Fast, fun, and one of a kind. Created by Winchester themselves, the .220 Swift made its debut in 1935, boasting speeds that left other calibers in its dust. Capable of sending a 48-grain bullet downrange at over 4,000 feet per second, it quickly earned a reputation as the fastest commercial cartridge ever produced. As one of the Model 70’s flagship calibers, the Swift became a household name among varmint hunters and precision shooters who appreciated its flat trajectory and impressive reach.
But for all the accolades it received, the .220 Swift was no stranger to controversy.
The Swift’s high velocity allowed hunters to cleanly take varmints at distances that previously required careful guesswork. Coyotes, prairie dogs, and groundhogs were often dispatched with pinpoint accuracy, even at ranges well beyond 300 yards. Upon its release, it quickly became a favorite for those looking to take small game at extended distances. However, not everyone was sold on the Swift's blistering speed.
One of the Swift’s most vocal critics was Robert Ruark, a renowned writer and hunter, famous for his articles in Field & Stream and love for African safari hunting. After wounding a hyena on one such hunt, Ruark condemned the cartridge as underpowered for medium to large game, coining his famous mantra, “use enough gun.” His criticism fueled skepticism, especially among hunters pursuing larger game, and led to a heated debate that still echoes today.
Despite the criticism, many hunters found the Swift to be nothing short of remarkable. In 1948, Lester Womack, a government hunter tasked with culling feral burros in the Grand Canyon, used a .220 Swift to take down burros weighing up to 600 pounds from as far as 600 yards. Womack found the Swift more effective than the .30-06 Springfield and 8mm Mauser, which were also being used during the cull. His experience led him to call the Swift his favorite cartridge, preferring it over larger calibers for its precision and reliability in the field.
Legendary speed comes at a cost though, and it wasn’t long before the .220 Swift developed a reputation as a barrel burner. As hunters and shooters alike became enamored with the Swift’s pinpoint accuracy and minimal recoil, rifles were frequently pushed to their physical limits with rapid cycling and forgone cooldown periods. The intense heat generated by firing at such high velocities caused significant throat erosion in early barrels, especially when used extensively for varmint hunting. To combat this problem, in 1937, Winchester introduced stainless barrels for the Swift Model 70 (and a few other chamberings), but even this could not save the barrels from overzealous shooters who could not resist the fun of sending round after flat-shooting round down range. Over time, this issue damaged the Swift's reputation, especially after the introduction of the .22-250 Remington in 1965, which offered similar performance with less wear on barrels.
Today, the .220 Swift remains one of the fastest factory loaded cartridges ever produced. The Swift may no longer dominate the varmint hunting world as it once did, but it remains a cherished caliber for those who appreciate its unique blend of speed and precision. Whether you’re drawn to its storied past or remarkable ballistics, the .220 Swift holds its place in the Winchester Model 70 lineup as a true high-velocity icon. And for those like Lester Womack, who have experienced the Swift’s lightweight power firsthand, it will always be a gun that finds its way out of the safe time and time again.
Dad gave me a pre-64 Model 70 Swift he bought from his brother-in-law, who I understand purchased it new. The serial number tells me it was manufactured around 1954, the year I was born. We took a lot of eastern woodchucks with that rifle. Dads brothers owned 222s, 243s, 22 WMRs, a 22 Hornet and other calibers, but the swift was always called to work on the “long shots”
I took the swift with me on a move to Idaho in 1977, and started a love of winter coyote hunting. Dad taught me hand loading with an old Belding and Mall outfit for that rifle and sometime in Idaho I updated to a Rockchucker. I also replaced the fading fixed 10 power Weaver with a leupold 10x, then a 4.5×14 when they came out with the CDS turrets. What a game changer!! Teamed with a set of Leica range finder binocs, those 3-500 yd coyotes were in trouble. Can’t tell you how many that outfit brought down.
I’ve since built several coyote rifles (one another 220 swift) all based on the pre-64 action and similar leupold scopes.
I “semi-retired” Dads swift and even found a pristine 10x Weaver some time back, to restore the outfit to “original.” It spends more time in the gun safe now, but every year I take it for a hunt or two just to remember dad and his brothers taking those “long shots”
I own a .220 Swift, though not a Model 70, and have greatly enjoyed shooting it over the years. As a reloader I thought that it was great to be able to push a 52 grain hollow-point bullet is excess of 3900 fps, and consistently shoot a five shot quarter size group at 200 yards. I shot a coyote at about 75 yards with this bullet and had it run off about an additional 100 yards. When I recovered it I found that the first bullet had simply passed through the body without opening. It was moving too fast. I decided to reduce the velocity to 3700 fps, the next coyote did go anywhere but the hide wasn’t much good. But one thing that I found was that as I reduced velocity, I lost some of the accuracy. I was only shooting a silver dollar size five shot group at 200 yards.
I have killed deer with my .220 Swift using heavier bullets. But primarily use it for coyotes and prairie dogs. It is also great for teaching a new shooter, who may be anxious about recoil, to shoot a centerfire rifle.
I am full on board with the praise ! I have a Ruger 77 V , It’s been my go to gun for 40 years when it’s ground hogs , crows , coyotes, etc. I always keep it clean and space my shots to keep the barrel cool . It will still put the first 3 shots in the same hole at 100 yards. Provider I do my part !!
Ruark most likely hit the hyena poorly or used a bullet of poor design or both. Even using enough gun a hunter still has to hit the critter in the right spot. And use a good bullet. I don’t own a 220 swift . Yet.
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