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best Leupold power/reticle to use on 220 Swift?

coltnutz
About a week ago, I was looking for your recommendations and comments on the 220 Swift caliber as I was thinking about buying a Remington 700 Classic 220 Swift.

Well, I bought it (thanks to all of your recommendations) and would like to scope it up with a Leupold.

What power and reticle style would you go with (and why) if you only had one choice? I will be doing some bench and varmint shooting (100-300 yards) alike. I know that there is no one right answer to this question but would like to hear any suggestions.
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • cody45
    the best scope in my opinon for the 220 swift is a fixed power 16x. Either the m8 Leupold or the 6400 redfield or the T16 weaver. these are no longer made and take considerable effort to find but the reward is worth it. for a varmint gig mirage is a problem after 16x and lets face it the swift is used for killing-not paper punching.
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  • coltnutz
    thanks Cody45

    quote:Originally posted by cody45
    the best scope in my opinon for the 220 swift is a fixed power 16x. Either the m8 Leupold or the 6400 redfield or the T16 weaver. these are no longer made and take considerable effort to find but the reward is worth it. for a varmint gig mirage is a problem after 16x and lets face it the swift is used for killing-not paper punching.
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  • bperdue21
    the swift i bought had a 36x leupold on it. go with fine crosshair.

    When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.
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  • coltnutz
    thanks Bart

    quote:Originally posted by bperdue21
    the swift i bought had a 36x leupold on it. go with fine crosshair.

    When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.
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  • roysha
    On mine I have a 6.5x-20x with target knobs, 40mm objective and fine crosshairs. I don't know where you shoot at, but out here in CO, the mirage can get so bad sometimes you just cant't see through it at the higher powers. Lowering the power doesn't make it go away, of course, but does make it a little less apparent, kinda like looking through slightly murky water 1 foot deep and the same water 5 feet deep. I rarely get to use more than 14x-16x. Usually it is 12x or so and I can see prairie dogs as far as I can reasonably expect to hit them. Infact, I have 3 rifles with Leupold 12x scopes and have never felt handicaped in the field with them. Better to have a little less than a little too much power.

    "What you do ultimately means nothing, and you could be replaced tomorrow by the first passing cretin." Corinne Maier
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  • TWalker
    I used my .220 Swift for varmint hunting mostly and sometimes for deer hunting with handloads. I suggest a variable 4.5-14 or a 6.5-20. An adjustable objective is a good idea. I prefer one of the duplex reticles. If I were hunting only varmints the 12x OA would be a good choice, maybe with the Leupold Dot Reticle. Really, there is no "right" choice, get whatever YOU want. Any Leupold is fine as long as you can go up to at least 10 power magnification. I have a fixed 12 with Adj. Objective on my .22-250; that's what was on it when I bought it and it's a great combination.
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  • coltnutz
    great advise, roysha, thanks

    quote:Originally posted by roysha
    On mine I have a 6.5x-20x with target knobs, 40mm objective and fine crosshairs. I don't know where you shoot at, but out here in CO, the mirage can get so bad sometimes you just cant't see through it at the higher powers. Lowering the power doesn't make it go away, of course, but does make it a little less apparent, kinda like looking through slightly murky water 1 foot deep and the same water 5 feet deep. I rarely get to use more than 14x-16x. Usually it is 12x or so and I can see prairie dogs as far as I can reasonably expect to hit them. Infact, I have 3 rifles with Leupold 12x scopes and have never felt handicaped in the field with them. Better to have a little less than a little too much power.

    "What you do ultimately means nothing, and you could be replaced tomorrow by the first passing cretin." Corinne Maier
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  • coltnutz
    Twalker, thanks for the great suggestions

    quote:Originally posted by TWalker
    I used my .220 Swift for varmint hunting mostly and sometimes for deer hunting with handloads. I suggest a variable 4.5-14 or a 6.5-20. An adjustable objective is a good idea. I prefer one of the duplex reticles. If I were hunting only varmints the 12x OA would be a good choice, maybe with the Leupold Dot Reticle. Really, there is no "right" choice, get whatever YOU want. Any Leupold is fine as long as you can go up to at least 10 power magnification. I have a fixed 12 with Adj. Objective on my .22-250; that's what was on it when I bought it and it's a great combination.
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  • shooter93
    I tend to shoot lower power scopes but i do a lot off off hand and kneeling shooting. Around here we mostly walk for varmits and shoot from different posistions rarely from a portable bench or prone. The lower powers are easier for me to shoot while standing. My Swift wears a 3.5 to 10 leupold and it works well for me. If i do shoot from a bench or prone it still has enough power for some very long shots. The rest of my varmit shooters wear either 2 to 7 compacts or 3 to 9's. All my larger game guns have 1.5 to 5x Leupolds.
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  • A J Christ
    My 220 Swift wears a 4 X 12 Leupold. I can head shoot crows (4 out of 5 tries) at 250 yards and body shots out to 400 without too many misses. Ruger #1 Heavy barrel.[:D][:D]
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  • juddroy
    I've got a 6-18x40 I just took off my 223 I sold.It has target knobs and a.o. Cant tell it's been on a gun (200 or less rounds) $400.00

    Teach them young ! Teach them often !
    God bless America!
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