Any info on the scope mounts on the Mashburn Bee would be greatly appreciated mate. Looking for something like that for one of my Martini's.

Mate,
This rifle was built by the late Jack Black and the mounts are his own design 'Figure 8' basically some 8mm plate with two holes drilled in them. The bottom holes are solid and sweated to the barrel, the top holes are split and drilled and tapped for thew usual screws.
After the mounts are contoured to reduce weight. In all the years I've had this outfit that little Pecar scope has never needed re-sighting in or adjustment.

But they only have one barrel?

I love these old rifles . They help explain how the British were able to rule much of the world when they had the 577/450 rifle. They are fun to shoot in the original calibre and make up into great 45/70s. I remember when they sold for about $15 each. Now you can expect to pay $300 or more, if you can find them. But that is in Canadian dollars so it's still pretty cheap.

I've always had a yearning for a Martini in 218 Bee - I reckon it'd make a really sweet, light rifle... my understanding, though, is that by teh time you get the gunsmithing done, it's not viable?

Worth every cent!

Thanks Trev, you've convinced me... that's all the support I needed

I don't know if it will do anything that a 223 or 22mag won't do, but it seems to fit rather nicely in between, and the 223 is a bit heavy on foxes and hares.

With modern Win .218 brass bases are a little undersize.A mate had to get a custom reamer to help with brass life.
The bases were getting overworked with older size reamers.
HTH

They turn into a very nice hornet, too. As with any hornet, get a " minium " chamber cut for best accuracy and case life.