220 Swift Mauser action

[camocorvette]

Well I acquired this...

I'm not sure how I feel about it. I need to get some ammo for it and see how it shoots.

It's definitely cobbled together...
After doing some digging and pulling it apart. It's a Chinese mauser. Have to pull the scope mount off to see what year it was made.

After I took the scope off. I found that the weaver rails are literally just epoxied onto the receiver. So I guess that's nice that it isn't D&T.

Barrel is spot welded to the reciever..


Thankfully I didn't pay anything other than about an hour of my time moving firewood.

Story goes buddy bought it thinking it was a pre64 winny in 22-250. Buys it for 375 and it turns out it's a 220 swift Chinese mauser.

I'm gonna grab a box of ammo and sight it in for shits and giggles. Probably cut the spot weld and pull the barrel. When cleaning it I could see the stamping of barrel maker on the barrel face.

Pretty sure it was made in a garage with a Dremel but we'll see.


What does a guy do with a rough mauser action??

 

[roostercogburn98]

That things kinda skeery lookin

 

[camocorvette]

Yeah I cleaned the crust off of it. Oiled it and put it back together. Probably put it in a lead sled and pull trigger with a string haha

 

[roostercogburn98]

ahh hell, it’s a Mauser. It will probably outlive both of us

 

[camocorvette]

It's got what looks to be a 11° target crown and the rifling is crisp and really doesn't look fired. So who knows

 

[roostercogburn98]

Standing by for range report then

 

[VJJPunisher]

Strip it, clean it up, check headspace and chamber, personally I’d would drill and tap it for a real scope base, stock looks solid, maybe bed it, cerakote it, and it might just very well be a very nice little hunter, that was free

 

[roostercogburn98]

Strip it, clean it up, check headspace and chamber, personally I’d would drill and tap it for a real scope base, stock looks solid, maybe bed it, cerakote it, and it might just very well be a very nice little hunter, that was free

Don’t you have some nice rifles to be effing up somewhere

 

[camocorvette]

The stock is decent. Has a Boyd's buttpad, so maybe Boyd's stock? The whole barrel channel is bedded but the action part of the stock is not.

I've got some 220 swift hornady 55 grain in the mail to try with it. It's not a caliber I would experiment with, considering what exists today.

But free basically.

From my research it was a action that was plentiful and probably brought back from Korea. I'd rather have that mauser then this.. but oh well. Make the best of it.

Drill and tap will probably happen since it's not a unicorn

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Actually a pre ChiCom Mauser is not a bad rifle.

Contracted and/or built under license. You will be surprised how good it is once you clean it up.

Mauser licensed to a lot of countries. And built under contract for many more.

The Argentine Mauser is considered one of the finest custom rifle actions out there. Despite being linked with a banana republic (until the Germans showed up).

Never write off a Mauser action. Except a handful of very late war last ditch WW2 guns with applling heat treatment… they were all pretty solid!!!

Sirhr

 

[45-90]

It was a waste of $375.
Spot weld the barrel to the reciever!
I would recommend NOT shooting it with out totally dissembling it.
Inspecting it, headspace, including thread fit,... if there are any threads on it, or just the spot weld is holding it together.
It aint worth the trouble for me, I wouldn't want it for free....but you may feel differently.
You can buy new factory Remington 22 -250 ADL ($540 for a complete 300 WM rifle throw the stock, you want the action )and a 220 Swift finish (or rent it) chamber reamer.
Bottom line is how cheap, a new Bartlein barrel will now be a bit over $400.
But you could choose the factory 223... if you can open up the bolt face, of your choice in barrel twist, length, and contour from any number of cheap or moderately priced available rifles, and re chamber it to 220 Swift. Reamer, and go gauge rental are fairly cheap.
A fast twist Ruger American, bolt opened up & rechambered to 220 Swift 95 gr SMK 16" barrel...a real blast. I have the brass, and a rifle with a 26" barrel in the Swift...but I have extra bolts for Rem 700.
Oooh, high velocity penetrators ...
Might be my next project.

 

[roostercogburn98]

…

It was a waste of $375.
Spot weld the barrel to the reciever!
I would recommend NOT shooting it with out totally dissembling it.
Inspecting it, headspace, including thread fit,... if there are any threads on it, or just the spot weld is holding it together.
It aint worth the trouble for me, I wouldn't want it for free....but you may feel differently.
You can buy new factory Remington 22 -250 ADL ($540 for a complete 300 WM rifle throw the stock, you want the action )and a 220 Swift finish (or rent it) chamber reamer.
Bottom line is how cheap, a new Bartlein barrel will now be a bit over $400.
But you could choose the factory 223... if you can open up the bolt face, of your choice in barrel twist, length, and contour from any number of cheap or moderately priced available rifles, and re chamber it to 220 Swift. Reamer, and go gauge rental are fairly cheap.
A fast twist Ruger American, bolt opened up & rechambered to 220 Swift 95 gr SMK 16" barrel...a real blast. I have the brass, and a rifle with a 26" barrel in the Swift...but I have extra bolts for Rem 700.
Oooh, high velocity penetrators ...
Might be my next project.

I wouldn’t write it off. Maybe have to rebarrel, but I bet it shoots good for an old Mauser

 

[camocorvette]

Well I didn't blow my face off. Got it zerod in 5 rounds. Was only off 3" low, 4" right after removing scope and putting it back on after cleaning the gun.

100 yards. I was happy with the 55g hornady. The trigger has a audible click and grinding after the 1st stage. Right now its terrible.

So here is my actual 5 round group at 100. The flyer was my last round. I'm pretty sure that was on me 99%

128 yards, 5 rounds, mild steel.

I think it's promising. I will drop it off at Apex gunsmithing and get it D&T. Figure out the existing trigger or replace, then zap some coyotes and coons with it.

 

[camocorvette]

Actually a pre ChiCom Mauser is not a bad rifle.

Contracted and/or built under license. You will be surprised how good it is once you clean it up.

Mauser licensed to a lot of countries. And built under contract for many more.

The Argentine Mauser is considered one of the finest custom rifle actions out there. Despite being linked with a banana republic (until the Germans showed up).

Never write off a Mauser action. Except a handful of very late war last ditch WW2 guns with applling heat treatment… they were all pretty solid!!!

Sirhr

Thank you Sirhr. When I get it drilled and tapped I will see what the stamping is on the top of the receiver and post it up.

 

[Modoc]

I won’t argue with that! It looks like you are off to a good start! When you start loading, 52g SMK would be worth a look.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I would not kick her out of bed for eating crackers!!!

Unless crackers was her dog.

Well done!!!

Sirhr

 

[camocorvette]

@Modoc I will grab those as my first projectiles. I'll get some dies eventually. $35 for 20 rounds is not something I'm gonna be doing often. I found some online ammo for as low as 23 a box but I think it's a scam. Gotta do some searching.

 

[camocorvette]

I would not kick her out of bed for eating crackers!!!

Unless crackers was her dog.

Well done!!!

Sirhr

Hahaha

Thanks. It redeemed itself after shooting. I need to get it fine tuned. But I think I'll be very happy when it's all sorted out.

 

[Modoc]

@Modoc I will grab those as my first projectiles. I'll get some dies eventually. $35 for 20 rounds is not something I'm gonna be doing often. I found some online ammo for as low as 23 a box but I think it's a scam. Gotta do some searching.

I hear that on the price of less popular ammunition. I tried to find some 6.5x55 locally and it was from $35-$75 for a box of 20.

I have two Mausers in 22-250 that I need do do load development for and really like them.

 

[roostercogburn98]

Not bad for a rifle they should have been thrown away lol.

I think timney makes a trigger for those things as well.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

@Modoc I will grab those as my first projectiles. I'll get some dies eventually. $35 for 20 rounds is not something I'm gonna be doing often. I found some online ammo for as low as 23 a box but I think it's a scam. Gotta do some searching.

I have a ton of .220 Swift and a lot of old reloads (not mine but meticulous records). I may even have a spare set of dies. Let me look this weekend and only be able to set you up with a few boxes that you can shoot/test/fireform with.

May shoot my Swift this weekend with @pmclaine so will post some pix.

Timney does make trigger for that gun. A good investment!

Sirhr

 

[camocorvette]

I'll get a pm your way in regards. Thank you so much!

I'm guessing the Timney is way better then a new 2 stage factory original sorted out? I saw the featherweight for 100 and the deluxe for 149. You can pick the weight 1.5- 4lbs.

Can anyone tell me what model I have from what I've posted? I'll knock the bases off and check the headstamp when I get a chance later.

Here's the options.

Thanks again everyone for the contribution!

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I'll get a pm your way in regards. Thank you so much!

I'm guessing the Timney is way better then a new 2 stage factory original sorted out? I saw the featherweight for 100 and the deluxe for 149. You can pick the weight 1.5- 4lbs.

Can anyone tell me what model I have from what I've posted? I'll knock the bases off and check the headstamp when I get a chance later.

Here's the options.
View attachment 8536325

Thanks again everyone for the contribution!

I would call and talk to their tech guys. They are a very tier-one company. They can sort it with you!!

Sirhr

 

[camocorvette]

Will do, Thanks!

 

[Modoc]

@sirhrmechanic is right, call Brownells. I have An Argentine, a Mexican Small Ring, and a pair of VZ-24s. Those that I’ve upgraded all took the 98-K triggers, but it’s best to verify.

 

[camocorvette]

I was lucky to find some dies in the px. They showed up last week. Loaded up the 19 cases that I have.
50 grain sp hornady bullets, 37.5 grains of imr 4895, hornady brass, wolf large rifle primer.
I didn't have my chronograph with, but they are probably 3800ish.
Water bottle for size. I highlighted the impacts with a yellow dot in the picture.

5 rounds, 280 yards. On a gamechanger bag on the window sill of my car. Just held on the neck, didn't hold for wind.
It's got that old Tasco and shitty trigger still.

I really can't wait until I get a better trigger. I think the groups will tighten up. I have staple guns that have a nicer "trigger".

 

[45-90]

I've always had a 220 Swift on hand.
They are very accurate, most will get down to 1/4" 5 shot groups. And around 1" at 400 yds with the old 52 gr Sierra match bullets and IMR 4064....way back when IMR powders were $3.89 per lb and the California based Sierra match bullets in 22 caliber were $6.00 per hundred or $2.89 per hundred for the cheaper soft points.
The boxes contain almost 800 rds of new Swift brass with another 220 fired pcs that need trimmed. I always keep at least a thousand rds of brass for all most every caliber I shoot often.