218 Bee & Primers

Slowshot · December 11, 2011, 05:09 PM

I am loading for a Martini Cadet in 218 Bee.

My Lyman manual is very clear on using the specific primers listed for each cartridge. For the 218 Bee, it specifies the "Remington 6 1/6 Small Rifle "primer. I have on hand a large supply of Wolf "Small Rifle-.223Rem" primers. Would it be a mistake to use these when loading for my 218 Bee?

I am asking these rudimentary questions because, up till now I have experience in loading only for 220 Swift. For that cartridge, I bought the CCI 200 Large Rifle primers, listed for that cartridge in the manual. Also, while waiting for my 222 Remington from Russ Haydon, I just purchased a supply of Remington 7 1/2 Small Rifle Benchrest primers (as recommended in the manual).

Any advice from an experienced loader for 218 Bee would be appreciated.

edward5759 · December 11, 2011, 05:30 PM

I shoot a 218 bee. It was the first rifle I built and one of my most loved.
I use CCI primers in mine.
I tried wolf and I am not sure if the primer contains a small amount of glass or if it produces a calcium carbonate, I got bad scratch marks in a pressure test barrel that was worth over $1,000 dollars.
I shoot a Remington 45 grain bullet over 10 grains of IMR 4227.
Great cartridge
Ed

**Unclenick** · December 12, 2011, 05:31 PM

The 6 1/2 is an extra mild primer. The problem with the tiny cases is that the primer can easily make enough pressure to unseat the bullet part way before the powder burn catches up, and that leads to erratic muzzle velocity and uneven powder burn.

The scratch thing is a new one on me. Many primers contain some glass dust to act like tiny anvils to the sensitizer in the priming mix, but I've never heard of any that was coarse enough to do more than polish a bore a little. I wonder if they got some that wasn't properly graded. Curious. I've got some of those primers and will watch out carefully for what they do.

December 11, 2011, 05:09 PM	#1
Slowshot Member Join Date: January 29, 2010 Location: Kingston, Washington Posts: 25	218 Bee & Primers I am loading for a Martini Cadet in 218 Bee. My Lyman manual is very clear on using the specific primers listed for each cartridge. For the 218 Bee, it specifies the "Remington 6 1/6 Small Rifle "primer. I have on hand a large supply of Wolf "Small Rifle-.223Rem" primers. Would it be a mistake to use these when loading for my 218 Bee? I am asking these rudimentary questions because, up till now I have experience in loading only for 220 Swift. For that cartridge, I bought the CCI 200 Large Rifle primers, listed for that cartridge in the manual. Also, while waiting for my 222 Remington from Russ Haydon, I just purchased a supply of Remington 7 1/2 Small Rifle Benchrest primers (as recommended in the manual). Any advice from an experienced loader for 218 Bee would be appreciated.

December 11, 2011, 05:30 PM	#2
edward5759 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ. 30 miles from water, two feet from Hell. Posts: 355	I shoot a 218 bee. It was the first rifle I built and one of my most loved. I use CCI primers in mine. I tried wolf and I am not sure if the primer contains a small amount of glass or if it produces a calcium carbonate, I got bad scratch marks in a pressure test barrel that was worth over $1,000 dollars. I shoot a Remington 45 grain bullet over 10 grains of IMR 4227. Great cartridge Ed __________________ Failure is part of success! This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future!" -Adolf Hitler,1935"

December 12, 2011, 05:31 PM	#3
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	The 6 1/2 is an extra mild primer. The problem with the tiny cases is that the primer can easily make enough pressure to unseat the bullet part way before the powder burn catches up, and that leads to erratic muzzle velocity and uneven powder burn. The scratch thing is a new one on me. Many primers contain some glass dust to act like tiny anvils to the sensitizer in the priming mix, but I've never heard of any that was coarse enough to do more than polish a bore a little. I wonder if they got some that wasn't properly graded. Curious. I've got some of those primers and will watch out carefully for what they do. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle