Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles pros and cons of 22 Hornet versus 218 Bee

Did you notice that the OP stopped posting on this site back in 2008?

probably stroked out when obama was elected

i shoot alot of critters close to my home with a Ruger 77/22 hornet i like that is has less noise than many bigger 22 cartridges and brass cases are easy to buy , but i do wish it was a k-hornet like some of my other k-hornet rifles and i just might rechambered this rifle too.

I have had a 22 Hornet, but now own a 17 AH.........blows the crap out of small critters!!

Of the two the OP asked about I would go 22 Hornet. Easier to find brass. My 77/22 Hornet is just fun and really that’s what it’s about. I have and enjoy the 223 and 22-250 as well, but I enjoy the Hornet for what it is.

GreggH

30/06.

Thank me later.

CouchTater: I have had a LONG and not successful much at all relationship with the 22 Hornet cartridge and MANY Rifles of several brands/models in that caliber.
I have a modicum of experience with the 218 Bee and currently own two of them that both "impress" me accuracy and performance wise.
One is a Ruger #1-B with 26" barrel and the other is a Kimber 82-B.
I will spare you the details but I will strongly recommend the 218 Bee over the 22 Hornet for accuracy, ballistics, ease of reloading and brass life (I have ruined a LOT of Hornet cases over the last 50+ years!).
Best of luck if you decide to go with one or the other.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Never had a 22 Hornet. Have owned three 218 Bees ( Kimber 82, Ruger #1, Marlin 1894). In the end, I sold all of them, and use my 222 Remington ( Sako A1 Varmint, 1 -14" twist) for woodchuck hunting.

Reason? I can easily load my 222 down to 1800-2400 fps levels (22 Hornet /218 Bee equivalents), for close shots, making them (Hornet, Bee) disposable...and they were sold. I also used to own/shoot Marlin bolt action 22 magnum detachable mag rifle for chuck hunting in more settled areas ( wanting less grain vmax. I just came to the realization that I could simplify things just by loading down my 222 Rem for those tighter shots ( 12.5 grains 4227 and a 50 grain bullet for maybe 2400 fps?? no chrono. Quiet and sub moa accurate. Perfect for my needs. Sold the Bees, but thoroughly enjoyed shooting them and admiring the rifles themselves.

I liked shooting the Bee. Due to the sharper shoulder, brass will stretch less than the Hornet. Both give a lot of shooting per pound of powder, and are fun to shoot (quiet, but potent). I wouldn't try to shoot 55 grain bullets in either of them, I'd stick with 40-50 grain bullets (1-14" twist). A 22 K- Hornet is in the same group, and would have longer case life due to its sharp shoulder (less brass lengthening on shooting, requiring less case trimming).

Since you are a lefty, and considering a T/C custom platform, you may want to include the 32 H&R mag or 357 mag as options. You can load these down to super quiet loads ; 32 or 38 special wadcutters), and have a blast plinking. Low cost brass, and enough power for charging garden chucks and bigger stuff ( up to deer at woods ranges with the 357 mag). It would be a great squirrel gun too with wadcutters (32 or 38 spcl). Just another thought to consider. It would be a versatile, fun, effective and low-cost platform.

thank you for answering the op ? , don't you love it when everyone goes off the road about other.

Yeah, between a 22 hornet or 218 bee and all one guy can say is get a 223. Why not a 22-250? That would be my choice... I've kicked around the idea of a 22 Hornet only because I have several hundred pieces of brass and the dies. Would end up shooting cast in it.

So typical of the 24hourcampfire crew. Whatever you do, don’t read anything else and keep on pushing your idea anyway.

If the OP were to tune back in, he would be best suited to get the Hornet for various reasons. The Hornet is easier to get brass for and it has a long neck that will allow modern polymer tipped bullets to be seated and still shoot in older rifles.

The short neck on the Bee, won’t allow you to seat a VMax bullet in the case and still have that cartridge fit into the older gun magazines that were designed for the stubby round nosed bullets of that era.

i dearly love the hornet its cheap to load and i concider it a 150 yd gun just like the bee in just about every respect the bee is better little more vol stronger brass ect but the hornet just fits the 150 yd small game so well i actually never really shoot the 218 much i always reach for the hornet