from splitting (that’s two cases!) within the chamber of this modified Ruger Target rifle.
At the bench, I reached for the RCBS Custom Die catalog and ordered their neck size only die, number 55010. Using the same method of neck marking as I have done in the past, I carefully watch the soot disappear as the spent case entered the die and stopped just short of the shoulder. This form of neck sizing the cases is used on all of my varmint rifles only for accuracy and long case life. If by chance you may have a npair of rifles in the same cartridge (as might be the case of the 222 or 223 Remington, for instance) be sure to separate the brass for each rifle so you will never run into feeding problems while in the field.
Data on the Rocket is not easy to find and a call to
With the 218 Mashburn Bee, from left to right we have the fired case, loaded factory ammunition, fire-formed case and a loaded 218 Mashburn Bee ready to go.
Weatherby produced one page of loading data from a vintage edition of “Tomorrow’s Rifles Today” – a promotional book published by Weatherby in golden years past. While that was somewhat acceptable, a better method is to invest in Wayne Blackwell’s “Load from a Disc” program. A click away puts you within easy reach of up to date loading data for the Rocket and this is the way (with a few exceptions) I went. The Rocket is a pleasant cartridge to load and shoot but handloaders should be cautious on some of the older, more out of date loading data. Bullets were Barnes, Hornady, Speer, Nosler, and Sierra, with some Remington 55-grain bullets thrown into the mix to be used with Hodgdon’s H-4831SC propellant. The rechambered gun seemed a bit twitchy in the beginning but settled in with some fine groups at more than acceptable velocities.
Here are the various stages of case forming with the 218 Mashburn Bee. From left to right: a fired case, partial neck size, full neck size with the die just at the shoulder and the completed case.
Most of the loads tested showed no pressure or other related problems with the exception of a few from the older Ness and Weatherby sources. For instance, with a 55-grain Nosler spitzer over 44.0 grains of IMR-4064, groups were me- diocre, to say the least. On my Oehler Chronotach I got more than 4,200 fps. Not bad, but I would pass on this in search of smaller groups. However, only one more grain (45.0) firing one round downrange produced a feeling of blowback in my face. With a wisp of smoke drifting out of the bolt shroud, I knew something was wrong. This was confirmed as I could hardly get the bolt handle to move, yet open. The velocity of this one round was way too high, so if you still want to try this powder with the Nosler bullet, I’d opt to start at least 10 percent lower than the established high of 44.0 grains. The load of the day was with the Sierra 55-grain boat-tail over 44.0 grains of IMR-4320. Velocities averaged 4,235 fps in the 26" barrel with groups within a half minute of angle. Impressive to say the least! The 220 Weatherby Rocket teamed with the Ruger Target rifle is an interesting combination and certainly within the reach of all. While it will never replace the Swift, it does offer an alternative for those of us who want something different for long-range varmint shooting.
Here are the five main stages of forming the 219 Donaldson Wasp from the 30-30 Winchester case. The first three illustrate the long neck being shrunk down and the last two are the final stages with trimming and neck sizing.
Page 30 Winter 2013
Wildcatting twenty-two centerfire cartridges can be fun, while adding another dimension to our hobby. It is one area that combines case forming, some personal involvement with a new barrel or rifle, and allows you to go deeper into the science of ballistics.
See you on the north forty!
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