Browning 65 218 Bee questions

[leverlooney]

I just picked up a Browning 65 in 218 Bee. I am looking for some loads and bullet suppliers.
I also want to put a reciever sight on it. Does it take the Lyman 66a or the 66ae(angle eject)?
Thanks

[1886]

Great rifle. You are one fortunate dude. Sorry, no experience with the .218 but very good find. Top eject, no faithful J.M. Browning repro. is an A.E. 1886.

[Sixgun]

Yours is a top eject so you need the standard 66. As for loads, I use the Hornady 46 gr. "Bee" bullet in front of a near max load of IMR 4227. Shoots into an inch or a bit more at 100. Below is my Marlin 218 Bee, warmly known as my "Cat Rifle"--------------------Sixgun

[John in MS]

I'm curious to ask about bullet performance of the Hornady "Bee" 46 gr. HP -- how does it do on groundhog-size or larger critters? Does it seem to expand ok?

Thanks,
John

[Tycer]

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/ammuniti ... index.html

[leverlooney]

Does anyone shoot cast bullets? I can't seem to find anybody that sells them.

[Tycer]

Does anyone shoot cast bullets? I can't seem to find anybody that sells them.

PM Yance, he might cast and sell ya some.

Ever try casting a 22?

[Sixgun]

I'm curious to ask about bullet performance of the Hornady "Bee" 46 gr. HP -- how does it do on groundhog-size or larger critters? Does it seem to expand ok?

Thanks,
John

John,
I have had excellent performance with the Hornady 46 gr. "Bee" bullet. I must have killed a dozen nasty foxes with it out back and they always "go right down", many times with no movement. It blows crows apart.

Never did shoot a ground hog with 'em. As long as the hogs don't dig holes where the horses are, I leave 'em alone. The only reason I shoot foxes is because we have too many of them and they get this nasty "mange". It has cost me a small fortune over the years because somehow they give it to my dogs.
Below are a couple of pics of foxes I killed with the Bee bullet. One of them is full of mange--nasty---Sixgun

,

[John in MS]

Sixgun, thanks for the good info! Nice rifle you have there!

John

[mod71alaska]

I'm a real fan of the .218 Bee and the Browning lever action rifles chambered for it. I own 3 Brownings in .218 Bee. I'm keeping 2 of them (a Custom Browning Model 53 http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=30167 and a Browning Model 65) and selling a NIB Browning 65 .218 Bee listed right now in the Forum classifieds section. http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =2&t=30150 .

I think the Browning lever actions are the best Winchesters since Winchester!

[TedH]

I'm curious to ask about bullet performance of the Hornady "Bee" 46 gr. HP -- how does it do on groundhog-size or larger critters? Does it seem to expand ok?

Thanks,
John

I shot the Hornady and the Speer Bee bullets into some water filled gallon milk jugs. The Hornady bullet pretty much turned into a grenade! Mucho expansion and small fragments. The Speer bullet seems to be a little tougher. It expanded to a greater diameter and had higher retained weight. I also have started casting for my Bee, but have yet to shoot any of those bullets into jugs or other test media. They have shown potential for good accuracy at 50 yards so far.