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Common uses: Varmint, Small Game
| Type | rifle (centerfire) |
| Typical load | 45gr Hornady Custom HP |
| Muzzle velocity | 2750 fps |
| Muzzle energy | 756 ft-lb |
| Stored G1 ballistic coefficient | 0.108 |
| Case length | 34.16 mm |
| Overall length | 1.67 in |
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Drop (in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 2750 | 756 | -1.5 |
| 100 | 1962 | 385 | 0 |
| 200 | 1346 | 181 | -8 |
| 300 | 1008 | 102 | -35.7 |
| 400 | 858 | 74 | -97.4 |
| 500 | 755 | 57 | -206.3 |
At 1,000 yards, .218 Bee (45gr at 2750 fps, 100 yd zero, standard conditions) has a modeled come-up of about 198.0 MOA / 57.6 MIL, retaining 423 fps (subsonic).
| Range (yd) | Velocity (fps) | State | Drop (in) | Elev (MOA) | Elev (MIL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 300 | 1009 | Subsonic | -35.6 | 11.3 | 3.30 |
| 400 | 859 | Subsonic | -97.2 | 23.2 | 6.75 |
| 500 | 755 | Subsonic | -206.0 | 39.4 | 11.45 |
| 600 | 670 | Subsonic | -376.1 | 59.9 | 17.41 |
| 700 | 597 | Subsonic | -624.2 | 85.2 | 24.77 |
| 800 | 532 | Subsonic | -970.9 | 115.9 | 33.71 |
| 900 | 474 | Subsonic | -1442.5 | 153.1 | 44.52 |
| 1000 | 423 | Subsonic | -2073.1 | 198.0 | 57.59 |
Extended predictions beyond 500 yards are modeled from the same G1 engine — useful for initial DOPE, but outside the 500-yard manufacturer-table validation audit. Confirm with observed DOPE, especially near transonic.
Small-game/varmint context — the deer- and elk-sized energy references aren't applicable to the cartridge's listed uses. When a downrange table is available, its retained-energy column can provide context; verify the exact load and follow local game regulations for legal methods.
Published BCs depend on a reference drag model and stated velocity conditions. A source review does not independently measure a BC. Understanding BC sources
Your barrel, ammunition lot, and conditions will differ — always verify against the manufacturer's data and your own rifle.
The .218 Bee is a small, rimmed varmint cartridge best known for pairing modest .22-caliber ballistics with the handiness of a lever-action rifle. It performs well on foxes, woodchucks, and similar pests at short to moderate range, but its rimmed case and the lever and single-shot actions it typically lives in limit both its practical range and the ammunition options available today. In lever guns the cartridge earned a reputation for inconsistent accuracy, while bolt-action and single-shot rifles chambered for it can shoot noticeably tighter. Factory ammunition and brass have grown scarce, so it now survives largely as a handloader's and collector's cartridge rather than a first-choice varmint round. Its charm lies in its light report and light recoil in a compact, classic rifle rather than in raw long-range capability.
Winchester introduced the .218 Bee in the late 1930s (1937-1938), creating it by necking the .25-20 Winchester case down to accept .224-inch bullets. It was chambered first in the lever-action Winchester Model 65, aimed at shooters who wanted a flatter-shooting, higher-velocity small-bore round in a traditional lever gun. Though it was eventually eclipsed by cartridges like the .222 Remington and never became a mainstream seller, it retains a following among lever-action enthusiasts and small-bore collectors.
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