218 bee

Klenchblaize

Well-Known Member
Anyone shooting this cool looking wee cartridge?

This is all I know about it:

"The .218 Bee was introdused by Winchester in 1938. The 218 Bee has a larger case and somewhat greater powder capacity then the 22 Hornet. It provides higher velocity and a greater effective range than the 22 Hornet, and in a good single shot or bolt action rifle, its just as accurate. It is one of the most economical small game or varmint cartridges available. On small varmints it can be counted on out to 200 yards, but on coyote, bobcat or the like, it cannot be depended on for one shot kills farther then 150 yards. On rabbits or other edible game it is necessary to use full metal jacketed bullets or reduced loads, otherwise it ruins much of the meat."

K
 
how about the .17 or .20 "ackley-ed" "Killer Bee" versions!?!?

now that sounds fun
.20gr .17 at 4100fps
32gr .20 at 3800fps...
 
Indeed. I was all but certain there would be one or two naysayers along to put us straight in how impossible it is to get rimmed cartridges to deliver benchrest accuracy etc.

K
 
Had one of these about 10 years ago , it was a lever action but would still do 1" @100yards with the right load, loved it and could carry it all day ,:)used it for hares and foxes .
 
I've had a pair of Bee's in the past !

One was a Marlin 1894CL that did okay with little 50 grain cast bullets . Managed to pot a squirrels with the thing .

The other I had was a rebarreled single shot . Seems to me the gun was a Stevens 44 . Didn't fool with that one to much .

I have had thoughts about a Ruger #1B in the cartridge but I've not found a nice one at a reasonable price .

It's true you can get a more velocity from it then you can from a Hornet , but for the practical standpoint there isn't much difference in my opinion .
 
K

My father used to have a 218 Mashburn Bee, basically an improved 218 Bee. It was built on a recycled Centre Ten single shot target action, and used to compete pretty well with my 221 Fireball. It was used as fox round and he never had any problem shooting bullets in 40g or 45g, no long stuff.
Think I've even got Redding dies here if you fancy a play......:)
 
I have one and have had several others in the past. It's a great cartridge when not loaded to lever action standards with flat nosed bullets. My current rifle is a Benny rifle, single shot bolt gun. It was made / completed October 19th, 1941 and sports the original 3X scope. Even with that low powered bit of glass it will shoot half inch at 100M with Sierra 40 grain HP's. I love the rifle (it is truly one of a kind) and I have a great appreciation for the cartridge.~Muir
 
I know somebody who had, or maybe still does have a rem jet, don't think he ever got it accurate enough to use in the field.

Neil. :)
 
I was going to have a contender done in 17 killer bee until I stumbled across a lovely sako A1 in 17 Rem that was too hard to resist.
 
I was going to have a contender done in 17 killer bee until I stumbled across a lovely sako A1 in 17 Rem that was too hard to resist.

We had a very nice old Sako HB in 222 REM at the shop about a month ago I wish I had bought . It was what is referred to over here as a Pre Garcia , meaning before Garcia was importing the Sako brand which put the gun back about 1964 or so .
 
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