Coyote rifle.

[trailtwister]

I started hunting coyotes with a Ruger 77-243 that I inherited from my dad. It did a good job with the hand loaded Sierra  85gr. HPBT game kings I hand loaded for it. But I had been lusting for a 220 Swift since I was weaned off strained food. I searched high and low from the top of the mitt to the cuff and both sun rise and sun set sides for that just right one. I was at the point where I was going to give up and have a wild cat built when a friend told me he had been to a gun shop over the week end and thought he seen the one I wanted. I called them the next day and yes they had a 220 swift and it didn't not have the heavy 50 pound barrel.
It was on consignment for a young fellow who had bought two to hunt whistle pigs with his father who  after the first year so it had been used lightly.
I hung up the phone and jumped in the pick up and drove the 35 miles (right under my nose) to the shop. Looked the rifle over and made the deal to buy it. Bought a 6x18 Simmons scope off the used scope shelf and had it mounted and bore sighted. Shop only had one box of ammo so I took it, stopped at a different shop on the way home and got two more boxes of ammo.
Had to go to work so the range time had to wait a day. I was impressed to say the least although Not real happy with having to use a bull dozer to get the trigger to move, Had to have had a 10 pound pull. It is a adjustable trigger but I didn't know how to do it and nothing on the internet like you can find for the Remington 700.
I just put up with the trigger but would check with any new smith I heard about on if they/he could adjust it.
I know buy a aftermarket trigger Heard that for a long time from a lot of people.
Finally I found a smith in 2013 who could work the majic on the trigger, at 2.5 pounds I love it now.
Made a sun shade for it, $20.00 for those tiny Plastic things I found stupid.

I hand load for it 55gr. bullet (going to change brand and type since ones I used are no longer made) 3800 FPS and have it sighted in at 200 yards. I can hold dead on at any yardage from 100 to 300 yards and if all is in alignment a good hit is made.



Top is the 77- 220 swift middle is the 77-243 and bottom is the 77-22lr.

  Al

[trailtwister]

For got can't edit. The young fellow only got to hunt one year with his dad for any thing with the swift. He passed away so the rifle was lightly used by a man who knew how to take care of a fire arm.

  Al

[FinsnFur]

I put a Timney in my 22-250 and never looked back. Gawd I love it.
What did you use to make your sun shade?

[trailtwister]

Alum roof flashing made up the form then auto body putty was mixed up and spread around the flashing about a 1/8 in thick sanded smooth and a second lay put on sanded smooth again then pained flat black.

  Al

[HuntnCarve]

I love my 220 Swift (Stainless steel, Synthetic stock, heavy barreled Rem 700).  I've killed a bunch of chucks with it over the years at all kinds of ranges.  Not an ideal walking varminter, but I manage.  I heard the phase, "Nothing stands taller in the back pastures than a .220 Swift!"  I have come to believe that.

HnC
Dave