Henry Rifle Forums

Not very often that you get a chance to get something back that you foolishly sell. Two years ago I got upset with not being able to shoot the larger than rim fires here at home and did the dumb trick of selling what is no doubt the best shooting center fire rifle I have owned. That statement takes in a lot of Sako's and even 40X Remington rifles. So I sold it to a guy that works two jobs 7 days a week. Well he never did have the chance to fire it even one time. He offered it back to me and I jumped at the chance to get it as I have wished every time I go shoot that I still had it. This rifle is a older Savage BVSS-S single shot 220 Swift. I got it back with the same 5-20x50 Japan made Tasco Target scope on it. I also got all my ammo back and the stainless bolt handle that came on it. I put the bigger knob bolt on it after I first bought it. I gave him what he gave me because he never shot it and the prices on these rifles have really went up and there is no 220 Swift made by Savage any more. This has always been a favorite round of mine and I still have plenty of brass and powder and bullets for it. Have to hit the range and check the zero on it and maybe smoke a few ground hogs. This rifle I also used to take some crop damage deer with and it dropped them where they stood at 300+ yds. with a 60gr. Hornady Spire Pt.
Here is this "beast". It is not some thing to carry long distances in the fields.

Here is some pennies I shot at the range with my wife the week before I sold it. 100 yds. with H414 and 52gr. Hornady A-Max velocity is 4019 fps. All were placed with Lincoln's head at the top. The top two were a half bullet off. I may just cry when this barrel needs replaced.

Wow. What a great looking and, in your hands, accurate rifle. The old saying is, "What goes around comes around"... I guess it's true. Nothing but two year's time has been lost. Congratulations.

the pennies are impressive .... very impressive .... I don't think I have a cope capable of helping me see a penny at 100 yards ....

I have that same rifle in a 300 win mag. Very accurate. Nothing wrong with a Savage.
I also have a Ruger no.1 in 220 swift that is deadly accurate. I have a field in front of my house that's 400 yards to the woods and ground hogs don't stand a chance.
Don't sell it again.

Congrats on your second "shot" at this rifle!! Quite a cool story, Bandit.
Just be sure to not let it get away again!

Also have to say that the best-looking wood furniture always seems to show up on your oval table. How do you manage that?!?
Every inch of the wood on this rifle -- color and grain -- is just beautiful!

Congrats for getting it back! I agree about the wood....beautiful!!

That's a great looking stock. Can't believe you let it go the first time around!

Cool shot of the pennies too. I will have to try that. Have a feeling I'll end up with perfectly good pennies with no holes though....

That's very nice shooting. Obviously you were meant to have that rifle. After seeing the pennies, I know why.

Hitman wrote:I have that same rifle in a 300 win mag. Very accurate. Nothing wrong with a Savage.
I also have a Ruger no.1 in 220 swift that is deadly accurate. I have a field in front of my house that's 400 yards to the woods and ground hogs don't stand a chance.
Don't sell it again.

Living in North Carolina that big 300 Mag. must be your "bean field/power line rifle. I always wanted to fire one of these Savages in a big caliber just to see the accuracy. I am surprised there is replies to my thread saying the wood looks nice. Most comments I have ever had about this rifle is it is ugly. But then again the comments came from guys at the range that had rifles there that this Savage would embarrass for accuracy and how steady it lays on sand bags. My wife is thrilled for me to have it back because she knows how much I loved this rifle and she likes shooting pennies with it also. She said it would be nice to get back the other 5 single shot Savages I had and sold. I believe that would require making a loan. Maybe I could borrow enough from her to get them. I had two in 223 and a 22-250 and another Swift and a vintage first year in 222 Remington. They were all single shot solid bottom action rifles and shot like Target rifles. The Swift I sold the guy went to the 300yd. matches the week after he got it with the same load I used for ground hogs and cleaned up winning every match and that included some very good custom built guns and some excellent shooters. I had guys call me to buy the one I just got back after he won all those matches and I said no. I told them I kept the good one.

That rifle looks like it could do some serious shooting.

Sir Henry, glad you got the rifle back home, where it belongs. I was going to post some pictures of my recent range visit. I was proud I actually hit some pie plates. But you ruined my posting those pictures Sir Henry by posting pictures of "pennies" you hit. Thanks, I was really proud of myself until I saw what you can do. Thanks for the humbling pictures!!! lol

That is so cool, bandit. There are about 3 that I would like to see come back, but it will never happen.

Is that a laminate stock? It looks very much like the one on my Marlin XT-22.

BTW, you mentioned replacing the barrel. Can they actually wear out? I have a M-70 that is over 40 years old...........

Henry88 wrote:That is so cool, bandit. There are about 3 that I would like to see come back, but it will never happen.

Is that a laminate stock? It looks very much like the one on my Marlin XT-22.

BTW, you mentioned replacing the barrel. Can they actually wear out? I have a M-70 that is over 40 years old...........

The stock is laminated. Yes the barrels do wear out. It has a lot to do with caliber and velocity. If your Model 70 is a small caliber with high velocity it will wear out like any other barrel. Small calibers with very high velocity tend to be barrel burners along with the bigger cases holding more powder and making a lot more heat especially at the throat than the small cases. 4000 fps heats a barrel pretty quick. It has been said that every hot barrel shot is equal to 20+ cold barrel shots for wear. There is cases where Swifts and 22-250 Remington's have been ruined on one really good prairie dog shoot if not allowed time to cool down. I could load it down to less velocity but that would be like buying a high horse power car and putting a block under the gas peddle so you can't use it. If it is there I want to make use of every bit of it.

Glad you got it back, and as alwYs your perforated penny's are impressive.