about a Swift AI. The inner child in me thinks it would be cool to have.....

Thanks!
Calvin
 
Originally Posted By: inkballedtargetHi,

I am new to the forum. I'm not sure if this has been covered previously, but I am curious what the pros and cons are to the 220 Swift AI.

I have an opportunity to buy a low round count 220 AI and I have just been weighing it out in my head. I already have a 220 Swift, it is by far my favorite predator rifle. There is just something about shooting a swift, it makes me smile...

I set up to reload, so that inst really an issue, other than the fire forming the brass..


I'm just curious to see what the brain trust has to say about a Swift AI. The inner child in me thinks it would be cool to have.....

Thanks!
Calvin

You will love it.


.
 
Originally Posted By: RedfrogWhat do you gain or lose with the 220 AI?

You gains about 150 fps, gain some case life, and get the biggest smile in the room.

You loose about 5% barrel life.


.
 
Put 48 grains of H414 behind a 50 gr BT and turn your chrono on.Guarantee you're friends won't believe it.Nor the accuracy.
DON'T really do that without working up to it of course.AND,there are numerous other options,including a 40 gr option that will really amaze.A new twist to the idea all that 220 case capacity is wasted and overkill and other BS.
On the other hand,the long case and the changed shoulder can,often does,present feeding problems.In 700 Rem standard spring mags,most will have feeding problems resulting in a single shot at inopportune times.
 
Originally Posted By: DiYi Put 48 grains of H414 behind a 50 gr BT and turn your chrono on.Guarantee you're friends won't believe it.Nor the accuracy.
DON'T really do that without working up to it of course.AND,there are numerous other options,including a 40 gr option that will really amaze.A new twist to the idea all that 220 case capacity is wasted and overkill and other BS.
On the other hand,the long case and the changed shoulder can,often does,present feeding problems.In 700 Rem standard spring mags,most will have feeding problems resulting in a single shot at inopportune times.

What kind of velocity and accuracy are you seeing?
 
Very good accuracy.(always under .5-3 shot groups)Speeds to 4200.
I'm talking 40 degree shoulder.(26 inch Shilen barrel,Hornady brass,federal 210 primer)Start at 45 grains or lower if trying 414.
A friend and I have played with this a lot.40,50 and 60 gr bullets.We have been to 4530 before freezing the bolt.Don't go there but ..there are exceptional speeds out there beyond what is normally written.The often heard,'there's little advantage to improving the Swift' talk is just that,talk.
As usual,"your results may vary".
 
Several years back I read an article in the Varmint Hunter Magazine (I think) about a .220 Swift AI rifle that a guy built to be his ultimate .22 centerfire. What I remember about the article was that the accuracy of his rifle totally disappeared after a very limited number of rounds. Borescoping revealed that the ultra intense pressure and heat of the round had literally baked a layer of carbon fouling from the burnt powder throughout the barrel that was almost impossible to scrub out. The guy abandoned the idea after deciding he wasn't interested in scrubbing the barrel for hours before it was clean enough to see accuracy return. Maybe I can dredge up the specific article over the weekend.
 
Originally Posted By: John LeslieSeveral years back I read an article in the Varmint Hunter Magazine (I think) about a .220 Swift AI rifle that a guy built to be his ultimate .22 centerfire. What I remember about the article was that the accuracy of his rifle totally disappeared after a very limited number of rounds. Borescoping revealed that the ultra intense pressure and heat of the round had literally baked a layer of carbon fouling from the burnt powder throughout the barrel that was almost impossible to scrub out. The guy abandoned the idea after deciding he wasn't interested in scrubbing the barrel for hours before it was clean enough to see accuracy return. Maybe I can dredge up the specific article over the weekend.

"Carbon" (really complex ash) deposits can be managed if you are not lazy and let them build up and get out of control.


.
 
Originally Posted By: DiYi Very good accuracy.(always under .5-3 shot groups)Speeds to 4200.
I'm talking 40 degree shoulder.(26 inch Shilen barrel,Hornady brass,federal 210 primer)Start at 45 grains or lower if trying 414.
A friend and I have played with this a lot.40,50 and 60 gr bullets.We have been to 4530 before freezing the bolt.Don't go there but ..there are exceptional speeds out there beyond what is normally written.The often heard,'there's little advantage to improving the Swift' talk is just that,talk.
As usual,"your results may vary".

Wow thats crazy!! I dont run my current swift too hot... But maybe it would be nice to tap the 4000 fps barrier.
 
Originally Posted By: John LeslieSeveral years back I read an article in the Varmint Hunter Magazine (I think) about a .220 Swift AI rifle that a guy built to be his ultimate .22 centerfire. What I remember about the article was that the accuracy of his rifle totally disappeared after a very limited number of rounds. Borescoping revealed that the ultra intense pressure and heat of the round had literally baked a layer of carbon fouling from the burnt powder throughout the barrel that was almost impossible to scrub out. The guy abandoned the idea after deciding he wasn't interested in scrubbing the barrel for hours before it was clean enough to see accuracy return. Maybe I can dredge up the specific article over the weekend.

I would appreciate reading the article if you can find it.
 
It may not feed quite as good as the factory round does, but I doubt that it will really give you any issues. The fact that Swift brass is expensive and that improving the chamber will do wonders for keeping your brass healthy longer. And remember, a hot load in a standard .220 Swift is only a warm load in a .220 AI. You can still get gee-whiz performance without having to zing your pressures sky high to do it.


PO Ackley himself was not a big fan of the .220 Improved as he preferred the standard case, but lots more powders are available today than there were when he was playing with it over 50 years ago. If you keep your pressures sensible and your barrel cool you should have lots and lots of fun shooting with a .220 AI. I wish I had one.
 
Originally Posted By: RustydustIt may not feed quite as good as the factory round does, but I doubt that it will really give you any issues. The fact that Swift brass is expensive and that improving the chamber will do wonders for keeping your brass healthy longer. And remember, a hot load in a standard .220 Swift is only a warm load in a .220 AI. You can still get gee-whiz performance without having to zing your pressures sky high to do it.


PO Ackley himself was not a big fan of the .220 Improved as he preferred the standard case, but lots more powders are available today than there were when he was playing with it over 50 years ago. If you keep your pressures sensible and your barrel cool you should have lots and lots of fun shooting with a .220 AI. I wish I had one.



Rustydust is right on about the swift. Ackley did not have the powders we have today. Bigger the case more powder more fps.
 
Amen Rusty.Agree with everything you said except the feeding issue.If in a standard Rem 700 configuration I suspect there will occ be feeding issues.If not immediately,eventually.It's a tough issue to correct but one can work around it with the correct positioning when stacking.(ie,on my present one I only stack 3 and the top mag round must be on the left when looking down with all bullet tips as far forward as possible.)I've seen it treated in assorted ways but if there,never seen a correction that was foolproof.I've seen gunsmiths wring their hands on it as well and recently had a friend convert a 22-243 that had the problem as well to a detachable box.(wasn't cheap)Springs are springs and that slight shoulder change with a long cartridge has to change something-I'm aware of similar issues on some new CZ clips as well but there it appears 'time/wear' on the spring resolves the issue for the most part.Can be,no is,very frustrating at times but the results/performance override that issue IMO.As to the carbon issue,never has been a problem at all for me and my accuracy is outstanding.Over 2000 rounds at this point.
Senility at work cause I forgot to add this for those thinking about going this route.In mine,and a couple others I'm familiar with,fireforming cases is not drudgery but a pleasure.Accuracy is outstanding as well.We use standard hornady loads and I'll often use a standard load my first round when calling-knowing full well my POI change will be minor at likely ranges.A win win caliber IMO.
Good hunting!
 
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Originally Posted By: RustydustIt may not feed quite as good as the factory round does, but I doubt that it will really give you any issues. The fact that Swift brass is expensive and that improving the chamber will do wonders for keeping your brass healthy longer. And remember, a hot load in a standard .220 Swift is only a warm load in a .220 AI. You can still get gee-whiz performance without having to zing your pressures sky high to do it.


PO Ackley himself was not a big fan of the .220 Improved as he preferred the standard case, but lots more powders are available today than there were when he was playing with it over 50 years ago. If you keep your pressures sensible and your barrel cool you should have lots and lots of fun shooting with a .220 AI. I wish I had one.


There have been people in the past that have told me of the feeding issues with the 220 swift, but I have never experienced any issues myself.

I know there are a bunch of threads out there on which powders to use with the swift, IMR 4064 seems to be a favorite.
 
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