Lindcott Armory Rifle · SAAMI
.220 Swift
The first commercial cartridge to exceed 4,000 fps.
- Caliber
- 0.2244″ · 5.7 mm
- Introduced
- 1935
- Case
- Rimless
- Parent
- 6mm Lee Navy
- Primary use
- Varmint
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 1935
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Winchester
- Manufacturer
- Winchester
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 47 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:14
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimless
- Max pressure
- 62,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 500 yd
- Max range
- 800 yd
- Recoil
- 5.5–8 ft·lb
Ballistics
Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Hornady Superformance Varmint V-MAX 55gr 55 gr, 3,900 fps, BC 0.128 G7 · 100 yd zero.
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 yd | 3897 | 1855 | -1.5″ | — |
| 100 yd | 3488 | 1486 | 0.0″ | 0.0 |
| 200 yd | 3096 | 1170 | -1.4″ | -0.7 |
| 300 yd | 2730 | 910 | -6.4″ | -2.0 |
| 400 yd | 2386 | 695 | -16.1″ | -3.8 |
| 500 yd | 2067 | 521 | -32.1″ | -6.1 |
| 600 yd | 1770 | 383 | -56.1″ | -8.9 |
| 700 yd | 1492 | 272 | -91.5″ | -12.5 |
| 800 yd | 1237 | 187 | -142.6″ | -17.0 |
| 900 yd | 1050 | 135 | -216.8″ | -23.0 |
| 1000 yd | 974 | 116 | -322.2″ | -30.8 |
Point-mass G7/G1 drag model, standard atmosphere — within ~2% of reference solvers to 1000 yd; real barrels and conditions vary. Open in Ballistic Compare →
Performance
Buy links open .220 Swift ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 5.70 | 0.224 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 6.60 | 0.260 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 10.21 | 0.402 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 21° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 11.36 | 0.447 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 12.01 | 0.473 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.24 | 0.049 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 7.60 | 0.299 | ≈ |
| 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 Swift is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 49 active loads across 22 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 51 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady | Superformance Varmint V-MAX 55gr | 55 | V-MAX | 3,900 | 1,857 | 0.128 G7 |
| Weatherby | Select V-MAX 55gr | 55 | V-MAX | 3,870 | 1,829 | 0.128 G7 |
| Hornady | Varmint Express | 55 | V-MAX | 3,680 | 1,654 | 0.128 G7 |
| Winchester | Varmint X Polymer Tip | 40 | Polymer Tip | 4,250 | 1,604 | — |
| Federal | Premium V-Shok Nosler BT 40gr | 40 | Nosler BT | 4,150 | 1,529 | — |
| Nosler | Varmageddon HP FB | 40 | HP FB | 4,150 | 1,529 | — |
| Winchester | Varmint X Polymer Tip 40gr | 40 | Varmint X PT | 4,100 | 1,493 | — |
| Fiocchi | V-MAX | 40 | V-MAX | 4,100 | 1,493 | — |
| Browning | BXV | 40 | Polymer Tip | 4,100 | 1,493 | — |
| Barnes | Varmint Grenade | 36 | PHP | 4,000 | 1,279 | — |
| Hornady | NTX | 35 | HP | 4,000 | 1,243 | — |
| Barnes | Varmint Grenade HP FB 50gr | 50 | Varmint Grenade | 3,900 | 1,688 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | HP 48gr | 48 | HP | 3,900 | 1,621 | — |
| Remington | AccuTip-V V-MAX | 50 | AccuTip-V | 3,870 | 1,662 | — |
| Winchester | Varmint X Polymer Tip | 50 | Polymer Tip | 3,870 | 1,662 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
7 reloading powders listed for .220 Swift, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
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.
Firearms chambered in .220 Swift
12 models in the database chamber .220 Swift. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Winchester introduced it in 1935 for the Model 54, then the Model 70. Based on the 6mm Lee Navy case necked to .224. Achieved stunning velocity for the era and set benchmarks that weren't surpassed commercially for decades. Gained a reputation as a barrel burner but remained the definitive varmint cartridge through the 1950s.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .220 Swift use?
- .220 Swift typically uses a 1:14 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .220 Swift?
- .220 Swift uses a 0.2244″ (5.7 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .220 Swift still in production?
- .220 Swift is active; typical availability is common.
- What is .220 Swift used for?
- .220 Swift is primarily used for varmint.
- What is .220 Swift based on?
- .220 Swift is derived from the 6mm Lee Navy case.
- What are the best powders for .220 Swift?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .220 Swift include Ramshot X-Terminator, Power Pro Varmint, IMR 8208 XBR, H322, among 7 suitable options.
Sources & provenance
- StandardSAAMI — SAAMI cartridge & chamber drawing — .220 Swiftarchived
- StandardC.I.P. — C.I.P. TDCC — Tables of Dimensions of Cartridges and Chambers
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 49 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →