218 BEE or 223?

[Groundhogger]

Well, that's not really the question...but I am interested in 218 BEE even though the next (possibly last) rifle on my "want" list is a .223. Have a scope for it, have the rifle picked-out.

But...

218 BEE-anybody here have one/use one, and what gun do you have exactly? I'm only aware of a couple original rifles chambered in the caliber, and perhaps Thompson Encore? Any modern-ish production rifles exist? Was the Ruger #1 ever chambered in this caliber?

I own a 527 in 17 Hornet, found that while searching for the same gun in 22 Hornet, but it's a great caliber and doesn't feel like a compromise. I've pinned big groundhogs out to 200 with this 17.



For those who have shot both, I can only imagine 218 BEE is very much a 22/17 Hornet-like experience?

I do reload, but sometimes think that if I'm getting into an oddball caliber, perhaps it ought to be something like 20-223.

A bit of a rambling post, just wondering if this old school varmint caliber brings anything unique to the table, other than charm.



Thanks for taking a moment to chime in.

[fps plus]

Yes Ruger made a #1 in 218 bee .

[silver]

I have a Cooper in 218 Bee. A very good looking rifle and incredibly accurate.

[elkhunter11]

Another option is the 221FB, and brass is easier to find than for the 218.

[catnthehat]

I owned an Improved Bee for a while on a Stevens 44 action, great little rifle with cast loads, but not the action one would use for top prefermance.
These days I would look at powder per cartridge being on the top of the list.
Cat

[Prophet River]

Originally Posted by fps plus

Yes Ruger made a #1 in 218 bee .

They were made in the 1-S and the 1-B. So, both medium barrels.

[Dean2]

I have owned 3. All shot great but they are very hard to find brass for. Once you have it, the brass lasts forever, and you can make it by necking down 25-20 and 32-20 brass if you have to. It actually makes very good brass and is quite a bit cheaper than Bee brass usually.

You can comfortably get close to 223 performance out of it with 40 grain bullets in a Cooper, Re-Barrelled CZ 527 22 Hornet or Ruger. I just sold the last of my Bee brass, about 600 new Winchester cases and the dies as I sold my last 218 about 6 months ago. Only brass available the last 3 years is Hornady, $75/50.

[catnthehat]

That one 218 of yours was absolutely stunning !
I wanted it bad, but dang it all my practical side prevailed and I let it pass!
Cat

[32-40win]

I have both, kinda partial to the Bee, it does what I need with less powder. I built the Bee on a 044-1/2 action I picked up, at the same time as I built my 32-40, out of an 1885 I had in 22-250. The 223 was an 1885 bought before I picked up the Stevens action, thinking the odds of my getting one were slim.
I shoot gophers with them, so, ranges aren't excessive, less powder is always better, that was the reasoning, as in why use 38gr in a 22-250, or 25gr in a 223, when 14gr will do the job with the same bullet.
I can have 3000+fps out of a 40gr bullet in it very comfortably, and the 223 will drive a 40 to 36+, so they cover a lot of turf, at least as far as I can comfortably shoot gophers, and the odd yote is usually doable.
Bee brass wasn't any harder to come by than anything else up til the last couple of yrs, but, I have enough to wear that barrel out. It also still has factory ammo available, which I have seen on the shelf in the last year.

[Groundhogger]

Thanks for the replies guys-confirms what I think I understood about 218 BEE. Old guns/put one together/order a Cooper, etc.

When I first started looking into this, I found a Ruger #1 right away, but by the time I understood enough about the caliber to make a decision, the gun was gone...and pretty much out of my budget anyway.

Going to start with the .223, likely an end-of-summer purchase.

Thanks again to everyone who chimed-in. The idea of shooting gophers with a #1 would be awfully sweet! Pictures welcome!

[brewster29]

Hey Groundhogger,

A great looking Ruger #1 in 204 Ruger popped up on Gunpost…even more fun than a 223. It’s not in QC either…

[silver]

Originally Posted by Groundhogger

The idea of shooting gophers with a #1 would be awfully sweet! Pictures welcome!

Some thing to consider would be an 1885, it's on my someday list.

[Groundhogger]

Originally Posted by brewster29

Hey Groundhogger,

A great looking Ruger #1 in 204 Ruger popped up on Gunpost…even more fun than a 223. It’s not in QC either…

Thanks Brewster-much appreciated. I have a Tikka Varmint in 204, and groundhogs out to 225-250 are a breeze with it. I've hit them out to 300 too, but the confidence/experience at that distance isn't there yet. lol

Appreciate the input, they're lovely guns.

[Unregistered user]

Reminds me of this.

http://jamescalhoon.com/
Under Informative articles, "To Bee or 223 is that the question?"

[Dean2]

Anyone looking for a Ruger #1 in 218 Bee, there is one on CGN right now. He is asking 3500, which is on the high side but they don't come up very often.