RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
The advantage of the 218 Bee is that the original extractor works just fine, for 357 it has to be widened. Plus the shorter Bee turns down into the chamber easier than the Hornet.
Martini Cadet .357 Magnum
- Thread starter richhodg66
- Start date
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I think the Bee just looks better than the Hornet. In real world terms I suppose the Bee can get a little more speed, but a K Hornet fixes that. Kind of a toss up I suppose. I can see how not having to mess with the extractor is a plus for sure!
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
With modern powders, i.e. Lil Gun, the Bee is 250 f/s faster than the K-hornet at the same pressure. Like race cars, you can't beat cubic inches, case volume.
richhodg66
Well-Known Member
Discussing power level comparisons between the Hornet and Bee is like discussing who'd win a drag race in a Chevette or an Escort. The beauty of the Hornet isn't how powerful it can be but how well in downloads, only reason I bought one was frustration at not being able to get rimfire ammo. Got some molds, read up and met that goal quickly and easily. In fact, I can't recall ever loading a "real" Hornet load, it's all been reduced cast. I have .223s if I want a real varmint rifle.
Hate to admit it, but I haven't handloaded for that Bee yet. The rifle came with a pretty good stash of ammo and I've shot that. I need to get some cast bullets run through it soon.
Hate to admit it, but I haven't handloaded for that Bee yet. The rifle came with a pretty good stash of ammo and I've shot that. I need to get some cast bullets run through it soon.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I think I have a pound of Lil Gun purchased just for the Bee, never had time to pay with it so far. 250 fps eh? Well, the bigger case wins!
There is a tremendous amount of information out there on downloading the older small cased rounds for small game. A lot of it is dated from the 30's-50's. When the 222 hit the scene it seemed all interest in the Hornet and Bee class stuff died out. I can recall when the Hornet got it's rebirth and people wondering why any would bother with those "pip squeak" rounds.
There is a tremendous amount of information out there on downloading the older small cased rounds for small game. A lot of it is dated from the 30's-50's. When the 222 hit the scene it seemed all interest in the Hornet and Bee class stuff died out. I can recall when the Hornet got it's rebirth and people wondering why any would bother with those "pip squeak" rounds.
RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Other than LR, we never had a shortage of Mag’s or 17’s.
Edward R Southgate
Component Hoarder Extraordiniare
I love my m43 in .218 Bee . Did you have to make a washer for your bolt ?
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I haven't done anything with it. I can feel the recess by keeping pressure on the bolt to the rear as I close it. It was the only Bee I've ever run across, so I grabbed it. I was hoping it would grow on me but it hasn't so far. I was kind of hoping I'd run across someone with a Savage 23 Hornet that wanted to trade so I could complete my 23 collection. No luck so far, but I'm not exactly beating the bushes. I saw a picturte of a SS in 218, not sure if it was a CPA Stevens or a Lil Sharps or what, but it was nice. Not something I'm likely to ever run across.
Edward R Southgate
Component Hoarder Extraordiniare
Fix it and shoot it , it might grow on you .
richhodg66
Well-Known Member
I bought my first Hornet about 2014 when .22 rimfire ammo was unobtanium. I just couldn't stand it, even though I didn't shoot that much .22 anyway. Got the Hornet (as well as a couple of Sheridan air rifles and a .32 muzzle loader), got a few molds and sizers, started casting and loading. I was looking for a squirrel load and found it pretty quick, stopped experimenting after that. I have two loads, the NOE 45 grain WFN (Plain base) and two grains of Bullseye, and the other is the Lee Bator, cast very soft and six grains of 2400 which I shoot in a bolt gun that doesn't want to feed that WFN. 
richhodg66
Well-Known Member
I eventually want this .357 Martini to do this. I will also eventually get to doing it with that .218 Bee Martini as well.
Bret4207
At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
I've not looked into it at all. The one fix I read of years ago was chrome plating the area that got recessed. Are there other, better methods you're aware of? The idea was a small game rifle, not a varmint buster FWIW.
richhodg66
Well-Known Member
Better rifles than they are generally given credit for being. I was told when Savage went belly up, all the tooling to make them went in the dumpster, which is a shame. If somebody started making them today, chambered in .300 Blackout or some other Tacticool cartridge and stuck a picatinny rail and extended mag on them, they'd sell like marijuana hot cakes.
I like that little Stevens 322 in the Hornet and it's a good shooter for what I wanted it to be, but I never put it to a serious test. Might have to load some jacketed bullets and see what it'll do one day, but for a squirrel rifle in the woods it's great.
Kevin Stenberg
Well-Known Member
Have i missed the OPs pictures????
richhodg66
Well-Known Member
A few from the auction I bought it from. Pretty nice rifle, I do hope it gets to shooting a bit better than the limited shooting I've done with it so far.
Edward R Southgate
Component Hoarder Extraordiniare
Bret,
Frank De Haas gives his method in his book on Bolt Action Rifles . Never had to fix mine but I have known others who have used his method with success . The washer he uses is not easy to make but works like a charm when you get it right. My headspace is perfect even after the incident with Hodgdon's mixed batch of Little gun and Tight Group .
My Hornet is a 340 .
Frank De Haas gives his method in his book on Bolt Action Rifles . Never had to fix mine but I have known others who have used his method with success . The washer he uses is not easy to make but works like a charm when you get it right. My headspace is perfect even after the incident with Hodgdon's mixed batch of Little gun and Tight Group .
My Hornet is a 340 .
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Michael
Active Member. Uh/What
Martini with cast, would this fit the bill? Might be close to the same ratio as 357 Mag: bore diameter / case length / bullet length.
Not mine, but me behind the trigger. If you look closely at the second photo just past the muzzle are a few embers of Fg. As to the fun factor, oh ya!
Greener-Martini shotgun action with a rifled 12 bore barrel. IIRC Daryl had it loaded with a 1300gr conical ball pushed by 150grs of Fg.
Not mine, but me behind the trigger. If you look closely at the second photo just past the muzzle are a few embers of Fg. As to the fun factor, oh ya!
Greener-Martini shotgun action with a rifled 12 bore barrel. IIRC Daryl had it loaded with a 1300gr conical ball pushed by 150grs of Fg.
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I shoot the Lyman 358-156 SWC with 6gns of AP70N...or Unique same as...great accurate load.