Favorite Firearms: The Big, Heavy Gun That Shoots Little-Bitty Bullets Really, Really Fast

by
posted on February 17, 2024
Ruger Model 77 in .220 Swift right-side view wood stock bolt-action rifle with sling on white background

For more than 150 years, my family and my ancestors have been fighting a war with coyotes that kill our sheep and calves. We’ve used everything available: traps, poison, rifles and even airplanes. The rifles have been ever-present, and many types have been employed.

In 1975, my dad ordered a Ruger Model 77 in .220 Swift with a bull barrel to replace the Remington Model 700 in .30-’06 Sprg. that he had been using. He never liked the Ruger for shooting coyotes; at 46" long and 10 lbs., 8 ozs., it was too big to be easily gotten out of the cab of a pickup and too heavy to be easily shot offhand. Still, he loved “the big, heavy gun that shoots little-bitty bullets really, really fast.”

We ranch in open country, so almost all shots are more than 100 yards. We carried our rifles on our horses, pickups and now ATVs, and we shoot coyotes when the opportunities present themselves in the course of our work. The .220 Swift shoots very flat out to 300 yards, and with a muzzle velocity of more than 4,000 f.p.s., it gets there very quickly with a hell of a punch. Sighted in at 200 yards, and coupled with the extreme speed, it allows me to make snap shots without having to do any doping on drop or much lead on a running coyote. Put the crosshairs on the coyote and I have a good chance of killing it.

I’ve lost count of how many varmints the Ruger has taken over the years, and there have been many occasions when I killed a coyote in the act of killing one of our sheep. That is why our sheep and I love that gun. Dad passed away last winter, but I’ll keep carrying his .220 Swift, and it will be taking varmints for many years to come.

—Mike Robie

Latest

Gotw Eaa Witness2311 Brat Web
Gotw Eaa Witness2311 Brat Web

Gun Of The Week: EAA Witness2311 Brat

Built on M1911 principles and imported by European American Armory Corp., the EAA Girsan Witnesss2311 Brat is a unique take on the double-stack, 2011-style pistol.

The Armed Citizen® March 28, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

John C. Garand: His Compensation & Other Accomplishments

Much gratitude has been, and is given, to the man who created the M1 Garand. But folklore suggests John C. Garand did all the work for free. Let us dispel that notion.

John Rigby & Co. Celebrates 250th Anniversary

John Rigby—born in 1758—founded his famed gunmaking firm, John Rigby & Co., in 1775, and year 2025 marks the company's semiquincentennial celebration.

I Have This Old Gun: Model 1903A3 Springfield

While the U.S. Army's Model 1903 Springfield rifle is one of the most well-recognized small arms of the 20th century, a lesser-known variant, the Model 1903A3, served as an important stopgap rifle in the early years of World War II.

New For 2025: Stoeger M3000 & M3020 Turkey Edition Shotguns

New for 2025, Stoeger Industries is offering a dedicated turkey hunting version of its 12-ga. M3000 and 20-ga. M3020.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.