14 Twist Swift and 60 Grain Bullets

[jaytee]

Recently purchased a M77 with a sporter weight barrel in .220 Swift and I'm looking for good loads with a 60 grain bullet, preferably the Nosler Partition. I know I'm on the upper end of bullet weight for the 14 twist but I'd like to give it a go. Looking for a good bullet for Whitetails!! Thanks!!

 

[Mobuck]

Not much hope I'm afraid. I have an older 1-14 twist Swift that throws 4" groups with 60 grain SP bullets. For any hope of usable accuracy, I have to stay at 50 grains or lighter.
I've used 63 grain semi-pointed SPEER bullets in a 1-12 22/250 but only at the highest attainable velocity. Sixty grain Nosler Partitions do OK in the 1-12 22/250 at top velocities.

 

[wwb]

I'm shooting a .223, so my velocity (and therefore the spin rate) is a bit lower. With a 1:8 twist, 69 grain bullets is as long as I can go with any semblance of accuracy.

A Swift has about 25% more velocity, so your 1:14 twist would be similar to a .223 with a 1:10 twist. That's about as slow a twist as you can have with 60 grain bullets in a .223.... and at that, it's marginal.

The Swift was originally designed for 40 grain bullets..... how else are you gonna get past that magic 4,000 number? As such, the 1:14 twist was the accepted standard . I've heard of 1:12, but those were custom rifles.

 

[martyj]

ive shot the old Hornady 60 gr hollow point out of mine for years and recently switched to Speer hollow point .

 

[rugerjunkie]

Bullet length has more to do with twist rates than anything. And velocity has hardly anything to do with it. There isnt anything from stipping you from trying any given bullet so why not try them then you'll know.

 

[wwb]

The rate at which a bullet must spin to remain stable is a function of the bullet shape only. The combination of barrel twist rate and velocity determines whether the bullet is spinning fast enough to be stable.

Edited to add....
Hornady 7th edition notes that the 60 grain V-MAX will not stabilize in 1:14 barrels.
They show a maximum of 3500 fps with a 60 grain bullet.

 

[rugerjunkie]

You might want to call the guys at sierra bullets and talk to them about it. I dont claim to know everything but had this exact conversation with them and what they said and some of what you posted dont jive. Maybe you know more than the guys at sierra? If so , then i apologize...

 

[jaytee]

You might want to call the guys at sierra bullets and talk to them about it. I dont claim to know everything but had this exact conversation with them and what they said and some of what you posted dont jive. Maybe you know more than the guys at sierra? If so , then i apologize...

Was that meant for me or wwb?

 

[PAShooter]

I have a Ruger tang safety 220 Swift, 26" varmint barrel, 6-20 Leupold scope, 1-14" twist, manufactured in early 1980's. I am looking at my notes from 1985. I have loaded several bullets and the 60 grain Hornady shot the best.
April 1985: Using 60 grain Hornady. 100 yard group, .31" five shot group. 200 yard group, .80" 3 shot group. 300 yard group 3 shots .89". I was so impressed by this load that I loaded 300 rounds for my varmint shooting. These loads lasted until 2005. I bought a box of "new" 60 grain Hornady bullets and noticed that they were changed in shape slightly. They seemed more pointed. These new bullets shot .82" at 100 yards 5 shot group.
These are my personal results when I had good eyesight and
a steady hand. So, from my experience, go ahead and load 60 grain Hornady S.P.
60 grain Hornady bullets O.A.L 0.015" from lands
IMR 4895 37.5 grains
once fired neck sized brass

 

[PAShooter]

I reread your post and you would like to use 60 grain bullets for deer. The information that I earlier posted was for Hornady 60 Grain which is not recommended for deer. But does give you an idea that the 220 swift can stabilize a 60 grain bullet. If I were to use the Swift on deer, I would try the Nosler 60 grain partition. You may bee surprised with performance. On a side note, I knew of a man about 50 years ago, who used his 220 swift on deer. He used I believe 55 grain factory loads. His shots were often about 300 yards or more on his farm land in PA. He only stopped because he had difficulty in shooting that far as he aged. He got a deer every year. After age 70, he went to his 300 Savage for shorter shots and less success as age caught up with him.
I have read many times that a 1-14 twist would not stabilize a 60 grain bullet in a 220 Swift, but my Swift does.