.220 Swift for Whitetail Deer Hunting? Best Ammo (Round, Load, Cartridge) for a Successful Whitetail Deer Hunt
- Hunting Calibers
- 04 Apr, 2020
Is the .220 Swift a viable caliber/load/round/cartridge for whitetail deer hunting? The accurate answer is “it depends”. However, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether the .220 Swift is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest whitetail deer.
As with anything, the devil is in the details. To answer the question completely, we would need to evaluate the downrange distance to the whitetail deer, the bullet type, the grain weight of the bullet, the physical condition of the firearm, the size of the whitetail deer in question, the shot placement, the local wind conditions, the expected accuracy of the shooter, the ethics of the ideal maximum number of shots – the list goes on.
What we can do is provide a framework to understand what average conditions might look like, and whether those are reasonably viable for a shot from the average shooter to harvest a whitetail deer in the fewest number of shots possible, i.e., ethically.
Let’s dive right in. In the question of “Is the .220 Swift within the ideal range of suitable calibers for whitetail deer hunting?” our answer is:
No, the .220 Swift is UNDERKILL for whitetail deer hunting, under average conditions, from a mid-range distance, with a medium grain expanding bullet, and with correct shot placement.
Let’s look at those assumptions a bit closer in the following table.
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| Caliber | .220 Swift |
| Animal Species | Whitetail Deer |
| Muzzle Energy | 1670 foot-pounds |
| Animal Weight | 210 lbs |
| Shot Distance | 150 yards |
What is the average muzzle energy for a .220 Swift? In this case, we have assumed the average muzzle energy for a .220 Swift round is approximately 1670 foot-pounds.
What is the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer? Here we have leaned conservative by taking the average weight of a male individual of the species, since females generally weigh less and require less stopping power. In this case, the average weight of an adult male whitetail deer is approximately 210 lbs.
What is the distance this species is typically hunted from? Distance, of course, plays an important role in the viability of a given caliber in whitetail deer hunting. The kinetic energy of the projectile drops dramatically the further downrange it travels primarily due to energy lost in the form of heat generated by friction against the air itself. This phenonemon is known as drag or air resistance. Thus, a caliber that is effective from 50 yards may not have enough stopping power from 200 yards. With that said, we have assumed the average hunting distance for whitetail deer to be approximately 150 yards.
What about the other assumptions? We have three other primary assumptions being made here. First, the average bullet weight is encapsulated in the average muzzle energy for the .220 Swift. The second important assumption is ‘slightly-suboptimal’ to ‘optimal’ shot placement. That is to say, we assume the whitetail deer being harvested is shot directly or nearly directly in the vitals (heart and/or lungs). The third assumption is that a projectile with appropriate terminal ballistics is being used, which for hunting usually means an expanding bullet.
Various calibers
A common thread you may encounter in online forums is anecdote after anecdote of large animals being brought down by small caliber bullets, or small animals surviving large caliber bullets. Of course those stories exist, and they are not disputed here. A 22LR cartridge can fell a bull elephant under the right conditions, and a newborn squirrel can survive a 50 BMG round under other specific conditions.
Again, the goal of this article is simply to address the question of whether .220 Swift is within the ideal range of suitable calibers to harvest whitetail deer - and to this question, the response again is no, the .220 Swift is UNDERKILL for whitetail deer hunting.
This article does not serve as the final say, but simply as a starting point for beginner hunters, as well as a venue for further discussion. Please feel free to agree, disagree, and share stories from your own experience in the comments section below.
Disclaimer: the information above is purely for illustrative purposes and should not be taken as permission to use a particular caliber, a statement of the legality or safety of using certain calibers, or legal advice in any way. You must read and understand your own local laws before hunting whitetail deer to know whether your caliber of choice is a legal option.
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3 Comments
OK. I’ll be one of those ancecdote guys. During the past ten years, I’ve done most of my feral hog and whitetail hunting with the 220 Swift. NO! I don’t use a ‘soft tip’ and likely never will. I use only the best constructed solid bullet I can find. They usually weigh between 50-55 grains, and are going nearly 4,000 fps at the muzzle. During this time, I’ve killed an estimated 100 hogs and 6 whitetail bucks.
I know very well that this round will kill all of these beasts quite suddenly with a head shot. Therefore, there is nothing to learn. I always make neck and chest shots on hogs and only chest shots on deer. All shots have been inside of 200 yards.
Most animals are dead on the spot, including the largest [300 pound] hog I’ve ever shot or seen. The hog was hit in the front quarter, ranged through the animal and was lost around the pelvis. The hog didn’t even kick. I had one deer go 50 yards but others died where they stood. A few hogs ran only to be found within 60 yds. A big hog, shot transversely through the chest, doesn’t stop the bullet, even should it break ribs and humerus. The bullet generally exits with a little .22 hole.
This is simply a spectacular round on these particular species. Recoil is low and accuracy is wonderful. On paper, this round shouldn’t be this good so it’s possible that some of its quality comes from pinpoint accuracy. I think it’s more than that. At 4,000 fps, this tiny round gets a lot of stuff moving without creating an exit hole that will let pressure out. Therefore, the skin acts as a sack holding the pressure inside. Vital organs—experiencing a titanic shock wave—stop functioning quite suddenly.
I’d have to disagree with this article. Maybe on paper the 220 Swift doesn’t look like a good choice. However, there is a big difference between knock-down power and shocking-power. I’ve taken four deer with the 220 and all four dropped where they stood.
I hand load 55 grain hollow points at 4,000+ fps. All shots are well placed neck or head shots at 250 yards or less. The largest deer was 225 lbs. and the smallest was 175 lbs. I’ve shot other deer with 270 Win. 30-06 and 30-40 Krag. None of these have dropped the deer like the 220 Swift.
Just my opinion…..
I use a 220 swift with hand loaded with a 70 grain traveling at 3780 fbs and dropped every deer i shot. Nobody can tell me that a 220 swift will not kill whitetail I call that b. S.