218 bee or Mashburn

[mm1ut1]

Picked up a new/used rifle of unknown caliber. My measurements of the rim, length, and base of the chamber tell me it's a 218 bee or a variation . Below is the best of several attempts to chamber cast. Would you say it's a Mashburn or Bee ? Thanks !

[mm1ut1]

160190Mashburn on right

[richhodg66]

I looked into this once contemplating buying a rifle. Seems like there was more than one version of the Mashburn Bee and also a .218 Bee Improved, so when you buy dies, you're going to need to know the shoulder angle, good thing you did that chamber cast.

Maybe a guy can fire regular .218 loads and fireform the case then just neck size at that point??? With the rimmed case, there would be no headspace problems.

What kind of rifle? The .218 Bee always seemed like an under rated cartridge to me.

[mm1ut1]

I'm thinking the same thing, firing 218 bee cases. Rifle was advertised as a 22 hornet. It's a much modified Stevens with a 44 1/2 action. Got it for less than the action is worth so no regrets buying it. This one may sit a while before I can afford to invest in another set of dies, brass, et cet.

[richhodg66]

Dad was a big single shot collector and thought the 44 1/2 was the end all for single shot rifles. Occasionally you see nice .218 Bees built on Martini cadet actions that I would love to have.

If you can, pleas epost a picture or two of the rifle, sounds like a winner.

[dave524]

I shoot a #1 in .218 Bee, your cast appears to be one of the improved versions with a sharper shoulder than the regular version I have, blown forward as well.

[mm1ut1]

I'm trying to get one case locally to fireform this weekend. 218 bee not exactly the most popular cartridge around here.

[enfield]

I bought a BSA Martini advertised as 22 K hornet but it was obvious that a hornet case was way too small. I necked down a 25-20 and fireformed it. As near as I can tell its a 22 Mashburn Bee ( looks like your chamber cast ). The annealed 25-20 was quite easy to neck down to 22 and then fireform to chamber.

[richhodg66]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=541175450

[rockrat]

I remember Mashburns well. Use to go into the store quite a bit in my younger days

[smokeywolf]

Can you give any info on the rifle?

No point of reference for case or base dia. Throat to case comparison makes it look more like a 219 zipper.

[oldred]

I'm trying to get one case locally to fireform this weekend. 218 bee not exactly the most popular cartridge around here.


Just a couple of weeks ago I was contemplating rechambering a rifle to 218 Bee but I quickly found out that it's easier to find hen's teeth than either loaded rounds or empty brass! I wanted to do this because I had dies, some brass and a few loaded rounds but mostly because I once had one and really liked the cartridge but after finding out just how difficult they are to come by I simply gave up on the idea.


I do however have a few loaded rounds and if you can't find one to fire-form I would be happy to send you one.

[richhodg66]

The .219 Zipper would make ammo a lot easier. I believe it can be made from .25-35 brass with just a push through a full length sizer. That chamber cast looks like it is an improved variant of it though, seems to me like the Zipper's shoulder angle isn't nearly that sharp.

[smokeywolf]

Sorry I missed the description of the action in post #4.

richhodg66, looking at some of my old 219 zipper ammo and you're right. The shoulder on the 219 is a pretty long taper; easily 3 times what I'm seeing on mm1ut1's chamber cast.

[mm1ut1]

Actually found a box of 218 Bee and fired twenty rounds today in the cold and wind. Photo below is a fired case next to the Bee and casting.160669

[richhodg66]

Yep, .218 in some kind of improved variant. Looks like you have a neat rifle.

[chill45100]

Actually found a box of 218 Bee and fired twenty rounds today in the cold and wind. Photo below is a fired case next to the Bee and casting.160669

The fire formed case looks very similar to my Mashburn Bee. Will try to find a case but lost a box of reloading gear in a move.
Chill45100