22 Hornet and 218 Bee Preferred bullets

[JDinFbg]

I can't find any open threads on this subject, so will start a new one to ask my questions. I've read multiple posts on this other forums where a fair number of folks swear by the Hornady V-MAX bullets in the 22 Hornet and 218 Bee. Some have liked the Sierra Blitz King, but I haven't seen any reference to the Berger 40 gr. varmint bullet. Does anyone have any experience with the Berger bullets in these cartridges? Reviews on merchant sites rate the Berger bullet as producing better group sizes than they got with the Hornady's.

Also, some have mentioned that in the Winchester Model 43 in the 218 Bee (which I have) that the 40 gr. Hornady made the cartridge too long to feed through the magazine. However, none have mentioned whether they were shooting the boat tail or flat base version. Can anyone who has a Model 43 comment on this?

 

[ReloaderFred]

My .218 Bee rifle is a Marlin 1894CL, so I have to use blunt nose bullets, rather than pointed. With that said, I've found that the 40 gr. JHP that Armscor produces for their .22 TCM cartridge has given me excellent results in the little Bee, and if you buy them by the thousand, they're just a little over .06 cents each.

https://www.ammosupplywarehouse.com...page=product_info&cPath=292&products_id=20074

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[jmorris]

For the hornet the 35gn vmax and 13 gn of lilgun will put 5 in 3/8” at 100 and is explosive in terms of expansion.

Other good info here

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=316461

 

[Mark MCMAHON]

You might want to look at the James Cahoon 42 gr. Double hp, along with 13grs. lil'gun, unbelievable accuracy

 

[GooseGestapo]

I also second the Armscor bullets. Shoot real well in my M1894CL. Price can’t be beat. But 45gr Sierra SemiPt over 14.5gr H4198 is MOST accurate.

My Hornet (Ruger M77/22 KBZ -24” Heavy bbl) really likes th3 Sierra 40gr Varminter Ptd Hollow Point.

 

[cfullgraf]

My 21" barrel, 22 Hornet Contender likes the Speer 40 grain Spire point, I assume it is still offered. Good medicine on small critters around the farm.

45 grain bullets are accurate but do not have the velocity to provide explosive action on the target.

I've tried the 35 grain V-Max but forget its performance in my rifle. It has been a while since I shot the rifle, I'd have to look at my notes. But the 40 grain Speer works so well, and I still have a couple boxes, no sense looking for other bullets at the present.

I have no experience with with the 218 Bee. Maybe someday when I'm out of projects.

 

[FROGO207]

I got a couple cases of Speer Hornet specific 40 grain spire point bullets from an estate sale a few years back. The kind that are in the green and black cardboard boxes. I probably will never have to buy another Hornet bullet for the rest of my life. Those under a full case of Lil Gun are my load of choice. Make sure that whatever bullet you choose will work at Hornet velocities though. Some are thicker jacketed and will not expand well at that lower velocity.

 

[WiTom]

I have 2 Model 43 218 Bees and I have loaded assorted different bullets, but my go to bullet, is the Sierra Hornet #1110 45 gr. Softpoint, loaded over 13.5 grains of H4198. A tackdriver to say the least. It was made for the Hornet, but I haven't found another one yet, that matches it, in the Bee. My wife found them on sale once, I think from Grafs, and bought 1000 of them. Have fun loading.

 

[ReloaderFred]

As a side note, I talked to the guys at Starline Brass at the SHOT Show about making .218 Bee brass. Their response was, "it ain't going to happen". I told them I was getting about 10% to 12% failure rate sizing their .32-20 brass first to .25-20, and then to .218 Bee, and they said that was a pretty fair rate. They also said their failure rate would probably be higher than that, which is why they won't make it.

When I told them Hornady was making it, but it was expensive, they said there's would probably be more expensive, so they were going to leave the market to Hornady.

I also talked to the Hornady reps at the SHOT Show about their .218 brass, and mentioned that it was spendy. They said they intend to support the market, and will continue to make it, but due to the failure rate in forming the brass, it wasn't likely the price would come down.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[209jones]

That sounds kinda sad. Just getting back into playing with my Bee, I built it on a Stevens 044-1/2 in 1992. Tried out some Lil Gun for the first time, it impressed me, a lot. It seemed to be building pressure PDQ, I started at 12gr and hit 3250 at 13.0gr., made me wonder, but, no obvious signs other than the velocity. 13.5 cracked 3400, but that was as far as I went. I pushed it a bit further than I should have, 13.3 was where I really should have stopped. No harm done except maybe to 5 pcs of brass that may have expanded pockets. Ran some AA1680 as well, that went well, not near the LilGun for velocities, hit 2800 with the 1680 and no signs. I'll do a retest on the LIlGun @ 12.8- 13.0 and the 1680 to see where the 1680 tops out, didn't load up to within the top end on it. I ran 45gr Sierra hornets and 50gr Nos with a couple of different powders a good while back, they impressed me at 200 yds, they will have to get tested again as well.
The current ones were all shot w/40gr V-max. Just fartin around at the local indoor range, too cold to go outdoors at present, but I do want to get out and see what the 40gr bullets can do for me. I have some Sierras and some Noslers and some Barnes to try yet. Have to keep an eye out for brass I guess.

 

[Ireload2]

The Armscor 40 grain bulletscheaper.to be bullets they manufacture to load in their .22 WMR ammo. I am sure there are lot more .22 WMR shooters than there are .22 TCM shooters. When they are in stock Grafs is a little cheaper for the bulk quantities and Graf shipping is much cheaper.