While this bullet will maintain supersonic speeds well past any range where people hunt with .224" diameter projectiles, it should also make for quick, ethical kills of game within the "normal" hunting distances (under 300 yards). is the case upon which the 6.8 SPC was based. This is where the 224V starts to make its superiority known over the 22N. Both loads are above the minimum "comfortable stability" factor of 1.5 at altitudes above 3200-3700ft. Overall Length: 37.5. Though still shy of the Creedmoor ballistically, from an AR-15 its as close as youre going to getat least until something new and even more specialized comes along. I get better results than what you are posting with a 223 rem using Lapua brass and 80gr elds. holyshits batman that is a big ass boar ! Who DOESNT want a little more powder, and still fit in an AR15 platform ? that would make a great movie, you guys should have TV show! More case capacity than 6.5 Grendel, 224 Valk, or anything EXCEPT 300 WSSM. This hog come out on my shooting lane all the way at the end about 150 yards, i thought it was a bear when i seen it. YouTube Cracks Down on Gun Channels, Why Travis McMichael Was Convicted And Why Kyle Rittenhouse was Acquitted, A Response to Matthew Cookes Second Amendment Remedy, Gun Guy Movie Reviews: The Marksman is Awful, Proper Pistol Grip and Shooting Stance with Jade Struck and Kayla Casper, ATF Approves Vuurwapen GEN X and HMC9 80% Frames, The Best Guns for Women Beginners in 2021, How to Respond to the ATF Pistol Brace Notice, What Gun Owners Might Expect From a President Biden and a Republican Senate, Despite Our Best Efforts, SHOT Show 2021 Is Still Happening. Learn more at One big difference between the Creedmoor and Valkyrie is the increased splash at distance, whether they're misses or hits you simply get more splash from the creed. Federal's 224 Valkyrie has all of these features and more it fits in the more popular AR15 magwell as opposed to the AR10/SR25 length magwell, it is cheaper, and it has even lower recoil. and 22 Nosler, the Grendel cannot use the highest BC bullets of its caliber. In 2017, recognizing an overwhelming need for .224-based cartridges supporting heavier, longer and more aerodynamic bullets, Federal Ammunition developed the .224 Valkyrie. Similarly, and particularly with magazine-fed weapons, is the problem of magazine compatibility. I've already shot it, and I want to share the gospel of the Valkyrie with you. The WOA shoots the FGMM 90s sub moa, as well as my handloads (80 elds and 95smks). he cut one strip and 6 inches wide and i bet it weighed 20 pounds. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. Those who live in the generalized world will be quick to point out the 22 Nosler already does this. He also told me that no one has been having stability problems with the new bullet. But I know from my experience participating in informal precision rifle matches as well as organized competitions like the 24 Hour Sniper Adventure Challenge that velocity can't be the only thing you rely on when it comes to hitting a target at long range - especially when there's wind involved. 224 Valkyrie is designed to perform with a twist rate of 1/7 or even faster many barrels are available with a 1 in 6.5" twist. One footnote to this section is that Federal, especially in their Gold Medal line, is not known for producing the highest possible velocities. But the biggest difference is one of cost, and that difference is enough to make the choice clear, at least to me. The Valkyrie is a specialized cartridge and its only real competition is the 6.5 Grendel, which generates 72 percent more recoil, goes subsonic sooner, drifts more in the wind, and is even more expensive to shoot. Though I was originally considering 13" with an exposed gas block, Charlie at Geissele suggested to me that I use a 15" handguard, and I'm glad that I listened to his advice. The 224 Valkyrie should appeal to that same crowd, specifically those who prefer an AR-15 to an AR-10. OBVIOUSLY it's going to be easier to make hits with the fancy rifle!". Pics do not do this thing justice, he was huge. But thanks to its high ballistic coefficient bullets, that velocity doesn't disappear quickly it maintains speed so well that at 500 yards, the 6.5 CM 140 is still going over 2000fps, while the blisteringly fast 22 Nosler 55gr BT, having left the muzzle at 3500, has slowed down to 1800fps. I think the reason 308 makes sense in a bolt gun is because it has enough case capacity to push .30 cal bullets of a given weight as fast needed for specific applications when you don't need or want the velocity/recoil of a cartridge that could push said bullet faster. In the 224 Valkyrie, though, you will see a lot of heavy, long, high ballistic coefficient bullets loaded to magazine length, because the designers sacrificed a tiny amount of case capacity to allow for a longer bullet within the length required by the AR lower receiver and magazine internal dimensions. And it uses 308 Brass ! If you live in a densely populated urban area and shoot at a 25-yard indoor range, having a cartridge that can maintain supersonic speed to 1300 (or 1000) yards is quite pointless other than as a conversation piece. We've talked a lot about 224 Valkyrie and 22 Nosler, but what about the cartridge they're supposed to replace in the chamber of your AR-15? (l.) The hallmark load for the 224 Valkyrie is the 90-grain Sierra MatchKing, which at 2,700 fps has set the new standard for long-range performance from an AR-15. WebHere we take the .224 Valkyrie head to head with the 6.8 SPC. Curious what everyone thinks the fate of the .224 Valkyrie will be between it's problematic start with the 90 grain ammo problems and now the 6 ARC being the new AR flavor of the year. While I am not saying that the 308 Win rifle is difficult to shoot - I've turned it over to numerous new shooters without worry that they'll end up with scope bite - it is undeniable that the 224 Valkyrie had far less recoil. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Wow! While I like the sound of 308 on steel, it was just plain easier to make hits with the 224 Valkyrie. It's going to be cheaper for you to buy 80-95gr VLD target bullets than it would be to buy bullets for 6.5mm cartridges like the 6.5 Grendel (which is ballistically inferior to 224 Valkyrie anyway), and it uses less powder, too. I bought the 224V Kool-Aid wish I hadn'tnever could get it to taste right..LOL. you say. The .224 Valkyrie uses a faster 1:7 twist, thereby giving the ability to Often, especially at 500 and beyond, one must listen very carefully for the telltale sound of a hit when using 223 Rem. MPA is tweaking feed lips and had designed a new follower for the standard .308 mags. | An Official Journal Of The NRA, Should You Carry Your Gun With an Empty Chamber? The 224 Valkyrie is based on the 6.8 SPC case and retains the same rim diameter. All 3 have been under sub moa. Don't get me wrong 6.5CM is great. The hog from hell, 224 Valkyrie vs 400 pound hog - Hunting - 308AR.com Community All Activity Home The Sportsmens Den Hunting The hog from hell, 224 id be in a world of hurt. The 22 PDK was based on the 6.8 SPC case. That 6.8" shorter barrel means lower muzzle velocity and thus slightly less ability to buck the wind, and while the wind drift difference at 500 yards between the two barrel lengths was only about 6" with a 10mph wind, the wind at the range that day was extremely gusty and at times over 15mph. Varmint hunters? I bought a cheap upper and with the American Eagle stuff it shoots about MOA. And I have shot the 224V to beyond 2000 yards with success. At 50 cents a round, 224 Valkyrie undercuts a lot of the cartridges on the market which are currently popular for similar purposes, including AR-15 platform competitors like 6.5 Grendel (meh) and of course the AR-10/LR-308/SR-25 options from 6.5 Creedmoor to 308 Win. he had his grand daughter and wanted her to see it. We've spent more than enough time discussing why I think 224 Valkyrie sounds good on paper. 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Despite having a heavier profile barrel (and less material removed from the inside of the barrel), the 224 Valkyrie rifle came in over a pound lighter than the 308 Win rifle when unloaded. On the other hand, a 1/7 224 Valkyrie should be just fine with, say, 53gr V-Max, and be very flat within the typical varmint hunting distances. Wow!) Neither can compare to the performance of 22-250 from the same length barrel, either in standard or "Superformance" variant. WebAt the 1,000 yard marker, the 224 Valkyrie has a bullet drop of -345.8 compared to -475.7 for the 223 Remington. In fact, 50 cents a shot for 224 Valkyrie is not far away from current prices for surplus 7.62x51 NATO ammunition. Unless youre a cartridge geek like me, you probably dont really care where the 224 Valkyrie came from; you just want to know what its capable of. Do you think .308 would have been a quicker put down? Clear editor. Power: .224 Valkyrie rounds are available with ballistic tips, transferring more energy on impact for increased lethality when you're hunting game. He goes down again, i approach a little and fixin to shoot that big head and he jumps up and takes off for the high grass, i put two more rounds in his side. This new cartridge, which is really just a modification of a cartridge thats more than a century old, was submitted to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI). If you're serious about precision shooting, you probably reload, and the 224 Valkyrie makes even more sense there. I have not had the chance to run it to 1K or beyond yet. A quick glance might leave the uninitiated with the impression that they're "basically the same, so who cares," but there are some important differences which leave me with the impression that the Valkyrie is going to stay, while the 22 Nosler will languish a few boxes at a time on gun store shelves. While the 224 Valkyrie's vaunted (too-vaunted, really) "1300 yard" supersonic range is going to be cut short with real world barrel lengths such as 18" compared to a 24" test barrel, keeping a heavy bullet supersonic well past 1000 yards will not be a problem for the Valkyrie. By comparison, the Savage retails for $1,249. Atop the upper is a Trijicon TA11H-308G. is the case upon which the 6.8 SPC was based. Accordingly, you haven't and probably won't see a whole lot of super light, super-fast loads for the 224 Valkyrie, because those more lightly constructed bullets have a reputation for not holding up to being spun so much. 224 Valkyrie and 22 CM are both designed for heavy bullets and long range. the bullet went in his snout and came out the back of his neck. In fact, because its so effective at distance, and because the MSR platform has become so popular, were starting to see AR-10s chambered for the 6.5 and even the 6 mm Creedmoor. I said Jimmy, shoot that big bastard in the head with that 45 auto. he stunk too bad for me to mess with. The 1911 is an iconic design, and the 2011 takes it one step further. This is mostly because with those high-BC bullets, it retains velocity better and drifts less in the wind. But i have others that are. WebDeveloped in-house by Federal Premium Ammunition, the .224 Valkyrie is a bottle-necked cartridge holding a rimless 90-grain Sierra MatchKing slug thats been shrunk from 6.8 to I'm having problems tracking my 223 at 1000, I can't imagine 2x that. A good comparison would be the Grendel will give you AR-308 ballistics and the Valkyrie will give you high performance bolt rifle 308 ballistics. Overall thats probably better-than-average performance, when it comes to ammunition living up to advertising hype. I am 6 foot tall, i was using 90 grain fusions. This is a 26 inch 1-7 twist McGowen barrel. This approval is critical because it standardizes the manufacture of guns and ammo, opening up for the production of both by any manufacturer. Currently I'm waiting for my barrel maker to finish my 6.5 Grendel barrel as I'm going to build one of those as well. Well, if you insist on shooting the lightest bullets, such as those in the 35-50 grain range, you could go the 22 Nosler route and enjoy spending 100% more to shoot them 1% faster than a .223 Rem AR-15 with Hornady Superformance. Hornady Superformance ammunition uses special Hornady Superformance powder, and the numbers they give for a 5.56 NATO Superformance Match 75gr BTHP from a 20" barrel are 2910fps, only 40fps shy of the Nosler numbers from an 18" barrel. That doesn't sound cool at all in a press release. ComparisonYou are probably wondering where the 224 Valkyrie is positioned when all the commercially available cartridges compatible with the AR-15 platform are considered. Finally, I don't know what barrel life will be like. I had been worried that when used out of a shorter barrel (in the context of long range shooting, even a 20" barrel can be considered "short"), the velocity numbers would drop off a cliff. I guess you get what you pay for; it has a suggested retail of $3,789.95. Remember, while the 18" 224 Valkyrie 75gr has almost identical ballistics when compared to a 24.8" M240 firing M80 ball, I was shooting German and Malaysian surplus as well as Federal Gold Medal Match 168s out of an 18" 308 barrel. As for cartridges like 308 Win shooting a 168gr VLD at 2600 from an 18" barrel or the ho-hum 6.5 Grendel shooting a 130gr VLD at 2350 from the same length, the 224 Valkyrie still requires less wind correction. A 22-24" 6.5 creed gas gun gun should have no problem pushing those bullets to 2600. If you're short on time or have no stomach for massive walls of text, here's the summary: 224 Valkyrie is cheaper to shoot, the cartridge case makes more sense from a reloading perspective, and it offers better performance at long distance, especially when considering wind, thanks to its ability to shoot heavier bullets. Why .277 or 6.8? Federals .22 caliber round generates as little as half as much recoil as the 6.5 Creedmoor. And most are fully capable of this. Thought a Beretta shotgun was out of your budget? now we couldnt pick that big sucker up to put on a wheeler and it would probably have bottomed out our springs anyway. Bottom line: while you can get almost the same velocity from 5.56 or 223 Rem that you can get out of factory 22 Nosler loads, you can't get almost a 95 grain bullet into an AR-15 mag in a 223 Rem or 5.56 NATO load. This picture is a 10 shot group at 200 yards with 68gr Hornady HPBT and RL15 while dialing in the scope. enjoy shooting a different flavor. You are failing to comprehend the point. When gusts died down, I had no problem hitting at distance with either rifle, but when the wind was rapidly changing speed, it was easier to get on target with the Valkyrie than with a 308 Win rifle of similar length, even when shooting match ammunition in the 308. Side note: with a sea level/standard temperature stability factor of 1.34, the 90gr Berger VLD at 2600 out of an 18" 1/7 224V barrel offers slightly greater stability than the shorter 85gr Nosler RDF at 2750 out of an 18" 1/8 22N barrel, which has a stability factor of 1.31. Both cartridges are supported by data, with the 22 Nosler data coming straight from Nosler and some of the best 224 Valkyrie data coming from Sierra Bullets. If available components are a major deciding factor nothing is as available as 223 ammo and brass. With every passing industry trade show, we are introduced to the next big thing, or little thing, as the case may be. It has succeeded because it offers excellent performance, low recoil, solid backing from a major ammunition manufacturer, and enables the use of long, high BC bullets in a semi-auto rifle magazine. You can pick up .223 Rem. Genealogy of the 224 ValkyrieMost new centerfire cartridges are based on current cases. This was important because thats the same rim diameter of the .223 Rem. I just received my Krieger/ white oak 24 inch barrel. I decided to build a Remington 700 223 bolt receiver. The 224 Valkyrie uses a .440 or SPC bolt face. While it is easy to find an SPC bolt for an MSR 15, they are less common in bolt action rifles. I had two options, I could either re-cut the bolt face or order a replacement bolt. Because 224 Valkyrie has a different pressure curve than 223 Remington, the gas system must be a different length. Weight Empty: 8 lbs 3.2 oz. The 22 Nosler, introduced just last year at SHOT Show, did not seem to be taking the AR world by storm when, less than a year later, news of the 224 Valkyrie broke over the horizon. SHOP NOW. Wing Tactical is your home for the widest selection of quality AR-15 parts, and we have the barrels, bolts and magazines you need to modify your rifle. Subscribe to our email list and get exclusive access to promotions, sales events and more! Bullet Weight: .224 Valkyrie. The .224 Valkyrie is a solid choice for long-range shooting. Photo Credit: Kestrel Meters. You might say the 224 Valkyrie began life as a .30 Rem., because the 112-year-old .30 Rem. Increased velocity helps everything except for felt recoil and barrel life. he keeps going. Is .224 Valkyrie Better than .308/6.5 Creedmoor? you protest. This is a 3.5x35 fixed power scope meant for use on the M240 machine gun and has a ballistic drop compensation reticle to match. Send us a message, and our experts will assist you in completing your build. What does that have to do with the 224 Valkyrie? It shoots incredibly flat, but will turn subsonic sooner than the Valkyrie and the wind will push it farther off course. You cannot paste images directly. Only 2600? Accuracy: At 1000 yards, the .224 Valkyrie has low wind-drift and rate of drop, making it an exceptional long-range contender. I have no problem getting to 1000 yds. However, both cartridges, from the look of their cases, will have decreased barrel life compared to 223 Rem. JavaScript is disabled. How many threads on this forum do you see for building rifles in .222? i scoped it and seen it was a big hog. Yeah, here we go, 98 will be your back-up. I guess I dont expect mass produced rifles to shoot like custom guns.. You keep running into big fuckers like that, and you just need to hunt with the M-2HB. Additionally, right now, even the least-expensive Valkyrie ammunition will cost you about 50 cents per trigger pull. Display as a link instead, Both 90-grain loads showed a bit more variance, but I consider this of no consequence since maximum muzzle velocity deviations with each rifle were larger than the difference due to barrel length. agree with southpaw. I have tested the 62gr 5.56 Fusion load and its 62/64gr Speer Gold Dot cousins, and think the 90gr 224V load will be extremely effective for deer and other similarly sized animals. IMO I just don't see its usefulness in a bolt rifle. You are making my point. But, like with the .223 Rem. Look at what is arguably the most popular new rifle cartridge of the last decade or so the 6.5 Creedmoor. Another thing I don't know: why 6.8 SPC wasn't 224 Valkyrie in the first place. Yes, there's now an 85 grain 22 Nosler load, but that's just getting started for the 224 Valkyrie, with 90gr factory loads and the new 95gr Sierra MatchKing available soon. The reasons might be unclear (I still like 260 Remington, dangit), performance from real world barrel lengths being underwhelming (327 Federal had such promise), or financial (big bore cartridges are awesome, but $2 a round chases people away pretty quick). In that case then why not go with a smaller case that will get the job done. If your eyes tend to glaze over when a lot of numbers come up on your screen, here are the basics: Aside from price, the biggest difference between 22 Nosler and 224 Valkyrie can be seen when we look at the twist rate and loads chosen by their respective manufacturers and backers. If you like shooting 308 Win and for some reason haven't jumped on the 6.5CM bandwagon, you'll love 224 Valkyrie, if only because the trajectories are so similar that you won't have to spend a ton of time memorizing a bunch of new holdovers and you'll have a better time dealing with wind, too. Recoil: The 6.8 SPC-based case holds more gunpowder than .223 cartridges and delivers great velocity, but retains a comparable level of recoil. Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Review: JP Enterprises SCR-11 Rifle in 224 Valkyrie, Top AR-15 Chamberings: 8 Great Do-It-All Loads, First Look: Federal Premium Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing 224 Valkyrie, Lessons Learned From a Ballistician | An Official Journal Of The NRA, CMP Milsurp Ammo In High Demand, .30 Carbine Online Sales Exhausted In One Week | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal, Review: Federal Top Gun With Paper Wad | An NRA Shooting Sports Journal, An Ultimate "Do-All" Rifle: My Case For the Steyr Scout | NRA Family, First Look: Mission First Tactical Multi Mount, Is It Right For You? Yes, I know I'm talking about the 50 cents per round 75gr FMJ load here, not target-specific bullets, but even $1.10 a round for match grade stuff is cheaper than most match grade 6.5 Creedmoor. I fully expect that, when other ammunition manufacturers choose to load 224 Valkyrie, we will see a 100-150fps bump but even if we don't, 224 Valkyrie is superior to both 223 Rem and 22 Nosler for long range shooting, if for no other reason than the case design allows for longer bullets that help buck wind better. The new A new large format pistol from the oldest gun manufacturer in the world. If you arent mag limited like with an AR, there are FAR better options in a bolt gun. The MPA mags have 14 round capacity. One 224 Valkyrie Range TestingModern shooters are like most people: Theyre more interested in what something can do for them than its history. He sure did eat good though!! The 6.5 CM pushes a 140gr bullet at around 2600fps. I let him walk right at me and about 120 yards i thought, lets see what this 224 will do. A simple twist of the adjustable gas block corrected both problems. The .224 Valkyrie also stacks up favorably with other chamberings common to the AR platform. I think the 224 Valkyrie is going to do very well in the marketplace, and I can't wait to see what ammunition options are available for it when other manufacturers start jumping into the game. Why bother shooting 1000 yards if you're not going to be extremely accurate? The following sections go a bit deeper into the differences between the two cartridges from a ballistic perspective. It also made shooting far more enjoyable. Paste as plain text instead, The cartridge's heavier weight adds velocity for improved resistance to wind-drift and better ballistic coefficient, helping you reach out and accurately connect with targets at greater distances. I know its a little scary, but you'll be fine! This was an interesting contrast for me, as the two rifles were roughly the same size and shape and could conceivably be used for the same purposes sure, 308 Win has some advantages, but as I soon found out, so did 224 Valkyrie. When it's time to step up for competition, you can spend the same buck-or-so a round to buy 90gr BTHP Federal Gold Medal Match ammunition. Even if we acknowledge that most of the Nosler product is match grade stuff with a heavier match bullet and move up to affordable brass cased 223 Rem with a 75gr BTHP, comparable Nosler ammo costs more than twice as much. Jimmy said ill take him, i said ok lets get him to camp. Assuming a constant 10mph wind, the difference in wind drift between the 22 Nosler 85 and the 224 Valkyrie shooting a Berger 90 VLD at 1000 yards is about the same as the difference between Hornady's 5.56 Superformance 75 and the 22 Nosler 85 RDF. so i flip the safety of and shoulder the gun and rip off 3 rounds in him.