Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Ruger 218: Rebarrel or rechamber?

Any thoughts from those in the know on the smarter way to play a new chambering. Not sure if the factory chambered barrel has signfcant value in original form or not.

What's wrong with the .218? Hornady has solved the brass and ammo issue and new powders have given it a little boost as well I believe.

Doubt if you could sell the barrel for enough to offset the price of a new one and the slow twist makes it unsuitable in my view for rechambering to anything that will perform much better.

Consider keeping it as is, selling it whole and using the money for something new, or just biting the bullet on a rebarrel job.

Another option is a bargain gun like a Howa from Whittaker, or a RAR-like product. Either would be cheaper than rebarreling and you get to keep the .218.

Klikatarik: I am one of the few folks who actually owns a Ruger #1-B in caliber 218 Bee (they are somewhat rare!). I bought mine new in the box and mounted a Leupold 6x18 variable scope on it.
It is one of the "sweetest" Rifles I own.
Accuracy is pretty good (better than its twin that I own in caliber 22 Hornet - again with a Leupold 6x18 on it) and it is an absolute joy to shoot Prairie Dogs and Ground Squirrels with.
I like the fact it has a 26" barrel and yet it is still pretty handy.
I have never "re-barreled" or "rechambered" any of the many Ruger #1's I own and have owned.
I imagine it would be "expensive" to re-chamber in another 22 caliber round due to the possibility of extractor modifications being needed.
I say give the 218 Bee a chance at the range and afield - I think you may very well be impressed.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I agree you should give the rifle a good chance before altering it.

That said, I have two Ruger 1S (ie. Alex Henry fore-end) that are as accurate as any other smallbore rifle I have, and more accurate than quite few. I also had a later, third one with a black pad that I decided to have rechambered to my all time favorite cartridge, 222 Rem. I added figured 50th Anniversary wood and a recontoured Moyers SS trigger and it's a very nice rifle; not too bad a shooter either!

The 218 Bee can be rechambered to 221FB or 222 Rem very easily. The Ruer 218 Bees have a 1:14 twist, so there are probably a few other 22 centerfires that would work, but most/all of those have already been chambered by the factory, so why bother?

As with many whims, and it is a whim, there isn’t a lot of logic to it. My 218 started out as a donor for rechambering to 225 Winchester. And then they quit makng them and they got scarce. Next thing I knew I had a 3rd #1, a 4th, then a Hornet (which shoots even better than the 218), etc. And this #1 needs some attention anyway with the poorest trigger out of several I look after. So why not make it become what I originally intended? (I did try to acquire an even better 12 twist 223 donor a few years ago but came up short.) Then, a year ago, kids got into the garage while our tenants, without warning, left the place unattended...... and several hundred 218 cases went missing. (Why???)

Or perhaps I should let reason and good sense have their way and just sell the few hundred rounds of 225 that I stashed years ago??? (But who does that?)

I've owned a 1S in 218 Bee. I shot pretty good just was too big and heavy for the cartridge. I much prefer my 1A in 222 Remington.

I also own a 1B in .225 Winchester . Began live as a 223. It shoots very well.

One of these days I'm going to change the forend to a 1A and cut 2 or 3 inches off the barrel.

To further enable your project I have a 225 reamer , you could use.

F

I think both the Hornet and the Bee would have been quite a bit friendlier and more popular in an “A” version. A 225 with the 12 twist if the 223 seems like the better way, that or a new barrel with an even quicker twist. But I envision the rifle, if it ever gets off the ground, as more of a paper/puncher than a hunting rifle, so I don’t really care about lobbing lengthy projectiles.

As always, do whatever winds your clock. I'd not rechamber if the .218 doesn't shoot real well though, maybe rebore.

I kinda like idea of the small 6s (PPC, 6x45, 6mm-.204, etc) for paper punchers with the good bullets available, long barrel life, etc.

Keep us posted.

I'm rather fond of the cartridges based on the 32-20 so I'd leave it alone and work with it til I got it to shoot to my satisfaction, which it could already do. That and I am loathe to alter any rifle that might be scarce or even just uncommon....or old and original. With the #1 if a fella looks long enough there's usually one out there chambered in a cartridge he can have an affair with.

sell the 218 bee no. 1 probably get a good price for this rifle, then just buy the cartridge no. 1 you want cost you a lot less. but personally I would just keep the 218 bee and buy another rifle in the caliber you want. Pete53

I have a #1B in .218 Bee. It shoots very well with both 40 and 50gr bullets, though I wish the throat was shorter. It also came with ridiculously good flame burled wood, which of course is essential

Lil'Gun powder works well with 40's, and 1680 is good with the 50's.

As others mentioned, Hornady made a run of Bee brass last year, which greatly helped the availability issue.

Klik,

My 1st thought when you mentioned your dilemma in you post on the subject, was exactly what you were thinking. I purchased a Win 1885 Hi-Wall and did exactly that. I also have a 1-B in .218 Bee. Mine got circumcised to 23 5/8" before I ever fired it. And I like it much better. I have no worries about the loss of velocity. If fact, I doubt if there is any appreciable loss. Since I have other rifles in most common 22 cal chamberings, If I need more velocity, I can find it.

GH

Your No.1 Bee sounds like mine. Great wood and long throat. From the end of the brass to the rifling origin is .168". I have a pile of 45gr. Hornady and Sierra semi spitzer Hornet bullets that don't shoot worth beans in that rifle. They just can't make the jump and group well. But with Hornady or Sierra 50gr. spitzers it shoots tiny groups.

I have a 1B in .218B Now if only we could get Starline to make brass for it. Its a fun little cartridge

ML

Hornady makes 218B brass these days.