Got a .224 valkyrie

Couldn't take it, I bought a left hand for south paw my middle son. Hoping I can find some brass before next deer season or sooner to do some testing on hogs. I bought 10 boxes of federal ammo, guess I'll shoot those and sort out the brass and try and work up a load. Time to see what all the hype's about more than likely its just the new girl in town. Main reason I bought it is for the 90gr bullet, he's been shooting deer with AR15 556 62gr barnesX which does surprisingly well on deer within 200yds.

Hope ya got the 1-6.5 twist few guys at work have 1-7's and haven't been getting good results with 90gr anything less than 85gr has been good. Hornady website has load data. It's got my intrigue A LOT

Nope got the 7. Not expecting to get sub-moa out of factory ammo but hoping to tighten it up with handloads.

Not even Johnny’s Reloading Bench (YouTube) could get the 1x7 twist to shoot the 90 grainers

70gr rdf would be what I'd tried to get going. BC of most non VLD type match pills and makes up speed being a 70gr

Still gonna try the impossible.

If I can't get to shoot 90's I'm going to replace the barrel.

I sighted in a new Savage AR in 224 Valkyrie last week. Shot factory 60 and 90 gr factory loads during sight-in
The 90gr in that gun shot way better than the 60gr. It was a 7 twist and the 60gr had extremely high ES like 150fps which may have been the issue. They were 2.5 inch groups at 100 but the 90 gr hovered around .75 to MOA at 100.
Just a guess but might be that around here at low elevations the bullets may be stable while it warm but not when it get really cold?
Talked to my AR gunsmith who is in Minnesota and he said he was seeing stability issues with 90 so he has Shilen making him a large batch of 6.5 twist Rachet barrels. I have a cheap barreled 223 complete Upper I traded for so I am sending it to him for a custom barrel replacement and decided to go Valkyrie.

Bad side for now is all brass is Federal and hard to find. The factory rounds I fired and reloaded already seemed to have loose primer pockets..... typical of Federal brass. Will be shopping for some other source for sure.
I loaded 75 gr Amax in the factory empties so will see how that works.

I am very interested in this round and will be building a Valkyrie sometime this year. Love the idea of the reduced recoil and long range yardage in one platform.

Waiting for my upper to come in, I better check the twist I suppose.

The Valkyrie is a pretty intriguing round for ARs for sure.

Midsouth Shooters has Starline Brass

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/i...kyrie-250-count

ya'll better look out there could be a bolt action .22 Val headed this way.

And "they" said it wasn't a bolt gun cartridge...

I'm just waiting on the scope to come in then I'll find out if I need to order another barrel.

To what end?

What's the point?

I want to buy it at a discount when he gets tired of it and sells it. I hear Savage is going to introduce a bolt this summer.

Mossberg


and there is one badazz chassis gun coming out really does have my attention, but the chassis is pretty heavy. I'm past the 16# rifle stage in my life.

maybe one more

Why not just get a 1:7" 22/250 if you want a bolt gun, way more good brass around, and the 22/250 is going to be around forever.

Exactly!

That what I'd do for a bolt action........AR platform, 22 Valkyrie supposed to be efficient in AR platform, time will tell.

I just read that Hornady is coming out with factory ammo for it, plus all the reloading goodies. Congratulations on your new acquisition!!

IME hornady's brass primer pocket prematurely get loose especially if your shooting a warm load. Hoping Nosler / Norma start producing brass for it.

S&B makes the best 6.8 brass at the moment.

I have a .284win I load alot for and I load for alot of people I shoot with and some of my dads customers, it requires alot of brass prep when using new brass, after the neck is expanded (6.5 to .284) and the necks are turned its not to bad for the life duration of the brass . I hate brass prep so I don't want another one that I have to neck down, I don't have the time.

That was directed at Buzz. Sure the .224 Valkyrie is great in an AR, that's what it was made for. But it does not make any sense in a bolt action.

A Valkyrie makes as much sense in a bolt action as a 223 Remington.

Which one is extremely easy, and cheap to get brass for?

I'll wait.

Valkyrie?

Didn't take your meds yet, today?

oops

Good for you, and good luck with your new rifle!
https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/224-valkyrie-88-gr-eld-match#!/

So Valkyrie is good for AR but not for bolt action because of brass availability. You don’t need brass for an AR?

Right now it is looking like you have to buy ammo, brass alone is not very available. Yes, it produces more speed with a heavy for caliber bullet, and fits in an AR platform. It out performs the .223/5.56mm in that aspect.

When a guy wants to produce high speed with a heavy for caliber .224 bullet, and is not restricted to the AR platform parameters, the .223, .223 A.I., the .22-250, .220 Swift, and .22-243 are all options, that have been doing it a long time, have plenty of brass available, and all but one on that list will out perform the Valkyrie.

I've recently been shooting the pee out of a .223 A.I. fire forming, with 80 gr ELD-M. And to say having one is pointless is just not so. It is a ton of fun to shoot! I am getting the same practice, with a bolt action that handles exactly like my 6.5 Creedmoor, but I am burning literally half the powder, and saving barrel life on the 6.5 Creedmoor. And it runs on widely available brass. Some guys go the Lake City route (very inexpensive and very plentiful) some go the Lapua route. I went with Lapua. I am told a ~3000 round barrel life, and I am asking 400 pieces to get there. They may make their way over to the next barrel, I don't know, only time will tell.

The only thing I will chime in and say is a fair number of production bolt guns in 22-250 do not have a fast twist for the heavies. Although if you rebarrel it doesn’t matter


Personally I would go with 223 ai if I was rebarreling. Lots of brass and not hugh differ differnce to 224v. If I wanted a step up then 22 creed is where I would go.

Can my current .223 barrel be re-chambered in AI or would I be better off buying a new barrel?

I'm dying to do a new project which wont cost $5,000

Hey scottfromhornady. I've missed you.

JG,

I'm just messing with your logic. If the Valkyrie becomes popular, I can see it making sense in a factory bolt action. It would be similar to a Creedmoor, plug in play VS having to build a fast twist 22-250. I doubt I will ever buy one. I have too many rifles I don't shoot enough. I'm just being a little bit of a troll.

I'm going back to my safe space now.

Light a candle in that Prius tonight. It's gonna get chilly.

You're not upsetting me. I know you're one of the guys I can have a conversation with.

If you can sweet talk Tony into re-chambering. He does not like doing that. A new barrel $350, though.

Buzz with with me, we are talking bolt action Valkyries.

Gotta go, I'm making us some peach daiquiris.

don't think I won't drink one of those with you and Buzz. Make mine a double.

Hornady now has ammo!
sweet

I really think the Valkyrie is going to be popular. A lot of the younger shooters have grown up only shooting 223 with the recent explosive popularity of ARs. They are not used to heavier recoil. Valkyrie gives them a plug in play system like the Creedmoor but with similar recoil of a 223, I think it's going to be a big seller.

It will be a big seller, no doubt. And I can see good use for it in an AR platform. It still doesn't make sense, in a bolt action, FOR THE HAND LOADER

Oh dear. I'm going back to my safe place.

I might still have your address. I can come console you.

Only bad thing for the hand loader with the AR is locating brass after shooting especially when you roll up on pigs and things start flying.

I am going to find it interesting to see how 224v actually works at distance. I understand the benefits in an ar and the limitations in a bolt to hand loader.

But how easily is it going to be to see impact at distance with an 70-100 grain projectile. I know one of the downsides of 6mm creed over 6.5mm is the mass of the bullet and seeing impact at range. I would think stepping the bullet down again would have a similiar effect.

My 80 gr .224 ELD-M that are currently 2800 fps, can be seen at 800 yards. But you're right, that far, and farther it begins to get tough to see. Lighting and mirage play a big part. Now we have the reactive target flashers for so many guys running light bullets that far. They sure are handy even for the 6.5's.

i just don’t know where that drop off in visibility/detection occurs and what are the most important factors.

I think if I slap a 400-800$ scope it will be even harder. Lower light as you pointed out hurts as well.

I wonder if you could go to a thinner target for smaller calibers to create more movement. Reactive targets certainly help