In a recent post on the use of the 30 carbine for deer got me thinking
if the 30 carbine is such a good deer slayer my 220 swift should be like
a bolt from the blue on a unsuspecting whitetail
What say you
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In a recent post on the use of the 30 carbine for deer got me thinking
if the 30 carbine is such a good deer slayer my 220 swift should be like
a bolt from the blue on a unsuspecting whitetail
What say you
I'd be a little picky on which bullet to use, but it should do as well as, say a .243.
I don't know how all the state laws are, but I'd heard in years past some states had minimum caliber restrictions.
I’m certain it would work, and some states allow the use of .223 diameter bullets ......ours about 8 or so years ago with specific bullets have allowed the use of .223 Rem. for Deer/Antelope.
Personally, I’m against it, and feel the minimum should be .24 cal. But, that’s just my opinion, and should be viewed as such! memtb
I've killed enough deer with a .223 and 22-250 to say yes. Put that fast little bullet in the right spot and the deer will drop right there. Assuming such is legal in your state.
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I have an acquaintance who uses nothing other than a 22LR for deer. It is not legal down here. He says he has never lost one, and I have seen 2 of 10 points that he killed with the Ruger 10-22. 3 quick shots to the heart-lung area is better than buckshot.
The 220 swift should do fine. I use a 60 grain Nosler partition in my 22-250.
It will work given proper bullet and placement.
OTOH, just because one can climb Mount Everest walking backwards doesn’t mean it’s the best idea.
sure but how many will do it
I know someone who uses 220 Swift for headshots on whitetail. Antlers go flying and the meat is all in perfect condition. I wouldn't think less of anyone who did the same.
I’ve used the Nosler 60gr Partitions, and Hornady 60gr. SP. in 22-250. All shots have been placed behind the ear. I do prefer using the partitions. I do have plans on trying out the 70gr. Accu-bonds.
There are folks who need to prove something....or maybe they do not have a better option. I will leave it that.
I would have no issue with using a .220, but I know my abilities and my way of hunting.
We should start a post (battle) on the ethics of head shooting deer (animals)! memtb
Here in Virginia you can't use .22 caliber to hunt deer.
It requires a little more discipline in shot placement but the .223, 22-250 and 220 will kill deer and Antelope like the Hammer of Thor with broadside lung shots with 55 grain soft points from personal experience.
In the mid 70's I was just a kid but I was friends with the local game warden. His deer rifle of choice was a 22-250 with 55 grain bullets soft points. I thought he was nuts since I read all the gun rags claiming how hard deer were to kill. After some actual experience I learned shot placement is paramount. Since 1972 I've averaged about 4 or 5 deer a season.
I have both native American and Eskimo friends that a quite proficient at killing moose, caribou and elk with 55 FMJ's out of 12 twist barrels in .223. They claim two or three quick shots to the lungs works great since the bullets tend to tumble. In one case the person uses the M16 he smuggled back for Nam.
Personally the only issues I have had with killing deer has been due to placement or using much heavy calibers with bullets designed for much heavier game.
During the 30's and 40's a friend of my Dad's would kill a deer a week to feed the family with 22 rimfire. He got a beating from the old man if you used more than one shot per deer. I asked him about it one time and he figures he killed over 500 with a 22 and he only got beat a couple of times.
The barrel's twist rate is all-important. I have a Ruger M77 whose original barrel had a 1 in 10" twist. I found the Speer semi-pointed 70 gr bullet accurate and very effective. I also know a number of men who used Hornady 55>60gr softpoints for deer hunting. Note: These were not V-Max bullets.
it sure will do it with soft point bullet, my first deer ever was 275 lb taken with one Remington factory load out of a 22-250, exploded both lungs that old buck toppled after jolting less than 30 yards. if a 22-250 will do it there is no reason why 220 swift would not. as stated in previous posts shot placement is key.
i cant tell you how many deer I killed in montana with my old ruger 22-250.. very high velocity kills quite effectively. i once killed a large mulie about 175 yards away feeding with a doe. the deer fell over, kicked once, and was drt, the doe barely lifted her head and continued feeding with that dead deer. but there was no pass through, and the bullet exploded.
i used a 22-250ai to kill a doe. shot her in the head at about 50+/- yards. i was using 75gr hornady a max. it was the only time i have ever done it and it will be the last.
As the youngest of five farm kids, at age 14 I could only afford one centerfire rifle. My mentor suggested the 22-250 because in North Texas we hunt varmints for 12 months a year and deer for two months. I’ve never regretted the decision, every single deer that I have shot with it was a one shot kill. I won’t use it for walking the thickets or “ money hunts”, or past 200 yards, but with 55 gr soft point on up( including the old Sisk copy 70 gr Speer)- it will do the job right now if you do the job. Now I have lots of rifles that are “ better” for deer, but the deer don’t die any deader. I only use head shots on sick cattle or trapped hogs ( with handguns) I’m not condemning those that do if they can be sure of the shot.
What got me thinking about this,other than the 30 carbine post,was a book I read on the 220 Swift.
The author had no misgivings about using the 220 Swift on everything and he hunted in Africa with it
he has taken game far larger than whitetail I think he even took a Elephant with it. Just thought I would
see what other people's experiences have been with it.
I haven't taken any deer with a 22 centerline yet. I would think the swift would work better with a 1 in 8 twist barrel. The newer bullets that are designed for deer are all long and may not stabilize in a 1in 12 or 14 twist. I'm talking about Barnes TTSX, nosler accubond, swift scirrocco etc.
All that being said, I have a 1 in 8 twist 22-250 that I'm going to try 62 gr TTSX bullets in. Good hunting
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With all the wonderful new, heavier bullets, no doubt it will work fine with a well placed vitals shot. Many (many, many, many) years ago before the advent of all these new bullets, I got my second mule deer with a 222 but I reduced the velocity to get some expansion and eliminate the explosive nature of the high velocity bullets of that time. It worked well. If I were to consider using using either my 222's or 223's now for deer (not legal in my state), I would still tailor my load for an impact velocity of 2200-2400 fps with a projectile of 60 gr or heavier.
If you know what you can do I see no problem with it. If I hunted form a stand I know I can put a round from my .222 exactly where I aim. But I still hunt. So I carry something larger in case it is a running shot at distance. I'm getting to worn out to still hunt so I might go to my .222 this fall.
The book is called," One mans passion for the 220 swift cartridge".
he actually shot Hippo and Crocks as well
check it out it is a good read
Thanks for the info. It appears to be out of stock everywhere including eBay.
Did find this short article of interest.
https://dailycaller.com/2018/10/16/2...e-vs-big-game/
I cannot count the number of whitetail deer I have seen shot and killed with a .22-250. Using factory loaded 55 grainers to handloads with anything from 52 gr match to 60 gr SP. It worked well for head/neck shots or lung shots. I would stay away from trying to break shoulders though.
I can't see a properly loaded .220 Swift being any different in the field. I would not try it with a reduced cast load.
Robert
P.O. Ackley endorsed it in his writings.. I have shot several with 12 + 20 gauge slugs. They some times run and/or get up... Although you can see the the explosion out the other side...RAW HORSE POWER....
W.D.M.Bell wrote at least one article on shooting Scottish Red Deer (neck shots) with .220 Swift - American Rifleman, late 1940s.
I'm fond of the 22 Hornet 45 gr SP, right behind the ear! NOE 22 caliber at 40 grs. works too its GC too!
I’ve never owned or shot a .220Swift, but have a 1/14” twist .22-250. It’s a Remington M700 ADL. It’s the most accurate rifle I own. I’ve killed a dozen or so deer with it. Mostly with 60gr Hornady PtSpts, but also 55gr btspts, and 63gr Sierra SemiPts. I’ve taken three dozen or so with .22Hornets, .223’s also. Opening morning of ‘17, I took three does with three shots with my Marlin M1894 in .218Bee. 40gr Armscor JHP over 13.1gr H.Lil’Gun in reformed Starline .32-20 brass.
I’ve also taken about a half dozen does with the .22Hornet using a Lyman .225415 over 6.2gr of #2400.
Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.
I’ve lost more deer with either a .243 or .30/30 than any other cartridges. Simply because I “expect” them to do the job... sometimes they don’t. Things just happen. I flinch, the deer moves, or the wind gusts. I’m just more careful, sometimes.
Kansas legalized .22 Centerfires for deer a few years ago. All the naysayers, of which I was one, believed it to be a bad idea and expected all kinds of wounded deer, but I'm on public land a lot and haven't seen that.
I personally would use something with more bullet mass, but it'll surely do it with proper placement.
Never lived in a state where a .22 was legal for corn crunchers. Happily we have shot a pile of them using caliber .38 up through large round ball loads and they all only needed to be shot once.
Just hit the right and they die but I still prefer to ere on the side of bigger holes are better....
In the "hayday" of the Swift, many thought it was just dandy for deer and even larger critters. I know several folks who hunted deer with them in the 50's. P.O. Ackley wrote of using the Swift to shoot feral donkeys.
This topic seems to come up often on many sites. Yes, a 22 250 and many other small and fast calibers will kill a deer, but why when there are many better choices. I know most of us roll our own ammo, but when you buy ammo for 223, 22 250 etc. it generally says varmint ammo.
its called broadening your horizons
why not is the question and as you see there are plenty
that think this is a better choice
who's choice is it we are supposed to follow?
Accurate it will handle everything from crows to bucks and beyond
whats not to like
btw who buys ammo?
but its completely adequate to use a 30 carbine for the same deer?
Adequate is the key terminology. Yes the 30 carbine is adequate with the proper bullet properly placed at a reasonable distance. I have only killed one deer with a 30 carbine and one shot did the trick at about 40 yards broadside with good tracking conditions. Tracking was not needed.
I have killed several deer with a .223 and maybe a dozen with 22-250/220 swifts. An explosive bullet into the lungs basically liquifies the lungs when using the 22-250 or the 220 Swift and 55 grain soft points. Very deadly with a broadside shot or neck shot, however, I would not use it on anything other than broadside shots.
They only real challenging recovers I've had were with a 270, 338, and a 375 H&H Mag. I was using bullets designed for much larger game and expansion was minimal at best. Had I been using the Swift none of the would have went 30 yards. Not claiming the the Swift is a better deer cartridge under the right circumstances it is more than adequate.
.22 centerfires utilizing 55 grain bullets have been legal for deer for 20 years or more in Oklahoma. For 90% plus of the deer taken in Oklahoma, a 220 Swift would have worked just fine.
Murphy