Grandpa's Varmint Rifles
©By Glenn Burroughs
A quick glance at a 22 Hornet round is sufficient time to realize this cartridge has been around for a long time. The rimmed base and sloping shoulder angle offer two strong clues that denote its antiquity. Can this be the oldest center-fire varmint cartridge with ammo still available at the sporting goods store?
An old box of 22 WCF cartridges, note that they are very difficult to distinguish from 22 Hornets.
Curiosity was such that I decided to delve into the history of twenty-two caliber center-fire cartridges… and it turns out these varmint eradicators have been with us for a long, long time. And, by the way, the twenty-two center-fire was just about the only chambering for varmint rifles from the late 1800s until 1971 when Remington introduced the 17 Remington. There were a few other cartridges such as the 25-20 Winchester in the mix, but for many years the twenty-two caliber was considered by most hunters to be the ideal size for varmints.
22 Winchester, 1885 to 1936
It all started back in 1885 when Winchester offered varmint hunters the 22 Winchester cartridge (also called 22 Winchester Centerfire and 22 WCF). Black powder was used to drive the 45 grain, .228-inch diameter lead bullet at a velocity around 1550 feet per second. Although advertised as a 200 yard cartridge the effective range was only about 125 yards. When smokeless powder came on the scene Winchester adapted the 22 WCF to the cleaner powder but performance remained about the same. Ammunition for this classic was available at the local hardware store for over fifty years.
Besides its notoriety for being the first 22 caliber center-fire, the 22 WCF was also used by wildcatters in the 1920s to develop the 22 Hornet. In fact, those few that are reloading for the 22 WCF today generally use modified 22 Hornet brass. The major difference between the two is the bullet diameter; the Hornet measures either .223-inch or .224-inch and the 22 WCF ranged from .226 to .228-inch. When compared to the 22 Hornet the 22 WCF case length is shorter by only .0013-inch and the rim diameter is .008-inch less. There are other slight differences but these two cartridges are almost twins.
Factory ammo was last available for the 22 WCF in 1936 but anyone fortunate enough to have an old rifle chambered in the grandfather of varmint rounds can keep it alive by reloading ammo. The most difficult task will be to locate the proper size lead bullets or bullet mold. Since the bullets are a non-standard size a bullet mold may have to be custom-made, or perhaps an old, original mold could be located. RCBS carries a .225-inch mold which is used successfully by some 22 WCF owners.
Once a source for bullets has been located a set of 22 WCF loading dies can be purchased from CH-4D, and brass can be easily made from 22 Hornet cases. Donnelly, in "The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions", offers a simple method for making cases from Hornet brass. He suggests trimming the Hornet case to length, loading with 2 grains of Bullseye and corn meal, then fire-forming in a 22 WCF chamber. The final process is to clean the case and full-length size it.
One owner of a 22 WCF reports that ballistics comparable to the original loads can be had by using a 45 grain lead bullet and one of the following powders: 3.0 grains Hodgden Titegroup, 3.0 grains Alliant Red Dot, 3.5 grains Alliant Unique or 4.5 grains Accurate Arms #7. For a little more velocity powders such as Alliant 2400 and IMR 4227 will produce around 2000 feet per second. For those desiring to use black powder Cartridges of the World, 9th Edition, lists 13 grains of FFFg with a 45 grain lead bullet as a close match to the original load. However, using smokeless powder provides a cleaner load and very little smoke.
22 Savage HP, 1912 to date
The 22 Savage High Power (aka 22 Savage, 22 Hi Power and 22 'Imp') was developed by Charles Newton and announced by Savage in 1912 for the Model 99 lever action rifle. The cartridge is based upon the .25-35 Winchester cartridge necked down to accept a .227-.228 inch diameter bullet. Surprisingly, this accurate, high velocity cartridge was not offered as a varmint round, rather as a cartridge for big game hunters. Popularity of the round was excellent for a while, until stories started circulating about hunters being maimed or killed after only wounding their dangerous prey with the small bullet. Interest in the 22 Savage had dropped significantly by the early 1920's.
In Europe the story was somewhat different, where the cartridge was a popular chambering in drillings and combination guns. The cartridge carries the European designation of 5.6x52mmR and is still rather popular with hunters for small game like roe deer and fox. Several companies still manufacture ammunition for the European market, and export it to the United States.
Dies are available for the 22 Savage HP and are usually listed as 5.6x52mmR. Norma still makes brass and bullets under the European designation. Of course those into reloading can make their own cases using 25-35 Winchester or 30-30 Winchester brass and a set of form dies. Hornady offers a 70 grain spire point bullet and includes loading information in their reloading manual. Their recommended loads were developed using a modern Mauser 66 bolt action and the 70 grain bullet can reach a velocity of 3000 to 3100 feet per second. This is a maximum load and should be reduced by ten percent with lever actions.
Although not a considered a varmint round when brought to market, the fact that it was a twenty-two caliber was reason enough to include it in this list. It would be interesting to know what the status of this cartridge would have been had it been offered with a .224-inch bore and sold as a varmint round.
©By Glenn Burroughs
A quick glance at a 22 Hornet round is sufficient time to realize this cartridge has been around for a long time. The rimmed base and sloping shoulder angle offer two strong clues that denote its antiquity. Can this be the oldest center-fire varmint cartridge with ammo still available at the sporting goods store?
An old box of 22 WCF cartridges, note that they are very difficult to distinguish from 22 Hornets.
Curiosity was such that I decided to delve into the history of twenty-two caliber center-fire cartridges… and it turns out these varmint eradicators have been with us for a long, long time. And, by the way, the twenty-two center-fire was just about the only chambering for varmint rifles from the late 1800s until 1971 when Remington introduced the 17 Remington. There were a few other cartridges such as the 25-20 Winchester in the mix, but for many years the twenty-two caliber was considered by most hunters to be the ideal size for varmints.
22 Winchester, 1885 to 1936
It all started back in 1885 when Winchester offered varmint hunters the 22 Winchester cartridge (also called 22 Winchester Centerfire and 22 WCF). Black powder was used to drive the 45 grain, .228-inch diameter lead bullet at a velocity around 1550 feet per second. Although advertised as a 200 yard cartridge the effective range was only about 125 yards. When smokeless powder came on the scene Winchester adapted the 22 WCF to the cleaner powder but performance remained about the same. Ammunition for this classic was available at the local hardware store for over fifty years.
Besides its notoriety for being the first 22 caliber center-fire, the 22 WCF was also used by wildcatters in the 1920s to develop the 22 Hornet. In fact, those few that are reloading for the 22 WCF today generally use modified 22 Hornet brass. The major difference between the two is the bullet diameter; the Hornet measures either .223-inch or .224-inch and the 22 WCF ranged from .226 to .228-inch. When compared to the 22 Hornet the 22 WCF case length is shorter by only .0013-inch and the rim diameter is .008-inch less. There are other slight differences but these two cartridges are almost twins.
Factory ammo was last available for the 22 WCF in 1936 but anyone fortunate enough to have an old rifle chambered in the grandfather of varmint rounds can keep it alive by reloading ammo. The most difficult task will be to locate the proper size lead bullets or bullet mold. Since the bullets are a non-standard size a bullet mold may have to be custom-made, or perhaps an old, original mold could be located. RCBS carries a .225-inch mold which is used successfully by some 22 WCF owners.
Once a source for bullets has been located a set of 22 WCF loading dies can be purchased from CH-4D, and brass can be easily made from 22 Hornet cases. Donnelly, in "The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions", offers a simple method for making cases from Hornet brass. He suggests trimming the Hornet case to length, loading with 2 grains of Bullseye and corn meal, then fire-forming in a 22 WCF chamber. The final process is to clean the case and full-length size it.
One owner of a 22 WCF reports that ballistics comparable to the original loads can be had by using a 45 grain lead bullet and one of the following powders: 3.0 grains Hodgden Titegroup, 3.0 grains Alliant Red Dot, 3.5 grains Alliant Unique or 4.5 grains Accurate Arms #7. For a little more velocity powders such as Alliant 2400 and IMR 4227 will produce around 2000 feet per second. For those desiring to use black powder Cartridges of the World, 9th Edition, lists 13 grains of FFFg with a 45 grain lead bullet as a close match to the original load. However, using smokeless powder provides a cleaner load and very little smoke.
22 Savage HP, 1912 to date
The 22 Savage High Power (aka 22 Savage, 22 Hi Power and 22 'Imp') was developed by Charles Newton and announced by Savage in 1912 for the Model 99 lever action rifle. The cartridge is based upon the .25-35 Winchester cartridge necked down to accept a .227-.228 inch diameter bullet. Surprisingly, this accurate, high velocity cartridge was not offered as a varmint round, rather as a cartridge for big game hunters. Popularity of the round was excellent for a while, until stories started circulating about hunters being maimed or killed after only wounding their dangerous prey with the small bullet. Interest in the 22 Savage had dropped significantly by the early 1920's.
In Europe the story was somewhat different, where the cartridge was a popular chambering in drillings and combination guns. The cartridge carries the European designation of 5.6x52mmR and is still rather popular with hunters for small game like roe deer and fox. Several companies still manufacture ammunition for the European market, and export it to the United States.
Dies are available for the 22 Savage HP and are usually listed as 5.6x52mmR. Norma still makes brass and bullets under the European designation. Of course those into reloading can make their own cases using 25-35 Winchester or 30-30 Winchester brass and a set of form dies. Hornady offers a 70 grain spire point bullet and includes loading information in their reloading manual. Their recommended loads were developed using a modern Mauser 66 bolt action and the 70 grain bullet can reach a velocity of 3000 to 3100 feet per second. This is a maximum load and should be reduced by ten percent with lever actions.
Although not a considered a varmint round when brought to market, the fact that it was a twenty-two caliber was reason enough to include it in this list. It would be interesting to know what the status of this cartridge would have been had it been offered with a .224-inch bore and sold as a varmint round.
Grandpa's Varmint Rifles
22 Hornet, 1930 to date
The 22 Hornet started life in the mid-1920s as a very popular wildcat cartridge. Using the 22 WCF case, experimenters developed what would turn out to be the 22 Hornet. Because of the wildcat's reputation Winchester introduced the cartridge in 1930, before any factory rifles were available. The Hornet case was made slightly longer than the 22 WCF to prevent it from being chambered in a 22 WCF rifle. Two years later, in 1932, Winchester introduced the Model 54 bolt action chambered for the Hornet.
Three of the most common oldies still available today (L to R); a 22 Hornet, 218 Bee and 220 Swift.
The original Hornet included a .223 diameter, 34 grain bullet with a velocity of 2500 feet per second. As the years passed several changes were made to the Hornet, most significant was the bore dimension changed from .223-inch to .224-inch somewhere around 1940. As the years passed modern powders allowed increased velocity with acceptable pressures. Today factory ammo is available with bullets from 35 grains at 3100 feet per second to 46 grains at 2690 feet per second.
The life of this little cartridge is nothing short of amazing. It seems to be as healthy as ever, with many firearm companies still offering a rifle in this chambering. Varmint hunters in particular seem to be drawn to the Hornet. Even though the 218 Bee and 222 Remington offer more performance many varmint hunters still come up with a motive to own a Hornet. Comments like "The 222 is too much for small varmints" or "The 218 Bee is not as accurate as the Hornet" are typical. Whatever the grounds, the 22 Hornet just keeps on selling. I was able to resist owning one until several years ago when I came across a good deal on a Ruger No.1… and I plan on keeping this one.
The Hornet has seen quite a bit of wildcat development, spawning a myriad of cartridges ranging from the tiny 10 caliber to the 27 caliber. The two most accepted 22-caliber wildcats are the 22 K-Hornet and the 22 Ackley Hornet (or Ackley Improved). One reason for the popularity of these cartridges is the simplicity of re-chambering a typical 22 Hornet rifle for either of the two… all that was required was to run a reamer into the chamber. Standard 22 Hornet ammo would then be fired and, voila, the new wildcat case was formed. But wildcatters did not stop at 22 caliber; there is the 10 Squirrel, 12 Ackley, 14 Jones, 14 Walker, 17 Ackley, 19 Calhoon, 20 Ackley Hornet, 25 Ackley Hornet and the 270 REN… just to name a few.
220 Swift, 1935 to date
The wildcat version of the Swift was originally based on the 250-3000 Savage but when Winchester developed the final product they used the 6mm Lee Navy cartridge necked down to twenty-two caliber. Winchester's announcement of the 220 Swift in 1935 had to be shock to the shooting world; here was a cartridge capable of hurling a 48 grain bullet at 4,100 feet per second… 1400 feet per second faster than the 22 Hornet. The cartridge was introduced as a new caliber for their Model 54 bolt action rifle, and when the Model 70 bolt action was offered the following year the 220 Swift was one of the available calibers.
The Swift has led a long, somewhat bumpy life. Most notably, it had a reputation for burning out barrels due to its 4100 feet per second velocity. But in those days the cartridge was pushing the limits of metallurgy. The barrels today will give the Swift owner over 2000 rounds and still maintain minute-of-angle accuracy. The 220 Swift remained the fastest commercial cartridge in the world until the arrival of the 223 WSSM in 2003. It is still one of the fastest cartridges available today.
In recent years varmint hunters interested in a high velocity twenty-two caliber cartridge have moved from the 220 Swift to the 22-250 Remington, a rimless cartridge that provides similar performance. Although Winchester and Remington no longer offer rifles chambered in 220 Swift, one can still be had in the Ruger No.1 Varminter.
219 Zipper, 1937 to 1962
The 219 Zipper, introduced with the Model 64 rifle, seemed to be Winchester's gift to the lever action aficionado. The lever action could not handle the high pressure of the Swift, nor the pointed bullets because of the tubular magazine. But the Zipper did offer some respectable performance to the lever action varmint hunter; a 56 grain load at 3050 feet per second, and a 46 grain load at 3390 feet per second. This was considerably less than the Swift, but a lot better than the Hornet.
But the Zipper comes into its own with a strong bolt action or single shot, and with pointed bullets. In these types of rifles the Zipper could be loaded with a 55 grain bullet that could reach near 3500 feet per second. Target shooters took to the Zipper and it became quite popular at the benches when chambered in a single shot action. But its bench popularity waned once the 219 Improved Zipper wildcat came into play. Then its role as a target round was finished when the 219 Donaldson Wasp, a wildcat based on the 219 Zipper case, arrived at the benches. Harvey Donaldson's wildcat became THE cartridge for target matches and was the reigning accuracy king until the advent of the 222 Remington.
Winchester stopped producing ammunition for the 219 Zipper in 1962 and Remington Arms stopped soon afterwards. But that is not to say that ammunition cannot be had. The only component no longer available are the cases, and these can be made from 25-35 Winchester or 30-30 Winchester brass. The simplest route is to purchase a set of forming dies from RCBS, they offer both 25-35 to Zipper or 30-30 to Zipper. The process is straightforward and the results are excellent. And if you happen to have a Zipper chambered in a strong single shot or bolt action you can get velocities of 3600 feet per second with a 46 grain bullet.
The 219 Zipper holds a special place in my memory. In my youth I spent many an enjoyable day at the range with a custom Martini Cadet chambered in this caliber. Topped off with one of those magnificent Unertl scopes the rifle could place five shots at a hundred yards in a group that could be covered with a quarter… not benchrest results, but the Martini Cadet action was not a benchrest action. Much later in life the fond memories of that rifle caused me to order a Zipper carbine barrel for my Contender. This escapade was a lot of fun and satisfied the urge to re-live some of my youth.
The 22 Hornet started life in the mid-1920s as a very popular wildcat cartridge. Using the 22 WCF case, experimenters developed what would turn out to be the 22 Hornet. Because of the wildcat's reputation Winchester introduced the cartridge in 1930, before any factory rifles were available. The Hornet case was made slightly longer than the 22 WCF to prevent it from being chambered in a 22 WCF rifle. Two years later, in 1932, Winchester introduced the Model 54 bolt action chambered for the Hornet.
Three of the most common oldies still available today (L to R); a 22 Hornet, 218 Bee and 220 Swift.
The original Hornet included a .223 diameter, 34 grain bullet with a velocity of 2500 feet per second. As the years passed several changes were made to the Hornet, most significant was the bore dimension changed from .223-inch to .224-inch somewhere around 1940. As the years passed modern powders allowed increased velocity with acceptable pressures. Today factory ammo is available with bullets from 35 grains at 3100 feet per second to 46 grains at 2690 feet per second.
The life of this little cartridge is nothing short of amazing. It seems to be as healthy as ever, with many firearm companies still offering a rifle in this chambering. Varmint hunters in particular seem to be drawn to the Hornet. Even though the 218 Bee and 222 Remington offer more performance many varmint hunters still come up with a motive to own a Hornet. Comments like "The 222 is too much for small varmints" or "The 218 Bee is not as accurate as the Hornet" are typical. Whatever the grounds, the 22 Hornet just keeps on selling. I was able to resist owning one until several years ago when I came across a good deal on a Ruger No.1… and I plan on keeping this one.
The Hornet has seen quite a bit of wildcat development, spawning a myriad of cartridges ranging from the tiny 10 caliber to the 27 caliber. The two most accepted 22-caliber wildcats are the 22 K-Hornet and the 22 Ackley Hornet (or Ackley Improved). One reason for the popularity of these cartridges is the simplicity of re-chambering a typical 22 Hornet rifle for either of the two… all that was required was to run a reamer into the chamber. Standard 22 Hornet ammo would then be fired and, voila, the new wildcat case was formed. But wildcatters did not stop at 22 caliber; there is the 10 Squirrel, 12 Ackley, 14 Jones, 14 Walker, 17 Ackley, 19 Calhoon, 20 Ackley Hornet, 25 Ackley Hornet and the 270 REN… just to name a few.
220 Swift, 1935 to date
The wildcat version of the Swift was originally based on the 250-3000 Savage but when Winchester developed the final product they used the 6mm Lee Navy cartridge necked down to twenty-two caliber. Winchester's announcement of the 220 Swift in 1935 had to be shock to the shooting world; here was a cartridge capable of hurling a 48 grain bullet at 4,100 feet per second… 1400 feet per second faster than the 22 Hornet. The cartridge was introduced as a new caliber for their Model 54 bolt action rifle, and when the Model 70 bolt action was offered the following year the 220 Swift was one of the available calibers.
The Swift has led a long, somewhat bumpy life. Most notably, it had a reputation for burning out barrels due to its 4100 feet per second velocity. But in those days the cartridge was pushing the limits of metallurgy. The barrels today will give the Swift owner over 2000 rounds and still maintain minute-of-angle accuracy. The 220 Swift remained the fastest commercial cartridge in the world until the arrival of the 223 WSSM in 2003. It is still one of the fastest cartridges available today.
In recent years varmint hunters interested in a high velocity twenty-two caliber cartridge have moved from the 220 Swift to the 22-250 Remington, a rimless cartridge that provides similar performance. Although Winchester and Remington no longer offer rifles chambered in 220 Swift, one can still be had in the Ruger No.1 Varminter.
219 Zipper, 1937 to 1962
The 219 Zipper, introduced with the Model 64 rifle, seemed to be Winchester's gift to the lever action aficionado. The lever action could not handle the high pressure of the Swift, nor the pointed bullets because of the tubular magazine. But the Zipper did offer some respectable performance to the lever action varmint hunter; a 56 grain load at 3050 feet per second, and a 46 grain load at 3390 feet per second. This was considerably less than the Swift, but a lot better than the Hornet.
But the Zipper comes into its own with a strong bolt action or single shot, and with pointed bullets. In these types of rifles the Zipper could be loaded with a 55 grain bullet that could reach near 3500 feet per second. Target shooters took to the Zipper and it became quite popular at the benches when chambered in a single shot action. But its bench popularity waned once the 219 Improved Zipper wildcat came into play. Then its role as a target round was finished when the 219 Donaldson Wasp, a wildcat based on the 219 Zipper case, arrived at the benches. Harvey Donaldson's wildcat became THE cartridge for target matches and was the reigning accuracy king until the advent of the 222 Remington.
Winchester stopped producing ammunition for the 219 Zipper in 1962 and Remington Arms stopped soon afterwards. But that is not to say that ammunition cannot be had. The only component no longer available are the cases, and these can be made from 25-35 Winchester or 30-30 Winchester brass. The simplest route is to purchase a set of forming dies from RCBS, they offer both 25-35 to Zipper or 30-30 to Zipper. The process is straightforward and the results are excellent. And if you happen to have a Zipper chambered in a strong single shot or bolt action you can get velocities of 3600 feet per second with a 46 grain bullet.
The 219 Zipper holds a special place in my memory. In my youth I spent many an enjoyable day at the range with a custom Martini Cadet chambered in this caliber. Topped off with one of those magnificent Unertl scopes the rifle could place five shots at a hundred yards in a group that could be covered with a quarter… not benchrest results, but the Martini Cadet action was not a benchrest action. Much later in life the fond memories of that rifle caused me to order a Zipper carbine barrel for my Contender. This escapade was a lot of fun and satisfied the urge to re-live some of my youth.
Grandpa's Varmint Rifles
218 Bee, 1939 to date
The 218 Bee arrived in 1939 as a commercial cartridge offered by Winchester for their Model 65 lever action. The case is based on the 25-20 Winchester cartridge necked down to 22 caliber and, although it has a shorter case than the Hornet, it holds more powder. Some expected it to be the demise of the 22 Hornet, but that was not to be the case. Although the performance of the Bee exceeds the Hornet and is just as accurate, this is another cartridge whose sales were restricted because it was offered in a lever action. The Bee cannot exceed the limited pressures of a lever action, and factory ammo cannot include a pointed bullet.
Glenn with his Ruger No.1 Sporter chambered in 218 Bee.
Factory ammo can still be purchased with a 46 grain bullet and a velocity of 2760 feet per second. Reloading with a 40 grain bullet can produce a respectable speed of 2900 feet per second. And, for the those interested in squeezing the most from the little round using a strong bolt action rifle, reloaders have reported velocities over 3100 fps with a 40 grain bullet. If it had not been designed for a lever action rifle the Bee would have enjoyed better performance and might still be popular today.
The 218 Bee has spawned a few wildcats, most notably the 218 Mashburn Bee. A few years ago I gave this wildcat a try and was somewhat disappointed. Creating the cases was easy; just shoot a 218 Bee cartridge in a Mashburn chamber and the brass becomes 218 Mashburn Bee. The problem was the very short neck. It prevented most bullets from being seated to touch the lands. If a 40 grain Sierra was seated .005-inch off the lands the base of the bullet would only be a 1/16-inch into the neck… not enough for me.
From a positive prospective a 40 grain bullet could be driven at 3300 feet per second. Although I have never owned one, my favorite wildcat based on the 218 Bee is the 20 Killer Bee. This is a Bee case necked down to 20 caliber with the shoulder blown out to 40-degrees. It can shoot a 32 grain bullet at velocities over 3800 feet per second. Someday I may have to adopt one of these.
The Bee is another of the old twenty-two calibers that is a favorite of mine. Many years ago I enjoyed hunting with a Winchester Model 43 topped with a Weaver 4X scope. It was great for picking off a rabbit in the mowed fields, a crow on a tree limb or shooting mistletoe from the top of an oak tree for the Christmas season.
Not too long ago a Taurus revolver chambered for the Bee provided me with considerable entertainment. When the trigger was pulled it provided a nice kick, a fierce muzzle blast and hot gases from the cylinder gap seeking my fingers. It took a while to develop a load that was not terrifying to shoot, or would not agitate neighbors in the next county. After the fun with the Taurus was over it was offered to another curious shooter.
The Bee made somewhat of a comeback when Ruger offered it in their No.1 rifle and my affection for the little cartridge was still with me, so I got one. This is the Bee I plan to keep; it's not a target rifle, but offers a lot of fun for an occasional groundhog outing.
Summary
Well, that's a brief look at the 22 caliber center-fire cartridges that were born before the year 1940. It seems most of the old varmint rounds are still alive and kicking; the only ones no longer with us are the 22 Winchester and 219 Zipper… and brass for these cartridges can be made without too much trouble. All these vintage rounds have rimmed cases, except for the Swift's semi-rim, and this trait probably shortened the popularity of these oldies in later years. So, in response to the question; "Is the Hornet the oldest varmint round still in common use?" The answer is "yes" if you live in the USA, otherwise the honor would go to the 22 Savage HP, aka the European 5.6x52mmR.
(Neither the writer nor the publication accepts any responsibility for the safety of loads mentioned. When developing loads for an old gun be sure it has been checked by a competent gunsmith to insure it is safe enough to fire, and always take extreme care when loading cartridges.)
Note: the use of 'caliber' is sometimes confusing; is it .22 Hornet or 22 Hornet? Wikipedia states: "a small bore rifle with a diameter of 0.22 inch is a .22 cal; however, the decimal point is generally dropped when spoken, making it 'twenty-two caliber' or a 'two-two caliber'." As for me, I have yet to see a box of Hornet ammo showing the decimal point so I leave it off.
Glenn Burroughs is a retired computer systems manager with a lifelong love of guns. His main areas of interest are accurate rifles, wildcat cartridges, reloading and bench shooting. He also enjoys an occasional trip out west to the prairie dog country. Glenn was a columnist for Precision Shooting magazine and also wrote articles for Varmint Hunter magazine. He resides in Lynchburg, Virginia.
The 218 Bee arrived in 1939 as a commercial cartridge offered by Winchester for their Model 65 lever action. The case is based on the 25-20 Winchester cartridge necked down to 22 caliber and, although it has a shorter case than the Hornet, it holds more powder. Some expected it to be the demise of the 22 Hornet, but that was not to be the case. Although the performance of the Bee exceeds the Hornet and is just as accurate, this is another cartridge whose sales were restricted because it was offered in a lever action. The Bee cannot exceed the limited pressures of a lever action, and factory ammo cannot include a pointed bullet.
Glenn with his Ruger No.1 Sporter chambered in 218 Bee.
Factory ammo can still be purchased with a 46 grain bullet and a velocity of 2760 feet per second. Reloading with a 40 grain bullet can produce a respectable speed of 2900 feet per second. And, for the those interested in squeezing the most from the little round using a strong bolt action rifle, reloaders have reported velocities over 3100 fps with a 40 grain bullet. If it had not been designed for a lever action rifle the Bee would have enjoyed better performance and might still be popular today.
The 218 Bee has spawned a few wildcats, most notably the 218 Mashburn Bee. A few years ago I gave this wildcat a try and was somewhat disappointed. Creating the cases was easy; just shoot a 218 Bee cartridge in a Mashburn chamber and the brass becomes 218 Mashburn Bee. The problem was the very short neck. It prevented most bullets from being seated to touch the lands. If a 40 grain Sierra was seated .005-inch off the lands the base of the bullet would only be a 1/16-inch into the neck… not enough for me.
From a positive prospective a 40 grain bullet could be driven at 3300 feet per second. Although I have never owned one, my favorite wildcat based on the 218 Bee is the 20 Killer Bee. This is a Bee case necked down to 20 caliber with the shoulder blown out to 40-degrees. It can shoot a 32 grain bullet at velocities over 3800 feet per second. Someday I may have to adopt one of these.
The Bee is another of the old twenty-two calibers that is a favorite of mine. Many years ago I enjoyed hunting with a Winchester Model 43 topped with a Weaver 4X scope. It was great for picking off a rabbit in the mowed fields, a crow on a tree limb or shooting mistletoe from the top of an oak tree for the Christmas season.
Not too long ago a Taurus revolver chambered for the Bee provided me with considerable entertainment. When the trigger was pulled it provided a nice kick, a fierce muzzle blast and hot gases from the cylinder gap seeking my fingers. It took a while to develop a load that was not terrifying to shoot, or would not agitate neighbors in the next county. After the fun with the Taurus was over it was offered to another curious shooter.
The Bee made somewhat of a comeback when Ruger offered it in their No.1 rifle and my affection for the little cartridge was still with me, so I got one. This is the Bee I plan to keep; it's not a target rifle, but offers a lot of fun for an occasional groundhog outing.
Summary
Well, that's a brief look at the 22 caliber center-fire cartridges that were born before the year 1940. It seems most of the old varmint rounds are still alive and kicking; the only ones no longer with us are the 22 Winchester and 219 Zipper… and brass for these cartridges can be made without too much trouble. All these vintage rounds have rimmed cases, except for the Swift's semi-rim, and this trait probably shortened the popularity of these oldies in later years. So, in response to the question; "Is the Hornet the oldest varmint round still in common use?" The answer is "yes" if you live in the USA, otherwise the honor would go to the 22 Savage HP, aka the European 5.6x52mmR.
(Neither the writer nor the publication accepts any responsibility for the safety of loads mentioned. When developing loads for an old gun be sure it has been checked by a competent gunsmith to insure it is safe enough to fire, and always take extreme care when loading cartridges.)
Note: the use of 'caliber' is sometimes confusing; is it .22 Hornet or 22 Hornet? Wikipedia states: "a small bore rifle with a diameter of 0.22 inch is a .22 cal; however, the decimal point is generally dropped when spoken, making it 'twenty-two caliber' or a 'two-two caliber'." As for me, I have yet to see a box of Hornet ammo showing the decimal point so I leave it off.
Glenn Burroughs is a retired computer systems manager with a lifelong love of guns. His main areas of interest are accurate rifles, wildcat cartridges, reloading and bench shooting. He also enjoys an occasional trip out west to the prairie dog country. Glenn was a columnist for Precision Shooting magazine and also wrote articles for Varmint Hunter magazine. He resides in Lynchburg, Virginia.
