Rechamber .220 Swift?

CompTA97 · Nov 12, 2013

Anyone with some ideas on this would help...
I have a heavy barreled .220 swift in an 1917 enfield action, the barrel is all but shot out. It is an old rifle that was thought to be shot out 10 years ago, but I thought with todays cleaning materials I could pull some fouling out of it and maybe get some life out of it. After working on it for a while now, I'm starting to think maybe have it re chambered. Maybe to 6.5-06 since it is based on a 6mm Lee Navy Case. Or would I be better off scraping it and building a new gun later?

Ksmirk · Nov 12, 2013

6.5-06 is off a 30-06 case, the Lee Navy is off a 7x57 if memory serves. If your looking at a 6.5 the .260 would be an easy change. Check the mag box and see what the longest round you could fit in there and then let the choices of caliber begin. Later,

Kirk

CompTA97 · Nov 12, 2013

Good point on the 6.5 being off the 30-06 case. Just trying to see if a re barrel is better off or having this barrel set back and re cut. Thanks for the input Kirk!

dennishoddy · Nov 13, 2013

Kudus to Kirk for the Info.

mike cyrwus · Nov 13, 2013

maybe I havent had enough coffee, but no amount of rechambering is going to turn a .220 swift into a 6.5 anything.

Ksmirk · Nov 13, 2013

Mike you would be right and didn't even need the coffee I bet

Matt it all depends on what ya gonna be shooting at and do you like the rifle now? a rebarrel isn't too bad just depends on what caliber and barrel blank you want to go with. Later,

Kirk

CompTA97 · Nov 14, 2013

Yeah that was one too many beers and way too many ideas going through my head at once lol. I apologize for that one.
I was meaning to say re barrel for the 6.5 or maybe scrap the whole rifle. I have read that the 1917 actions tend to crack?
We haven't had any problems with our other 1917 chambered in 7x57.

Either way I think I'm just gonna re barrel and stay with the swift. It makes easy work out of far off coyotes.
Cheers

CompTA97 · Nov 14, 2013

I dont know why I thought a swift could turn into a 6.5 anything as mike pointed out lol.

scubor2 · Nov 15, 2013

I have a husqvarna .220 swift that was my grand dads. Any suggestions on anyone in OKC area to do a rebarrel.

mike cyrwus · Nov 15, 2013

steve baldwin, mechanical accuracy in jones

scubor2 · Nov 15, 2013

mike cyrwus said:
steve baldwin, mechanical accuracy in jones

Thanks Mike

Lester Long · Dec 22, 2013

Kirk Smith (ksmirk) said:
6.5-06 is off a 30-06 case, the Lee Navy is off a 7x57 if memory serves. If your looking at a 6.5 the .260 would be an easy change. Check the mag box and see what the longest round you could fit in there and then let the choices of caliber begin. Later,

Kirk

Incorrect. The .220 Swift was derived from the 6mm Lee Navy -- both hulls are semi-rimmed. The 7x57mm is rimless -- like the .30-06 -- and is the parent case to the .257 Roberts and 6mm/.244 Remington.

Lester Long · Dec 22, 2013

mike cyrwus said:
maybe I havent had enough coffee, but no amount of rechambering is going to turn a .220 swift into a 6.5 anything.

Also incorrect. The barrel can be re-bored and re-chambered for about half of a re-barrel. Dan Pedersen or Curt LaBounty's successor can handle that.

mike cyrwus · Dec 22, 2013

Lester Long said:
Also incorrect. The barrel can be re-bored and re-chambered for about half of a re-barrel. Dan Pedersen or Curt LaBounty's successor can handle that.

Welcome to boomer shooter, smarty pants. my statement is accurate.

no amount of re-chambering will turn a .220 swift into a 6.5 anything.

Yours is based on assumption. and you might know what happens when you assume

Lester Long · Dec 22, 2013

mike cyrwus said:
Welcome to boomer shooter, smarty pants. my statement is accurate.

no amount of re-chambering will turn a .220 swift into a 6.5 anything.

Yours is based on assumption. and you might know what happens when you assume

Once again, incorrect. I don't post assumptions as you have by assuming what my reasoning was on the subject. It's logical to draw the conclusion to re-boring when someone is planning on re-chambering if going to another bore diameter. Having discussed this very subject with Dan Pedersen some time ago, I can tell you with complete confidence if someone sends him a rifle chambered in one caliber and simply asks for it to be re-chambered to another, he will plan on a re-bore. You can continue on into the weeds with this silly game of semantics if you choose.

mike cyrwus · Dec 22, 2013

Lester Long said:
It's logical to draw the conclusion to re-boring when someone is planning on re-chambering if going to another bore diameter.

Well, in this situation, it was not only illogical but incorrect as well; because the original poster already stated that he never meant "re-chamber" but rather "re-barrel"; as you can see in post #7. My reply in post #5 not only made his intent clear, but it contributed to the resolution of the question at hand.
Your tactless, replies to myself and Kirk will gain you no friends around here. If you have info, great put it to use, but dont be a dick about it , please.

Ksmirk · Dec 22, 2013

No Mike would be correct! re chamber is just changing the caliber and as for it being logical for a re bore with a re chamber dude that doesn't compute! there's nothing logical about re boring a barrel as it's less work to just purchase a new blank so you wouldn't have to deal with stressing the material of the barrel and possibly causing terrible accuracy...... ask Dan he may be able to explain the stress issue.

You would be correct that my recollection was off as to the parent case of the 220 Swift, the 6mm Lee did have a slight rim but I didn't go and Google before I stated a thought hence the reason I stated "If memory serves"

I've found out on the forums you should research anything you read and it's not a good way to gain friends by spouting off everyone is incorrect when in fact you would be better off to read prior to calling others out as incorrect. Later,

Kirk

Lester Long · Dec 22, 2013

Kirk Smith (ksmirk) said:
No Mike would be correct! re chamber is just changing the caliber and as for it being logical for a re bore with a re chamber dude that doesn't compute! there's nothing logical about re boring a barrel as it's less work to just purchase a new blank so you wouldn't have to deal with stressing the material of the barrel and possibly causing terrible accuracy...... ask Dan he may be able to explain the stress issue.

Re-chambering, re-barreling, and re-boring operations all have certain criterion that must be met. Does the current bolt face have the same dimensions as the intended new caliber? Can it be feasibly altered to the intended caliber? If it's a re-chambering operation, does the intended caliber have the same bore diameter as the current caliber? Can it be re-bored feasibly? I.e., is the change in diameter enough to clean up the old rifling? (HINT: from 0.224" to 0.264" there is.)

It's fairly clear from your comments that you're not very familiar with re-boring, specifically your comments about cost and too much "stress." A straight-up re-barrel runs about $600. A re-bore runs about half of that at $300. Some barrels are nigh impossible to re-bore, like stainless and Sakos. (They're supposed to be pretty damned hard.)

It might be better for you if you did a little research if you're wanting to discuss this: http://cutrifle.com/

Mike is not correct and neither are you.