Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters .218 Mashburn Bee (or standard Bee)

Has anyone here had experience with the .218 Mashburn Bee?

What do you think of it?



Has anyone had good luck with just the standard .218 Bee?

Thanks for any input!

I haven't had any experience with the Mashburn .218 but I have used the standard .218 for 30 years. The first rifle was a Winchester Model 43 so the loads were kept inline with the loading manuals. I really enjoyed using it on P-dogs in New Mexico and on Turkeys and P-dogs in Arizona. It would hold groups in 1" - 1 1/2" at 100 yds.
My son wanted the rifle so it is now his.

My current .218 is a Ruger 1B that gives me 3,000+ fps with no signs of over pressure with a 45 grain bullet and 3100+ fps with 40 grain bullets. Either bullet will give print 1/2" groups at 100 yds. Either load really takes care of P-dogs and ground squirrels here in Montana. I really like the cartridge and I wish more shooters used it, they would be surprised at what it can do.

My brother made a Mashburn Bee on a Martini Cadet action. A stainless half-octagon barrel with a peep sight and globe front sight. A darlin' little thing, she is!

I've owned 3 rifles chambered in 218 Bee, a Marlin 62, a Marlin 1894CL, and a Winchester 43. All were fun to shoot little walking varmint and turkey rifles, but you'll want to reload, as the factory ammo is expensive.

Jeff

I have a Cooper Classic in .218 Mashburn Bee and just today received the die set from Redding after a 5 month backorder. I've fireformed a few cases and it's a neat little bugger. I have a Handloader article on the Mashburn Bee if you're interested...PM me your address and I'll mail you a copy.

I have a standard Bee in a Contender pistol barrel. My original thought was to be able to match Hornet rifle performance in a pistol. The Bee does precisely that for me - and it does it using slightly heavier 50-gr bullets.

Fun, effective, efficient and just enough of that "the only kid on my block" coolness to bring smiles.

I love 1680 in the Mashburn. 16.5 to 17grs. with a 50gr bullet.

Thanks everyone. From your comments its evident you'all are fond of your 'Bee's."

That in itself is high praise.

Stu..,

I have a 1894 Marlin in standard Bee and use the exact same load in it as my .22 Hornet - 35VMax. 12.5gr H110, small pistol primers.

Both guns shoot around an inch, sometimes less, suposedly at around 3100fps. Never put either on a chrony but, who cares? Both are fun, accurate enuff, nearly identical in performance and seem to be close to .222 performace in the field. Life is good. Party on.

Oh yeah. In the Marlin I only put one round in the mag and another in the chamber making it a two shot. Don't know if those pointy plastic tips will chain fire or not - don't want to find out.

O