.218 Bee?

[Combat Diver]

I've been offered in trade a Winchester 43 rifle in .218 Bee. Was looking for another Marlin 783 in .22 WMR but I could down load the Bee up or down for small game. Anyone with experience on either rifle or cartridge. I do know the Bee's case can be necked down from .25/ .32 WCF (25-20/.32-20). Uses .224" bullets. Not looking for a high volume shooter (have my ARs for that) but as a walk about small/medium game gun (up to coyote). Anyone have a cast bullet load with or without a gas check.

CD

[Rockingkj]

I have not owned a .218 Bee but did a .22 WMR. I limited the shooting of the .22 mag due to ammo cost (and that was years ago before ammo nuts prices) personally I would jump on the Winchester like a coon on a June bug. Reloading will make ongoing shooting quite reasonable. Just one guy’s opinion .

[TD1886]

I think your AR15 in 5.56/223 fills the role exactly. Why not just stick with it? You can load the 223 down to ya know?

[david s]

I'm a fan. The brass as well as 25-20 or 32-20 has been hard to find lately but the little flat nose 45 grain slugs as well as the 45 grain Hornet bullets have been available recently as has AA 1680 powder.
https://i.postimg.cc/tCvkfdHb/IMG-2105.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Texas by God]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230607/a9a92b4a2e19b013181ae967c169d296.jpg
I have Bee experience from decades ago using my late father’s Marlin1894CL with jacketed loads.
I made my own .218 Bee by combining a H&R Topper 20 gauge shotgun with a Tikka .224” barrel(as a liner).
I’m learning cast with it by using the Lee Bator 55 gr.
The Bee is a good cartridge. I had a Winchester 43 .218 Bee long ago. Using the flat nose Speer 45 gr bullets, it (and the Marlin) handled 200 yard prairie dogs easily.
The scarceness of brass is a real thing.
Luckily my sister inherited several boxes of Winchester ammo with the Marlin.
I have 200 rounds of brass that I keep an eye on for my Bee…..The Hairy Eye…


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[Bad Ass Wallace]

I have a 218 Mashburn Bee that is perfect for small game. My 'go-to' projectile is the jacketted 45gn Sierra 'SMP'.

[elk hunter]

I have two mdl 43's. One is 22 Hornet the other is 218 Bee. The Hornet is very accurate with the correct load. I haven't any notes on the Bee except that I last loaded for it in 06. I used Win 680 and 4227 under Nosler 45 grain bullets. I do remember shooting digger squirrels with it and it worked well when I did my part. I used the Hornet loaded with Unique and some CCI 22 Mag solid bullets for hunting grey squirrels. The Hornet would shoot bug hole five shot groups at 25 yards. Being very small cases the Hornet and the Bee are sensitive to very minor changes in powder type and weight and primer brand. My Hornet prefers Federal SR over anything else. I have shot a very few cast bullets in the Hornet but again I don't seem to have any notes about performance. If you get the Bee and decide you don't like it I can't imagine that if you put it up for sale, at a fair price, that it would last a day.

[Combat Diver]

Will be reloading for it. Thanks for the thoughts.

[cwlongshot]

Love my Win 43 in BEE!! Its a awesome walkkng rifle that can flatten evennour 80# coyotes easily.

It shoots cast well enough I have t loaded "down" to 22 mag.. I have 22 Mag to do that!!

CW

[stubshaft]

Years ago I built a 218 Mashburn Bee out of a Martini Cadet rifle. A couple of grains of 2400 behind a 225415 and you have a winner!

[Mk42gunner]

Never had a .218 Bee, but I did have a Winchester Model 43 in .22 Hornet. About the only bad thing I can say is the magazine on mine was finicky to get latched right if you tried to top off the mag after loading the first round.

May have been the magazine, not sure it was a lot of years ago.

I do know I like that size rifle for the smaller rounds. It makes no sense to me to have a tiny cartridge in a rifle that can handle a .375 H&H.

Robert

[Jeff Michel]

IMR4227 is excellent in the Bee, keep your brass trimmed I have two (43 and a 1894CL) and they both stretch brass. 45 grain Speer soft point. Nothing is safe within 200yards.

[Texas by God]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230609/e79426a6358227f341b248adc7a9e4fc.jpg
I shot a five shot group at 40 yards, then moved the scope left and shot three more.
The “shotgun” trigger on the Topper demands concentration for sure.
I’m hoping to work up to 2000 fps (not with Unique) with the cast 55 gr Lee. It has a good meplat so should have a good slap on small game up to turkeys.
My current jacketed load is the Hornady 35 gr Vmax over H110 at 2900 fps estimated.


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[almar]

I have the 22 hornet in that rifle and its great. I think the bee would be better. Dont miss out.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Today I scored a bargin from a deceased estate sale: a packet of 50 Hornady 218Bee brass. Will save having to use my dwindling stash of 32/20 brass.

https://i.imgur.com/6AFUHJMl.jpg

[Jedman]

About 15 years ago I stopped at a garage sale, the woman there had a big bag of 218 Bee brass from her late husband’s stash. I asked her if the rifle was for sale and she said no and at the time components weren’t that hard to find so I didn’t buy them. They were new un fired and there must have been several hundred at least for $ 10. I mentally kick myself every time I think of not buying them.
Jedman

[Texas by God]

I don’t even own a 25-20 or a 32-20; but if I see brass for either I will buy it.
Just for future considerations. And to serve as Wampum…..


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[quack1]

I shoot cast out of my Winchester 43 Bee. Lyman 225438 over 9.3gr/4227, small pistol primer, around 1900fps. I hollow point them on a lathe to hunt ground hogs. I also load the old style Lee Bator that I reamed out the gas check shank to make them plain based. 5.5gr/2400, small pistol primer, around 1475fps or 3.5gr/AA#2, small pistol primer, around 1450fps
Fun cartridge and very accurate.

[Rapier]

Do not own a Win in 218, but do own a #1 in 218. It is quite a cartridge in the 200 yard category, relatively quiet and can be very accurate. I use 4227 with mostly the 35gr spire point Bergers. At 3,400 fps you do not need to worry about glancing bullets or effect on the target, the 35s detonates on the skin of a soda can, but inside the can, when filled with water. Of course the grandkids love to shoot it, they will keep you broke.