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Guide

218 Bee Ammo 2026: The Hornady Load and SAAMI Specs

By , EditorUpdated How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked the one current .218 Bee load we could read on Hornady's own product page on November 5, 2026. The bullet weight, velocity, energy figure, test barrel and item number below are copied from the maker page. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is one maker’s load, not every .218 Bee load sold.

Hornady prints no usage label on its product page. The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses.

Hornady loads

Hornady's pages show no usage label and no stock status on our capture, so these loads are listed by product line. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures from each page's ballistics table, and the test barrel is the one the table names.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Hornady Custom218 Bee830745 gr HP2,750 fps756 ft-lb24 in25Not listed on maker page

Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures in each maker's ballistics table. Test barrel is the length the maker lists. "Box" is the round count per box. Status is the maker's own wording on its product page, and it changes daily. All pages checked November 5, 2026.

Which bullet weight? What the maker’s numbers show

Our table has one load, Hornady Custom 45 gr (8307), listed at 2,750 fps and 756 ft-lb at the muzzle, tested on a 24 in barrel. With one load there is no weight comparison to draw from maker pages.

The makers label loads for game or for target use. They don't tell you one weight is right for a species. The right choice depends on bullet construction, range and your state's rules. Check your state hunting rules and your state wildlife agency before you buy.

Barrel length matters: the test barrel

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length. Hornady lists a 24 in test barrel for this load. A rifle with a shorter barrel than the maker's test barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. SAAMI's test barrel for the .218 Bee is 24 in.

No barrel-length-velocity page exists yet for the .218 Bee, and we have not charted one. Our barrel length vs velocity data covers other cartridges, so do not read those numbers as .218 Bee data.

.218 Bee: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "218 BEE [218 BEE]" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, its centerfire rifle standard (approved Feb. 10, 2025). The cartridge drawing was issued 05/29/1979 and revised 02/10/2023. SAAMI’s velocity and pressure table (Section I) prints a crusher maximum average pressure of 400 CUP/100 for the 218 Bee, and a figure of 350 in its transducer psi/100 column. But SAAMI’s transducer calibration table (Section II) lists the 218 Bee as “N/E” (Not Established), and its proof-pressure table says “Transducer Pressures Not Established.” Because SAAMI’s own tables disagree, the transducer MAP for the .218 Bee is Not yet verified here, and the .218 Bee is not on our SAAMI MAP table. Cartridge overall length runs from 1.645 in minimum to 1.680 in maximum. Case length is 1.345 in (−.020), and bullet diameter is .2245 in (−.0030). Bore is .219 in and groove is .224 in, with 6 grooves and a twist of 1 in 16.00 in, right-hand (marked optional). SAAMI reference velocities are Not yet verified, because the PDF text does not clearly pair each bullet weight with its velocity. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.4 PDF. We list a pressure figure only where SAAMI’s tables agree, so the .218 Bee MAP row is not on our SAAMI maximum average pressure table.

SAAMI says all standard rifle test barrels are 24 in long and that exterior ballistic data for centerfire rifle cartridges is based on that length. Its listed exceptions (7.62x39, 277 Sig Fury, 30 Carbine, 300 AAC Blackout, 300 HAM'R, 350 Legend, 350 Remington Magnum, 360 Buckhammer, 400 Legend and 44 Remington Magnum) do not include the .218 Bee, so SAAMI measures it on a 24 in barrel.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Rifles for .218 Bee

The .218 Bee is a rifle cartridge, and the load in the table is 45 gr. See also new rifle releases and the new hunting rifles of 2026.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Hornady's page shows no availability on our capture. We don't track retailer stock or prices. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see .22 Hornet ammo, .204 Ruger ammo, 5.56 and .223 ammo, .243 Win ammo, .22 LR ammo, .22 WMR ammo, .17 HMR ammo, .30-30 Win ammo, the SAAMI maximum average pressure table, the barrel length vs velocity data, new ammo for 2026 and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .218 Bee?
Not yet verified. SAAMI's velocity and pressure table prints 350 in its transducer psi/100 column for the 218 Bee, but its calibration table lists the transducer pressure as Not Established (N/E), so we do not state a transducer MAP.
What grain is .218 Bee ammo?
In our table the bullet is 45 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your rifle is set up to shoot.
How fast is .218 Bee ammo?
In our table, the one listed load has a muzzle velocity of 2,750 fps and a muzzle energy of 756 ft-lb, on a 24 in test barrel. A shorter barrel will likely give lower velocities.
What does test barrel mean?
It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. A shorter barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box.
Do you list prices or stock for .218 Bee ammo?
No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 5, 2026. Hornady's pages show none.

Sources

  1. Hornady: Hornady Custom .218 Bee 45 gr HP, item 8307 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  2. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 centerfire rifle standard, .218 Bee drawing (checked Nov. 5, 2026)

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