This has been an interesting subject, with lots of top-notch advice given. In the course of seeking general info, I did look up the Bee info. It is twixt wars. And when handloaded to potential, achieves decent velocity for at least two hundred yard groundhogs. As well, apparently the Imp version can march along decently in company with most other 'settled area' woodchuck shooting calibers.
Now, I am not gainsaying any of the other posters advice. It would be difficult to go wrong on about any of them, according to how much twiddling about with brass and dies in which one wished to engage.
However, perhaps your choice might be made based upon the 'use' parameters. Where will it be used: settled farmland fringe or in lower human population, wide open spaces? What is to be hunted? At what ranges?
So, one considers muzzleblast/report; desired terminal characteristics in the prey species; typical shooting distances; and optic/rifle combo.
This is a simplification here, among such august company. I've surely overlooked some key elements crucial to your choice. However, perhaps working backward from the desired objective to the individual components of the whole, may be a useful exercise.
Me? I think a custom bbl'd,, speciality-smith accurized, Golden Age Tree-bone stocked, retro-Marlin levergun in .219 Zip would be choice for walking the flat reclaimed swamp farmlands of NW Ohio. Mebbe with one of those Leatherwood 3X scopes.
However, for 90% of the shots I get after the beans are up here, a .22 Hornet is quite sufficient. The Bee just gives you that little extra stretch needed, upon the occasion. Hence it's local popularity.
FWIW and the general weal.
Last edited by JohnM; 01/03/09 01:20 PM.
