I have a remington sendero 220 swift with a Leupold VX-III 6.5-20 50MM that I would like to use to deer hunt. I have a 300 win mag in the same set up and have already taken a buck with it and would like to have my smaller caliber rifle in the stand for varmints and to conserve the meat on any does/MGMT bucks I take the rest of the season. Has anyone had any experience hunting deer with this caliber and what kind of results did you recieve? I will be using a Hornady 50 gr. V-Max bullet traveling at 3825 FPS made by HSM Ammo. I plan to only shoot deer in the head or upper neck with this round. Will it be able to perform with terminal results?

Have you ever seen a 204 22-250 or 220 swift hit a full milk jug or big Coke bottle? I think it will do just fine on deer.

Speed kills

a milk jug doesn't equal a deer's body. Sure you can kill a deer with good bullet placement. I personally wouldn't do it.

That is my thought. . . I know it will hit and expand but I need it to retain enough mass to break the neck or penetrate the skull without fracturing into a million pieces. I think it should be fine but just wanted to know if anyone has actually done it with first hand results.

I deer hunt with a .222 all the time. A head or neck shot is tricky depending on your accuracy/distance. A front shoulder shot will do fine. I actually see more internal damage from the .222 than my 30-06. I have shot well over 50 deer and have not lost a single one.

If you shoot them through the eye when they are looking at you, you don't have to worry about it breaking up when it hits the skull. Just food for thought.

Will work just fine for you, I've canoed a coupled deer with a .220 swift.

I have killed more deer with a 22-250 than any other caliber. You don't have to take a head or neck shot, go just behind the shoulder and you're good. Never have I had one go more than 30 yards.

Might want to see if you can shoot a bit sturdier bullet. Nosler Partition and Barnes Triple Shock are both premium bullets that are available in .224.

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Might want to see if you can shoot a bit sturdier bullet. Nosler Partition and Barnes Triple Shock are both premium bullets that are available in .224.

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This is very good advice. The trophy bonded bear claw is another good option. All will give you a good mix of weight retention, penetration, and expansion.

I shot a doe a couple of years ago with my 204 Ruger and 34 gr hollow point. She wouldn't keep her head still, so I shot her in the sweet spot behind the shoulder. She made it about 10 steps and crumbled. The bullet liquefied her lungs, heart and everything in her chest cavity was jello. I would not hesitate to shoot anything else with it, period.

Sierra also makes a good bullet. I've downed many with a 55 grain spite.

Yep, the Sierra 55gr Spitzers have killed lots of game out of my dad's .222 Rem. It's a great little bullet.

I've hunted many a times with a 220 swift and it is a great gun. I always neck shoot, usually around 100 yards and have never had any problems. The speed from the 220 swift will break the neck before the deer hits the ground and you'll have some nice fresh deer meat! Good luck!

I've killed a whole mess of deer with a .222, 220 swift will be just fine.

What's the twist rate on your barrel? 220 certainly has enough powder capacity to push the heavier bullets, if desired. For my set up, the 60 gr is a trade off- better terminal ballistics, less accurate vs 50 gr.

Killed dozens of deer with my .22-250 with placement shots in the body and neck (usually use later in the season to harvest does and cull bucks - so smaller bodied deer under 200 yards and with bullet weight between 60-70 grain). All with immediate results - the round is moving so fast it does just so much damage. That being said, the .220 outperforms the .22-250 in virtually every category. You'll be fine

Thanks for all of the info guys. I will report back after thanksgiving with my results.

To answer the question earlier about the twist. I believe it is a 1:14" twist rate.

You'll need to stick with bullets that are 55 grains or less. The 1:14 won't stabilize the >60 grain bullets.

Don't use the exploding varmint bullets....the kind that people shoot at big coke bottles and they explode!

Need a TSX or a Bonded-Bullet of some kind....even a Core-Lokt would work. Hand load if you can, if not look for the bonded loads in something in the 60's grain if your barrel twist will stabilize the bullet.

My son has shot every buck for the last 9 years (16 years old now) with his 223 WSSM (nearly identical ballistics to your 220 swift) with a Winchester 64 grain Power Point and they work just fine.

If you trust the gun and it is very accurate, which those tend to be, then do not be afraid of neck shots...The trust and low recoil will allow you to do it with ease out to a couple of hundred yards.


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What texag said!
You'll wound somthing you'll wish you hadn't !
Shoot a better bullet!

Get Nosler to build the Accubond in a 70gr 22 cal. bullet and make us all happy!

I can't hand load anything so I must find it retail. Anyone know where to get a bonded bullet around 55 grains let me know. The best I could find was the V-Max ammo from hornady at HSM. Again I know there are alot of great bullets out there but I need it loaded up rerady to go. Also remember this is not for the Monster Buck straight through the shoulder. This is for the does/spikes and MGMT bucks in the neck/head from 150 yards and in. I would never take this out to trophy hunt. . . that is why I have the same set up in a 300 win mag.

Another vote for the 222. I have take many deer with it and my daughter has taken two with. Heart shots at 75 yds and then run less than 50 before dying.

Hornady Interlock

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/hornady-interlock-rifle-220-swift-60-gr-hp-20-rds.aspx?a=532473

I shoot the same bullet in .223 and my dad does in .22-250 and have never had a deer take a step after the shot. That is travelling as lesser velocity thay you are looking at. I say you are just fine with that shooting head shots and upper neck. I would stick to the head myself. Slightly bigger target. The gun you described should be a tack driver and you wont have any problems at a reasonable range. This past year i started using a 55gr v max buzzing along at about 3200 fps and it has performad flawlessly

marshall,

here you go....The same 64 grainer my son uses.

Neck shoot them and they will NOT get up...or even behind the shoulder.

I like shooting with smaller and more accurate rifles as well.... My 25 WSSM kicks less than his 223 WSSM and is a tack driver.

http://shop.reedsammo.com/product.sc;jsessionid=5FEB88FB4638C193B9142A06FF2CD97C.qscstrfrnt03?productId=1261&categoryId=33

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