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February 6, 2010
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Is anyone here using cast bullets for the 218 bee? if so has anyone found much load data for cast?
Steve
January 20, 2023
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Steve, I have never owned a Bee but do own a Model 92 rifle chambered in 25/20. I’ve reloaded for it with cast lead in the past. As long as I’ve stayed below about 1500 fs – easy to do with 86 grain bullets, leading has not been a problem.
Because the Bee is just a necked down 25/20, I would suppose the same pistol powders – Unique worked for me– would serve.
However, if you were looking for Hornet or better velocities, I think leading would be an insurmountable problem, even with copper gas checks.
I would consult an older Speer manual to see if it doesn’t have a low velocity load for the Bee with lead. I’ll look myself.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
April 15, 2005
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The 218 Bee is not a cartridge that is amenable to cast lead bullets. When it was created in 1936, it was specifically designed to be a high velocity “varmint” cartridge and loaded with jacketed bullets. My recommendation is to purchase a batch of Hornady 40 or 45 grain V-Max bullets and a 1-lb bottle of Hodgdon Lil Gun powder.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 20, 2023
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Agreed but I think perhaps Steve was looking for a “turkey load” as opposed to a “turkey soup load” – for which nothing would beat the V-Max.
Because centerfire rifles are legal in Texas (and I think in Washington, unless its beyond-description government has since banned it), we’ve been able to throttle back the Hornet to cast lead velocities using medium low burn pistol powders like Unique and a slightly heavier than ordinary weight bullet.
I can’t imagine that couldn’t be replicated in the slightly bigger case of the Bee.
The slowest recipe I could find for the Bee is in Speer’s #13 but I don’t have any of the Lyman cast lead volumes. 
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
February 6, 2010
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My reasoning for the 65gr cast question is that I have the 65 gr lyman 527420 mold that I cast with for my 25-20. Was just looking for a cheaper way to punch holes in paper than using the 65 gr speer jacketed projectiles.
Now if that is not safe then I will forget that idea. If the loads are too powerful for cast then I will just have to live with that and just use the store bought jacketed projectiles.
Steve
April 15, 2005
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Zebulon said
Agreed but I think perhaps Steve was looking for a “turkey load” as opposed to a “turkey soup load” – for which nothing would beat the V-Max.
Because centerfire rifles are legal in Texas (and I think in Washington, unless its beyond-description government has since banned it), we’ve been able to throttle back the Hornet to cast lead velocities using medium low burn pistol powders like Unique and a slightly heavier than ordinary weight bullet.
I can’t imagine that couldn’t be replicated in the slightly bigger case of the Bee.
The slowest recipe I could find for the Bee is in Speer’s #13 but I don’t have any of the Lyman cast lead volumes.
The preferred method of dispatching Turkeys with either the 22 Hornet or 218 Bee is to shoot them in the head (decapitation). My 22 Hornets are capable of shooting the head off of a Turkey out to 100-yds. My preferred bullet/load choice is the 35-grain V-Max with 12-grains of Lil Gun powder. It chronographs @3,250 fps.
I will look through my old reloading manuals to see if any light 218 Bee loads are listed.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
February 6, 2010
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I need to correct a statement I have made in my previous post. I got that 527420 mold confused with my 25-20. There is no way that projectile would fit in the 218 bee. Sorry for that confusion. I do have some load data in the lyman book for the 46 gr flat nose jacketed projectile from speer.
I may just have to live with store bought projectiles but if there is a cast projectile that works I would sure try.
I know in my original post I stated 65 gr but I really meant to say 46gr. Today is just not my day.
Steve
