Keep your gear handy when it's not on your belt. A year after 22 Nosler hit the market, we still aren't seeing these options, just the high-end stuff. Before its inception, longer range shooting was dominated by larger caliber bolt rifles or large framed ARs in .308 Winchester and 6.5 Creedmoor. While the 6.5 CM is still better on paper, the .224 Valkyrie can fit within an AR-15 magazine well. The science behind it is justified as well, even though I was a HUGE skeptic. Only 2600? Well, there is something to that, to be sure. AR-10 / LR-308 Complete Upper Receiver Assemblies, AR-10/LR-308 Buffers, Buffer Tubes, and Kits, Shop All AR-15 Complete Upper Receiver Assemblies, Shop All AR-10 / LR-308 Complete Upper Receiver Assemblies, Shop All AR-10 / LR-308 Upper Receiver Parts, Shop All AR-10 / LR-308 Lower Receiver Parts, Shop All Handgun Barrels & Muzzle Devices, Shop All Bipods / Monopods & Accessories. However, the Recon just did not like the 60-grain Ballistic Tip load. The cost of factory ammo is more than the 223 and just slightly less than the 308 which I also enjoy . For its .224 Valkyrie test, RifleShooter.com sourced a Shilen Match Barrel and fitted it to a Rem 700 short action employing a one-piece PT&G bolt with the required .440 (SPC-sized) bolt-face. A 22-24" 6.5 creed gas gun gun should have no problem pushing those bullets to 2600. No they arent average guns. This approval is critical because it standardizes the manufacture of guns and ammo, opening up for the production of both by any manufacturer. i scoped it and seen it was a big hog. I get better results than what you are posting with a 223 rem using Lapua brass and 80gr elds. Muzzle Velocity: 3,300 feet per second (1,451 ft-lbs of muzzle energy) The .224 Valkyrie is a very well designed cartridge that offers marginal advantages over similar cartridges like the .223 Remington and .22 Nosler. 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. Of course, this is true with many cartridges, and is likely to be true with 224 Valkyrie. If hunting with a .224" diameter bullet is legal in your state, I think the Fusion offering is going to be very effective. With the valkyrie and cartridges like @padoms along with all the 6mm s available it's getting tight in performance. I did, however, ask Sierra about the stability of the new 95gr SMK out of an 18" 1/7 twist barrel, and their ballistic technician said I'd be fine with that combination. But one way to get better terminal ballistics is to shoot a heavier/longer bullet of the same caliber, and 6.8 SPC, from what I have seen, shortens the effective range of the M4 instead of lengthening it while 224 Valkyrie increases both terminal effectiveness and range. To find out, I tested two rifles chambered for it. (r.) In the past, enhanced ballistics were achieved with greater powder capacities in longer cases. The JP rifle handled all four loads equally well with the same gas block setting. This is where the 224V starts to make its superiority known over the 22N. In contrast, the 224 Valkyrie caused the range safety officer (who seemed to take a particular interest in the rifles I was shooting) to immediately comment on how loud the impact sound was when I was making hits. There is, however, a sizable contingent of the gun owning population that can benefit from the advantages of 224 Valkyrie, and even some of the folks who would be "fine" with 5.56 would be better off with 224 Valkyrie. The 224 Valkyrie is based on the 6.8 SPC case and retains the same rim diameter. it tore a gaping hole on exit. In fact, 50 cents a shot for 224 Valkyrie is not far away from current prices for surplus 7.62x51 NATO ammunition. IMO I just don't see its usefulness in a bolt rifle. Because 224 Valkyrie has a different pressure curve than 223 Remington, the gas system must be a different length. You can use factory Federal cases or the newly available Starline brass. The best you can do is a 77. 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. 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 you dam sho don't want to get in the middle of that Long story short, it was one very expensive day for the old man, those basker's fought to the death, when it was all said and done, they both dropped over DEAD! There are many different kinds of pistols out there, and whats right for one person might not be right for you. The .224 Valkyrie uses a faster 1:7 twist, thereby giving the ability to 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. The only reliability issues experienced during the firing of hundreds of rounds of 224 Valkyrie ammunition were with the Savage Recon LRP. . I did shoot "Miss Wilson" yesterday, but my1951 FN 98 Mauser in .270 Winchester showed us both how its done! Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. Caliber: 224 Valkyrie - WC-15 Platform. All-new 224 Valkyrie isnt just another cartridge. Little light hitting for such a big animal, so damn good shot. Barrel life gains are getting bigger and new bullets change things fast. Many other people simply don't have access to a range where the added power of 224 Valkyrie is going to make a difference. [4] See also 5 mm caliber List of AR platform cartridges References This also kept overall cartridge length short enough to work in standard 6.8 SPC magazines. 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. Talk to a fellow shooter. 1-1.5 MOA most folks are fine with an AR. And, I think, many people shooting 600 yard competitions with 223 Rem/5.56 NATO rifles would be just fine sticking with that they have and what they know. Some catch on while others fade into obscurity. WebHere we take the .224 Valkyrie head to head with the 6.8 SPC. 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. Everyone I've talked to has had a hard time getting it much better than 1.5 @ 100yd. Since the OP said he pretty much built a JP .308 except for the receiver I'd suggest either getting a JP upper in 6.5 Creedmoor, or going with the 6.5 Grendel. Varmint hunters? When it comes to hitting at distance, the 6.5 Creedmoor has become the cartridge of choice in bolt-action rifles. And most are fully capable of this. The following sections go a bit deeper into the differences between the two cartridges from a ballistic perspective. 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. 224 Valkyrie Range TestingModern shooters are like most people: Theyre more interested in what something can do for them than its history. Well, just after the turn of the 21st century, an enterprising wildcatter from Illinois by the name of Roy Winnett created the 22 PDK (Prairie Dog Killer.) One I don't think that the T-Zone shooting works on hogs, because of how damn thick the top of their head is. that would make a great movie, you guys should have TV show! Stay up to date on all of our reviews, articles, sales, and giveaway winners! We have suspended all shipments to Washington residents due to the signing of HB1240. No, it's not entirely fair to compare 18" with 20" barrels, but it's not likely that you would see more than a 50fps bump by going to a 20" 22 Nosler barrel. What state was this in? The main reason for the drastic differences in trajectory at 1,000 I came to the table with no expectations and haven't been disappointed. There are simply too many versatile and purpose-built munitions to choose from. I love it in bolt action and shoot it all the time. WebThe .224 Valkyrie (5.641 mm) [5] cartridge is a .22 caliber (5.6 mm) rimless bottlenecked intermediate rifle cartridge, developed by Federal Premium Ammunition to rival the performance of the .22 Nosler, while still being compatible with modern sporting rifles (MSRs). 224 VALKYRIE- Effect of barrel length on velocity New cartridges come and go. In that case then why not go with a smaller case that will get the job done. 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Anyone who has bought a 6.5mm Creedmoor in the last ten years is a prime customer for a 224 Valkyrie rifle. Trajectory: Though the two calibers use bullets of the same diameter, the .224 Valkyrie is capable of supporting longer, heavier designs for better aerodynamics, giving it a flatter, more dependable trajectory. The WOA shoots the FGMM 90s sub moa, as well as my handloads (80 elds and 95smks). WebThe difference between 224 Valkyrie and 22-250 Remington is their effective range and the bullet weights they fire. Take it out of the equation and the average becomes more respectable. We've spent more than enough time discussing why I think 224 Valkyrie sounds good on paper. This round is relatively new to the scene, so it's just beginning to catch the attention of some shooters who've remained devoted to the tried-and-true .223 Remington. As I wrote when I edited the 13th edition of Cartridges of the World in 2012: While the cartridge [22 PDK] does not offer a substantial advantage over the .22-250 Rem. First time out I wasn't even properly zeroed and was making hits out to 900 yards. 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. Send us a message, and our experts will assist you in completing your build. What was the estimated energy and speed on impact at that range? WebThose were the primary objectives of the engineers at Wilson Combat when they designed the SS-15 Super Sniper-- and the result far exceeded our expectations. i'm headed back to camp here in a bit. Besides I like to build obscure calibers and beat those "know-it-alls" with the latest and greatest store bought precision whatevers. Honest question: How do you track hits and misses at that kind of range with something as small as 224V? The 224 Valkyrie is based on the 6.8 SPC case. It also made shooting far more enjoyable. .224 Valkyrie rounds come in various grains and styles designed for competition shooting, hunting varmints and taking down medium-sized game. Often, especially at 500 and beyond, one must listen very carefully for the telltale sound of a hit when using 223 Rem. I personally think the 6.5 grendel is a better choice than 224v. Ive built 3 to date in AR platforms, one 22 6.5t WOA and two 24 1:7.5t Rainier Arms Ultramatch. 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. What does that have to do with the 224 Valkyrie? The 224 Valkyrie was designed to shoot heavier bullets up to While you might be able to get your old .223 mag to work, it Recoil: The 6.8 SPC-based case holds more gunpowder than .223 cartridges and delivers great velocity, but retains a comparable level of recoil. Genealogy of the 224 ValkyrieMost new centerfire cartridges are based on current cases. The MPA mags have 14 round capacity. I thus built a rifle using an 18" Rock Creek stainless barrel provided by Rainier Arms. Accuracy: At 1000 yards, the .224 Valkyrie has low wind-drift and rate of drop, making it an exceptional long-range contender. Have yet to see a 224v that shoots well thats not a custom build. 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. In a time when finding a receipt for $99 cases of ammo from 2001 can cause me to weep for the prices of old, shooting more for less is a good thing. 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. Yes with cheaper options you run a larger risk of getting a lemon but more often than not this is not an unattainable goal. Don't get me wrong - I'd LOVE to get a hog like that with the M-2!!! Founded by Frank Galli in 2000, Snipers Hide has been offering informational videos, podcasts, and other support to its users in one location. Those who live in the generalized world will be quick to point out the 22 Nosler already does this. Note that 22 Nosler brass currently costs 20 cents more per case than a loaded round of 224 Valkyrie. just wear your earplugs, lol, when that big hog charges you and 98, he will open up on all that ham and prolly melt that barrel! I enjoyed shooting the 224 but with little chance to stretch the distance out I like the per shot cost of my 223 a lot more , and as I do not yet reload I have no experience on how easy or fickle they could be . For some, that wouldn't be a problem, and they'd never dream of shooting the cheapest brass case factory ammo they could find. WebThe new 224 Valkyrie is based on a 6.8 SPC case necked down to .22 caliber. Its explosive expansion provides a violent energy release on impact for quick kills on varmints and predators. As you can see from the numbers above, the .224 Valkyrie consistently held muzzle energies around 1,450 ft-lbs or more, while the .223 Remington was in the mid to I've owned and shot most everything and like playing with different rounds. The 6.5 CM pushes a 140gr bullet at around 2600fps. ComparisonYou are probably wondering where the 224 Valkyrie is positioned when all the commercially available cartridges compatible with the AR-15 platform are considered.