useing 218 BEE Info about this cal
I use the hornady 45g bullet for the 218 in my hornet and was interested in the 218 round itself ???

The Bee is a great little round, far outshines the Hornet IMO. I have a Ruger #1 chambered in this round, a great combo. My load is 40gr Hornaday VMax over 13.3grs Hogdon H110. MV is right @ 3100 fps, it's accurate and deadly out to 200yds and more on occasion. I had a couple of Hornets but the Bee stung me and I've been real happy with it ever since.

steve i just got one a few months ago an instantly fell in love with this caliberi was always a hornet fan , an this is just enough more i ,,really like it , i also use the same bullet works for me

who makes rifles in this cal never seen one on this side of the pond!

I recently bought a Marlin 1894 CL in .218 Bee lovely little rifle.

I loaded up some speer 46 gn fn over some 2400 but now my local shop tells me his supplier is not stocking that bullet any more.... So i my try thr 35 gn V-max he always has in stock.... two shot of course....

Only just started with this rifle groups so far are crow killers at 200 yards..... Im sure a bolt action .222 would be more accurate but not as much fun !

Englander

ENGLANDER
Hornady do the proper 45g bullet for the bee,i use it in my honet.Is that the underlever marlin???

hey englander , where did u find the marlin in 218 bee lucky find for sure!!!!! if i may ask what did u pay for it ? an if u ever want to sell it????let me know

Steve Jones,

Speer is apparently the only company today making a flat nosed .22 cal bullet and from what I understand it's a 46 grainer. Although a 2.18 can use spitzer bullets, you have to use flat noses in the tubular magazines of lever actions.

As for the Marlin, the modle 184 is a shorter lever action which was predominantly chambered for handgun round like .45LC.

PS: Englander, if you like the .218 bee, you'd really get a kick out of a .219 Zipper (it's a 25/35 or 30/30win necked to .22 cal.

[ 08-01-2003, 05:04: Message edited by: Curtis_Lemay ]

Went through a "gotta have one" phase years ago. Found a Model 43 in .218 Bee. Thought it would be just right for predator calling (I can always come up with a justification).

Marginal accuracy in that rifle trying multiple reload combinations. The problem was the rifle I believe. Quickly replaced it with a Sako .222 which I still have.

I'm one of the Contender nuts and my Bee barrel is a 20" Bullberry. My load is Winchester cases, CCI small pistol primers, Hornady 40 gr. VMAX and 14 gr. L'ilGun. I've already made up my mind that if I ever have to reduce the number of barrels I have this will be one I keep.

I have a C.Z. in hornet and a .218 bee on the Marlin 1894 lever action. The hornet is great for bullets up to 40 grains. My favorite is the V-Max 40 grainer. The C.Z. shoots these at 3,000 fps. into 1/2" groups with almost boring regularity. I am still working on a load for the bee. I am using the Hornady 45 gr. bee bullet with 14.5 gr. of imr 4198. Pressure is good but it has just been too hot to shoot for accuracy. One problem I have encountered is seating flat base bullets in the hornet and bee. The bullet has a tendency to tip and crumple the case. I am now using a Lyman "M" die to open the case mouth .001 over bullet dia. for about .06". This lets the bullet start absolutely straight and eliminates damaged cases. I have seen some folks pushing the bee to 3,000 fps and higher. This is fine in something like a Ruger #1 but I must hold to the published data for the old Winchester lever guns for my Marlin. I can get factory ballistics or a little better. For a little lever carbine that is just fine.

I am going to try the Honady 45 grain Bee bullet in the 22CCM. Neat lookin little bullet but not sure that it will expand at the CCM's velocity.

My next rifle will be a CZ527 in .22Hornet. As mentioned earlier they are very accurate little beggars. I think this is the rifle formerly marketed as Brno. They have a terrific reputation for dependability as well as accuracy. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Hello from Scotland~

My Marlin 1894 CL is the only .218 Bee ive ever seen here in the UK there must be more ?

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid69/p30035b6657de59882ccba2c438f688f5/fbb125ba.jpg

Steve as you can see yes it is a lever action, i dont know about others but im finding the trigger on this rifle a real challenge ! Why the heck did Marlin let such a nice rifle leave there factory with such a heavy trigger pull ?

Im getting groups at 200 yards that will do crows "BUT" im getting flyers to the right which im putting down to the heavy trigger.

I will have to get the trigger lightened and find a new bullet, a buddy of mine had good results with 55 gn lyman FNGC at 2200 f.p.s

We cant buy expanding bullet heads mail order and are restricted on amount we are allowed to buy and keep at one time. My local shop does have 35 gn V-max and ive heard good things of them in the Bee but as of yet ive not tried them.

Cant wait to try this rifle on fox once ive sorted out a good load and bullet.

Englander

My model 43 Winchester loves 13 grains of IMR 4227 with the 45 grain Remington RNHP bullet with Federal small rifle primers. Superior accuracy with this load and the chucks drop as if struck by lighting. The 218 Bee is and has been one of my favorite cartridges for years. Should you want to build a custom rifle chambered for the 218 Bee it is certain to be a fine grouping rifle. Inexpensive to shoot, even at todays prices, with a mild report low recoil make the Bee ideal for ranges out to 200 yards. The 218 Bee and the Remington 221 fireball are two great shooting cartridges with no down sides to there performance.

Steve, I also have a Winchester model 43 in .218 Bee. It is a great round and my favorite 22 centerfire. I use 10.5 grains of Lil'gun witha 45 gr hornet bullet and small rifle primers. The small rifle primers seem to shrink groups for some reason, just on their own (okay with powder).