Opinions on the .224 Valkyie...?

[NorsemanAlaska]

If this topic has been covered already then I apologize in advance. My wife and I have been hunters and shoters for over 45 years each but we now want to try our hand at novice-type long range bench rest shooting/plinking. Due to myself and my wife's older age group, another being lower cost and another being the simplicity of it; we want to purchase 2 each AR 15 uppers in .224 Valkyrie. I've done a bit of research about the cartridge to the point of emailing back and forth with Federal and Savage, comparing velocity, energy, "supersonic-out-to" yardage, etc. We wish to get out to 1,000 yards or so and we just like shooting together espcially with the AR platform. But recoil, firearm cost, ammo cost, etc, are concerns for us, so that's why we settled on the .224 Valkyrie instead of a Creedmoor, Grendal or SPC....We're interested to please hear some different opinions and input...Thank you in advance. Safe shooting.

 

[medic201]

I have been looking at the 224 for the same reasons. I have been shooting the 6.8 SPC a lot lately. The 224 is basically a necked down 6.8. Having a fast, flat shooting round with low recoil in a standard AR 15 upper is really appealing to me. The cost increase to build and shoot an AR 10 or proprietary AR based round doesn't interest me. My wife hates repeat hates the recoil of my AR 10. Here in Nevada the wind is always a factor, the 224 has very little wind drift so that's a plus as well.

 

[NorsemanAlaska]

I have been looking at the 224 for the same reasons. I have been shooting the 6.8 SPC a lot lately. The 224 is basically a necked down 6.8. Having a fast, flat shooting round with low recoil in a standard AR 15 upper is really appealing to me. The cost increase to build and shoot an AR 10 or proprietary AR based round doesn't interest me. My wife hates repeat hates the recoil of my AR 10. Here in Nevada the wind is always a factor, the 224 has very little wind drift so that's a plus as well.

I get it. All the same reasons we're going to do the 224 Valkyrie UNLESS someone can change my mind...Just get the upper for about $600 each, a good scope and there you go =-} Of course I'm sure some of the "purest" long range folks are cringing, but like you, I love the idea of a 1000 yard,m low recoil, fairly cheap ammo unpin and switch shooter out of a plain old AR 15 platform... Thanks and I appreciate your input...Shoot straight and shoot safe...

 

[medic201]

I get it. All the same reasons we're going to do the 224 Valkyrie UNLESS someone can change my mind...Just get the upper for about $600 each, a good scope and there you go =-} Of course I'm sure some of the "purest" long range folks are cringing, but like you, I love the idea of a 1000 yard,m low recoil, fairly cheap ammo unpin and switch shooter out of a plain old AR 15 platform... Thanks and I appreciate your input...Shoot straight and shoot safe...

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[IHFarmer07]

I think its going to go great! I'm taking my Remington 700 chambered in .223 and do a remage build in this caliber with a 24" 1-6.5 twist barrel, and I bought my first ar15 to still have a .223!
In my opinion, "now this is just an opinion, nobody go to hating" I think it will make the 22 nosler obsolete. Reason being, the case is built better on the .224V, I've been reading and researching and the .22 nosler cases can't handle the stock pressures and I don't know if theres problems with bolt guns in this caliber, never heard of one chambered for it. The one guy I had been watching on youtube, he has been having issues with the nosler and its been out for a year or more. Now he has been having issues with the .224V but it is a new cartridge and things aren't ironed out yet, even the twist of rifling haven't been perfected but been hearing the 1-6.5 is going to be ultimate. But the ammo is cheaper for the .224, the .224 can shoot from a 60g-90g-95g pill with better ballistics than with the .22 nosler with lighter bullet. From what I had seen and read also the most grain bullet the nosler can do is 85g for now, correct me if I'm wrong. I don't know but I think its perfect for someone needing something between the .223 and the .243 and not be a barrel burner like the .22-250, like I said I think it will be around for a long time.

 

[NorsemanAlaska]

I think its going to go great! I'm taking my Remington 700 chambered in .223 and do a remage build in this caliber with a 24" 1-6.5 twist barrel, and I bought my first ar15 to still have a .223!
In my opinion, "now this is just an opinion, nobody go to hating" I think it will make the 22 nosler obsolete. Reason being, the case is built better on the .224V, I've been reading and researching and the .22 nosler cases can't handle the stock pressures and I don't know if theres problems with bolt guns in this caliber, never heard of one chambered for it. The one guy I had been watching on youtube, he has been having issues with the nosler and its been out for a year or more. Now he has been having issues with the .224V but it is a new cartridge and things aren't ironed out yet, even the twist of rifling haven't been perfected but been hearing the 1-6.5 is going to be ultimate. But the ammo is cheaper for the .224, the .224 can shoot from a 60g-90g-95g pill with better ballistics than with the .22 nosler with lighter bullet. From what I had seen and read also the most grain bullet the nosler can do is 85g for now, correct me if I'm wrong. I don't know but I think its perfect for someone needing something between the .223 and the .243 and not be a barrel burner like the .22-250, like I said I think it will be around for a long time.

Yup, I agree. I did my YouTube and internet research like you did. I even emailed back and forth with Federal. They did ALL of their testing with a 24" semi heavy barrel with a 1/7 twist. Then Savage jumped in and started making the entire 224V AR rifle to sell for like $1400 BUT they only went with an 18" barrel. I emailed them back and forth asking why they only made the AR with only an 18" when the INVENTOR of the caliber (Federal) did all their testing with a 24". Savage said "Our engineers did the math". I call phooea and will stick with a 22" or 24" upper. I've found a couple of websites that are selling the 24" and several others the 22". They're going from $449 (Palmetto State Arms) up to $799 on Modern Marksman and Primary Arms....Anyway, good input and thanks for sharing it....

 

[IHFarmer07]

Yeah thanks! Here I know this is not a ar15 but.....sheds light on the .224 a little more with barrel length. This is a awesome site/reference place.
https://rifleshooter.com/2018/02/224-valkyrie-effect-of-barrel-length-on-velocity/

 

[NorsemanAlaska]

Yeah thanks! Here I know this is not a ar15 but.....sheds light on the .224 a little more with barrel length. This is a awesome site/reference place.
https://rifleshooter.com/2018/02/224-valkyrie-effect-of-barrel-length-on-velocity/

Thanks a lot for the link. I'd read that article a while back. That's what made me settle on the 22" in case I couldn't find a reasonably priced 24" upper.... There's also a mind set that an 18" works better due to less "barrel whip", but I'm not sure I buy into that, especially with the data in this article...Shoot safe...

 

[shooterpunk2]

In an ar15 I say do it, it's an awesome round. If you're talking a bolt gun, why not go for 22-250 right twist barrel (1:6.5). It was way better ballistics.

 

[IHFarmer07]

In an ar15 I say do it, it's an awesome round. If you're talking a bolt gun, why not go for 22-250 right twist barrel (1:6.5). It was way better ballistics.

The 22-250 is a great caliber but that is not what I want. A 22-250 is only made to shoot up to 80grain bullets with with a 1-9 unless you get the AI with a 1-6.5 a which is what you need to stabilize 90's is what I read a little on, yes I could get 90's but I don't reload and I doubt there is any factory rounds loaded that high. You also would need to change barrels for a different twist if you wanted to shoot lighter bullets in the 40-55 grain because I doubt a 1-6.5 will do good with those, that's why I have a .223 as well. Now the .224V is made for the heavier bullets and will have better ballistics, barrel life and I won't have to reload to get any of that out of a .224. Also if I ever wanted to use it in my ar, there it is again, it's the better solution for me in me building a bolt gun in this caliber and also it's different, there is not many .224V bolt guns out there in this caliber yet and I bet it will prove to be just as good if not better than a 22-250 in the long run. For me this is what I want, probably don't NEED it but it's what I want because for me it makes since to have such a versatile cartridge that can do everything a 22-250 can do and then some. The .224V may not be as fast or flat shooting as the 22-250 but neither is some other great rounds that are just a good.

 

[stwcattle]

I too have been thinking of re barreling a JP i got NIB to 224V
Noticing JP has gone with a 20''. Proof offering carbon wrapped in 18'', 20'' and 22''
A 22'' Proof might be what I would go with.

 

[IHFarmer07]

I too have been thinking of re barreling a JP i got NIB to 224V
Noticing JP has gone with a 20''. Proof offering carbon wrapped in 18'', 20'' and 22''
A 22'' Proof might be what I would go with.

From what I've been reading and hearing, everyone is going to a 1-6.5 twist barrel might be the all around twist rate.

 

[stwcattle]

Proof and JP have gone with 1-7's

 

[NorsemanAlaska]

In an ar15 I say do it, it's an awesome round. If you're talking a bolt gun, why not go for 22-250 right twist barrel (1:6.5). It was way better ballistics.

I started this entire string due to my wife and I wanting a AR15 platform rifle that would shoot to 1,000. Thanks.