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I can put 10 times more firings on the BRA brass than the .223 brass... and have significantly more accuracy/precision and higher performance even at extremely low mild loads... which leads to much longer barrel life.
Like Bud Light, I like the Valkyrie. I find it fun to shoot and relatively forgiving when it comes to light breezes. Is it a pain in the backside to load for, perhaps but I find that as a challenge I choose to accept.As a kid I shot a 26 inch 22-250. I got over my days of barrel burner bragging rights shooting long ago and I got into practicality and common sense.I got into match grade ar15's. I don't have any experience with a 223AI. because my research showed that the case only gained about 2 grains of powder. I'm not sure that right in the burn rate chart if there is powder to take advantage of this minor volume change. I generally load with CFE223 and power pro 2000 -mr. Right up at 5.56 pressures around 60,000 psi using rifle and rifle +2 inch gas tube holes on piston guns
In 2022 I bought a 224 Valkyrie because the 223 IMO is limited to 75 grain bullets. Because the neck is too short and the magazine length limits you on COL. Also 223 Rem heavies become horribly slow out of even out of 20 and 24 inch barrels. I actually only use 62 and 69 grain because I perfected them over time in my 223 stuff. RMR sells .223 69 hpBT for about 14 cents each these days for 1000.
Cheap fun shooting like my Wyoming PD shooting where I go through 300 rounds per day I use cheap bulk bullets 55 or 62gr hpbt out of a 223. But I always bring along my trusty 224 valkyrie 24 inch AR loaded with 75 gr match bullets
223 Rem + 223 AI Cartridge Guide
223 Rem Guide for .223 Remington reloading, 223 Rem accuracy, .223 Rem hunting, 223 AI and 5.56x45 rifles. 223 Remington Brass, 22 bullets, powder, primers and loading dies for .223 Remington. Ballistics drop chart for .223 Rem, .223 Ackley AI, 2-250. 223 Remington Black rifle, service rifle...www.6mmbr.com
224 Valkyrie vs 223 Remington | Field & Stream
The 223 is hard to beat, but when it comes to the 224 Valkyrie vs the 223 Rem., which of these cartridges is better?www.fieldandstream.com
Interesting… I'm very curious what do you get for barrel life on your 22 BRA barrels, Greg?I can put 10 times more firings on the BRA brass than the .223 brass... and have significantly more accuracy/precision and higher performance even at extremely low mild loads... which leads to much longer barrel life.
So, no... my statement stands.
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Correct, I'm seeing very similar barrel life, with several thousand rounds of sub-1/4moa performance when using heavy bullets. The first round hit percentage in the dog town out here on the prairie is much much higher with .22cal bullets in the 75-80gr weight range than the light bullets. A 26" 22BRA running a 75 eldm at 3050fps is ultra mild, and can be shot to the cadence of 30+ rounds per minute before being allowed to cool, with no averse affects to precision, accuracy, or barrel longevity. At this speed, the brass is virtually indestructible and I have no idea how many firings it would actually take to ruin it. At 3150fps, brass life is diminished, but it's still usually good for well over 50-60 firings.
I tried to beat Orkan to the punch - 22BRA may be the answer.
Well I haven't done a promo for the .22BRA yet... but I did one on the .20BRA. So here's that video:
Your observations of 53 grain Vmax bullets is just the opposite of mine. I shoot them out of 8 twist 22-250's and 8 twist 220 Swifts and have never had a one go puff in thin air at 50 yards! And I have cranked them above the 3650-3700 FPS threshold you indicated it has been happening to you. The only "puffs" that I have observed with the 8 twist 22-250's and Swifts (four different rifles with Mike Rock, two Brux and Douglas barrels) have been threefold. 1. When shooting at paper they puffed in the berm. 2. When shooting at prairie dogs or gophers they went puff when I missed the target. 3. When I hit the priaire dog of gopher, they puffed in the critter when they blew the snot out of them.
Well I haven't done a promo for the .22BRA yet... but I did one on the .20BRA. So here's that video:
I talk a bit about the "BR" cartridge lineage in that video. Should help you get started on figuring things out.
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I know AI chambers can shoot the parent case by design. I have AIs in .223, .260 and 7mm-08. It is still fire forming brass by definition.
If AR compatibility is what you're after... you won't be able to do the BR/BRA's. You need to look at the new .22ARC from hornady, if that's you're thing.
