.220 Swift

Loads for a T/C Encore Handgun

- Aaron Carter

Few cartridges have the polarized love/hate relationship of the .220 Swift. Debuting in the Winchester Model 54 bolt-action rifle in 1935, the Swift’s ability to dramatically dispatch varmints at distance garnered it much fanfare. On the other hand, hunters who used those same fragile varmint bullets on big-game animals acquired disdain for the cartridge due to lackluster bullet performance; the cartridge was hardly to blame.

Nonconformists also labeled it (gasp!) a “barrel burner.” While it’s understood that cartridges approach ing (or exceeding) 4,000 fps lead to advanced throat erosion, and surely barrel steel of the time did not help the situation, firing in rapid succession and/or poor firearm cleaning habits should also be considered. Even today, high-performance rounds, such as the .26 Nosler, are visited by the “barrel burner” specter.

The truth is, the .220 Swift does what it was designed to do, and it does so extremely well. True to its name, the Swift is all about velocity; its forte is launching .22-caliber varmint bullets extremely fast, thereby resulting in flatter trajectories. With a faster time to target, deflection from wind is lessened, too – no small concern on small, distant prairie dogs and ground squirrels. Moreover, the additional velocity increases the bullet’s ontarget energy, which is beneficial on larger predators. Its chief rival, the .22-250 Remington can do much of what it can, though increased case capacity – about 5 to 6 grains – gives the .220 Swift a slight edge.