220 swift barrel life?

[komifornian]

I just re-barreled my 40x 220 swift with a 26" 1-10 tr Hart barrel. I hand load and 99% of the time don't shoot over 3,700 fps. Currently shooting 90 grain Sierra Matchking bullets. (HPBT)

Anybody know how many rounds I can expect to get out of this barrel assuming I stay with the load mentioned above? I've heard anywhere from 800 - 1200. Anybody here have any experience with the 220 swift that can give me a more definitive number?

Thanks for your help.

 

[heydavemd]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

My Ruger No 1 has 1500+ shooting Hornady 52g BTHP at around 3850, and still holding about 1/2". Its a 1:14.

 

[WDL]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

It depends on what you are shooting at 3700 FPS. If its 75 AMax's, it won't last very long at all. If its 40 grainers, it will last a long, long time.

 

[komifornian]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

shooting 90 grain Sierra Matchking bullets. (HPBT)

 

[Varget 7-08]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

I hear barrel life i2 at least 1500-2000 if you're not shooting hot rounds

 

[jeepwilson]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

Who did you get to rebarrel it?You got it back fast!

 

[rundm]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

Are you sure you are at 3700 with 90gr bullets? That sounds incredibly high. I would think barrel life would be very short.

 

[komifornian]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

I'm sorry my bad typo! 70 grain bullet. The load is:
44 grains Hodgdon H4831

 

[psinclair]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Varget 7-08</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I hear barrel life i2 at least 1500-2000 if you're not shooting hot rounds </div></div>

I've wore out at least a dozen swift barrels of all different flavors and I'd say that would be a good average..

 

[jayph]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: komifornian</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm sorry my bad typo! 70 grain bullet. The load is:
44 grains Hodgdon H4831 </div></div>

Did you chrony that load to get 3700? I run a 220 AI and don't get close to that kind of velocity out of my 26" barrel with 75gr bullets and I have my loads pushed close to max. I use more grains of H4831 but only get 3450.

Just a heads up with 70gr bullets and H4831
my sierra book has a max load of 40.5 grains for 3250
my Hodgdon book has a max load of 42gr at 3350 but at 52600 CUP

so I think you might be a touch hot with your 44 gr load

 

[komifornian]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

It's definitely hot. I did use chronograph and it was actually between 3680-3700 fps. I'm going to lighten up on the load moving forward to conserve the barrel and to be on the "safe" side.

 

[chadg]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

I had a ruger 77 swift years ago,i shot about 1700 rds.before it was shot out....We bore scoped it to see how bad it actually was.It actually had about 3 inches of throat complety smooth.So i really dont know how many shots were taken before throat erosion started to be a factor...But i do know it was right at 1700 before accuracy suffered tremendously.
This rifle never shot anything but hot loads,that is what it liked the best....

 

[Skg_Mre_Lght]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

I am averaging close to 2000 rounds out of two of the three .220 Swifts I own.

These are the only rifles I shoot moly coated bullets through, one is on it's third barrel, the second is waiting on a barrel, and the third is still on it's factory barrel with around 800 rounds out of it (this is my lightweight barreled, walking predator rifle).

 

[WDL]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

If you continue to shoot 70s at 3700, I would be surprised if you got 1000 rounds out of it. Well, you can shoot more than that but like 467 said you will have throat erosion.
I've got a 223 wssm 27" Kreiger barrel shooting 55s at 3935 fps and it has over 2" of throat erosion after 1300 rounds. Groups have opened up to .75 MOA and velocity has lost 150 FPS.

 

[CUTRIGHT]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

I shot 70gr Bergers at 3400+ for over 1000 rds on a Savage 220 swift with very little erosion. I sold the rifle to a fellar here locally, it's still shooting sub moa at over 1500rds.
(That rifle was cryo treated with about 50 rds on it if that matters.)

 

[WDL]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

Big difference 'tween 3700 and 3400 fps when it comes to throat erosion.

 

[CUTRIGHT]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

I don't believe he's shooting 3700fps.
I have shot several Swift's and never had one of them take pressure well enough to accurately shoot a 70 gr bullet faster than 3500 fps. The best shooting swift I ever had would shoot 3500 fps with 44gr H4831sc and accuracy would suffer to about 1" at 100 yd.
I'd check the spacing of the screens and put a new battery in the chronograph and try it again.

 

[BERTMAN77MK2]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

last Swift was 40XB Rem ---at 2400 rds the groups were at 1moa
fom a 1/2 Moa start when new--all factory ammo--sorry no chrono

 

[komifornian]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

Amazing how much the amount barrel life will vary! From the responses on within this thread I gather it comes down to two things:

Barrel steel quality and how ‘hot’ the rounds that you're shooting are.

So, for a 'relatively' long life (2000+ rounds) I'm confident I chose the right barrel; I just need to shoot less than 3400 fps.

Thanks everyone

 

[CUTRIGHT]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

I think you will do well at that velocity.
Using about 40.5 gr. H4841sc and a 70 gr vld should get you around 3300 fps with exceptional accuracy and low spreads.
Jay Cutright

 

[WDL]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

I haven't seen barrel length mentioned. If its a 40" barrel, 3700 fps isn't unrealistic.

Edit: Oops, I just re-read the first post. 26" barrel. Never mind.

 

[samnev]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

My first varmint rifle was a 220 Swift. Barrel lasted about 2000 rounds before groups opened up.

 

[Gondy223]

Re: 220 swift barrel life?

I have put 1500+ through my Ruger 77, and the barrel still looks really good. Granted, I run 50gr ballistic tips or varmint grenades through it. Mine still has the factory barrel (not varmint), and is still sub-moa.