Wildcat · Wildcat
.220 Arrow
The .220 Wotkyns-Wilson Arrow — an improved .220 Swift wildcat (shoulder steepened to ~30°)..
- Caliber
- 0.224″ · 5.69 mm
- Introduced
- 1940
- Case
- Semi-Rimmed
- Parent
- .220 Swift
- Primary use
- Varmint, Target
- Status
- Wildcat
- Introduced
- 1940
- Type
- Wildcat
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Grosvenor Wotkyns, L.E. Wilson
- Standard
- Wildcat
- Status
- Wildcat
- Availability
- Handload Only
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Semi-Rimmed
- Eff. range
- 400 yd
Ballistics
Velocity only, no drag model: no published ballistic coefficient is on file for .220 Arrow, so this is the shape gravity alone gives the advertised velocity. Drag would steepen it. The tool below solves real loads through their published G1 or G7 model.
Open in Ballistic Compare- Parent case
- .220 Swift
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 5.69 | 0.224 | · |
| Neck ⌀ | 6.60 | 0.260 | · |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 10.21 | 0.402 | · |
| Shoulder angle | 30° | — | · |
| Base ⌀ | 11.30 | 0.445 | ~ |
| Rim ⌀ | 12.01 | 0.473 | · |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.24 | 0.049 | ~ |
| Neck length | 9.14 | 0.360 | ≈ |
| Case length | 56.01 | 2.205 | · |
| Overall length | 68.07 | 2.680 | ~ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .220 Arrow is highlighted below.
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Designed by Grosvenor Wotkyns and L.E. Wilson (1940s); parent .220 Swift; in Ackley's Handbook. Many mildly-improved Swifts are loosely called ".220 Arrow."
FAQs
- What bullet diameter is .220 Arrow?
- .220 Arrow uses a 0.224″ (5.69 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .220 Arrow still in production?
- .220 Arrow is wildcat; typical availability is handload only.
- What is .220 Arrow used for?
- .220 Arrow is primarily used for varmint, target.
- What is .220 Arrow based on?
- .220 Arrow is derived from the .220 Swift case.
Sources & provenance
- Reference Gun Digest Books (Frank C. Barnes) — Cartridges of the World, '.220 Wotkyns-Wilson Arrow (.220 Arrow)' entry · year, velocity
- Secondary Wolfe Publishing — LoadData.com (Handloader database) — Reloading Data — .220 Wotkyns-Wilson Arrow · bullet ⌀, velocity, grain weights archived
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →