.224 Valkyrie Build

[Fireball1394]

Hey all. I'm curious if anyone has done any builds, or purchased a .224 Valkyrie rifle. I gotta say, it all almost sounds too good to be true. A .22 caliber round with the energy and balistics of a 6.8 SPC, seems it would make for a great varmint gun as well as a long range plinker.
But now the debate. Buy a complete .224 Valkyrie, build one, or just have a dedicated upper to swap out with my standard AR15. I've heard great things about the CMMG .224 rifle, but I'm also intrigued by some of the other companies that are doing just uppers. Anyone have any input?

 

[akethan]

I'm in the LaRue buildAR club and bought a couple of barrels. I installed one in my LaRue Stealth 2.0 chassis a few weeks ago but haven't had to time make it to the range.

 

[bonzaiberger]

I have a 20" PSA upper on the way. They are on sale right now.

 

[roscott]

I gotta say, it all almost sounds too good to be true. A .22 caliber round with the energy and balistics of a 6.8 SPC, seems it would make for a great varmint gun as well as a long range plinker.

I think a bit of your information may in fact be too good to be true. While the Valkyrie looks like an impressive round, and may have the ballistics of 6.8SPC, it does not have the energy, unless you are only considering retained energy past 800 yards or so. This article posts a comparison of 6.5 Grendel (which starts out with less energy than 6.8 SPC) and the Valkyrie. For paper punching, the Valkyrie looks very impressive, but at hunting or usual combat ranges, its energy is still ‘meh’ IMHO.

The AR-15's Creedmoor? .224 Valkyrie vs. .22 Nosler and 6.5 Grendel (Modern Intermediate Calibers 025) - The Firearm BlogThe Firearm Blog

 

[Rookie]

I'm wondering about the 22 nosler. Seems to be close to 22-250 speeds.

 

[Ggreen]

I'm wondering about the 22 nosler. Seems to be close to 22-250 speeds.

Nosler backs up their loads, but that round came and went fast. Midway did a huge push on release with them and ended up clearancing the uppers at 30 to 40 percent off within 3 months. I believe federal will push the valk well into the future. They use the same case as 6.8spc, and federal has a few military contracts to supply ammo for that round. 224 lets them diversify their brass when contract slumps come through.

I think both rounds have good companies backing them. Based solely on my observation as a frequent firearms consumer the 224 has a lot of industry momentum behind it. Everyone is making a 224, seems to be paralleling the popularity rise of the Grendel. The 22Nosler has a small, but high quality group of manufacturers behind it.

Federal advertises that their 90gr 224 load will 391" of drop at 1k and the 22nosler 77gr has 481" of drop with more wind drift. Of course that is from the manufacturer of the round lol.

 

[sig1473]

I'm more interested in the 277 Wolverine. 6.8SPC projectiles in 5.56 brass.
https://www.maddogweapons.com/277-wolverine.html

 

[NyleRN]

Needs to be 6.5 twist rate at a minimum

 

[avboiler11]

Needs to be 6.5 twist rate at a minimum

Nah...

90SMK @ 2500fps from a 1:7 barrel, at 500’ ASL/59F/29.92Hg/0%RH has a stability of 1.69.

PLENTY stable...

 

[tallpaulr]

Does anyone have a few fired brass for that 224 Val? I have a 22PDK, and i am sure they are almost the same of close enough to reform them for what i need. Thanks

 

[Mgderf]

What is the rate of throat erosion on the .224?
Seems like it might burn up barrels fast at those speeds.

 

[tallpaulr]

depends on how the neck is formed out on the brass. longer neck does better to hold off that erosion as well as the geometry of the case shoulders and how it focuses the flame out of the case. But in general yes, more speed from more powder will equal more erosion and well the faster you shoot it like through and ar the harder is it on things. less time to cool.

 

[tsilveus]

I've done alot of research the last couple of weeks on the 224 valkyrie. I was going to purchase a 6.5 creedmore for long range, but after my research, I will wait until the market produces more bolt guns (probably savage) and purchase a 224. Cheaper to shoot, less recoil, smaller frame, supersonic to 1300. I am not worried about the energy as i will only use it for varmints and steel.

 

[42769vette]

I've done alot of research the last couple of weeks on the 224 valkyrie. I was going to purchase a 6.5 creedmore for long range, but after my research, I will wait until the market produces more bolt guns (probably savage) and purchase a 224. Cheaper to shoot, less recoil, smaller frame, supersonic to 1300. I am not worried about the energy as i will only use it for varmints and steel.

The main advantage to the valkyrie is the ability to run in the AR platform. Running one in a bolt would kill the benefit of the cartridge.

 

[Ggreen]

The main advantage to the valkyrie is the ability to run in the AR platform. Running one in a bolt would kill the benefit of the cartridge.

I kind of agree, but on the other hand I want a 300blk bolt gun...

 

[42769vette]

I kind of agree, but on the other hand I want a 300blk bolt gun...

I considered a 300BLK bolt gun for awhile so I could suppress it, and not hear the bolt slam shut.

 

[gglass]

I am currently building one up from the following components:

Colt Competition Upper & Lower
CMMG 24" .224 Barrel
CMMG Matched BCG
CMC Match Trigger
Magpul PRS3 Stock
Midwest Industries 15" GEN II SS Series M-LOK Handguard
Toric UHD 4-20x50 MOA/MOA LR Scope with Custom Etched Turret

She should be a shooter!

 

[tsilveus]

It's definitely an advantage of the round (ar platform) but not one I particularly care about. The ballistic coefficient for long range shooting in a cheaper round with less recoil is what I was intetested in.

 

[Ggreen]

So is there any advantage over 22-250 in a bolt gun?

 

[tsilveus]

From what I've researched, yes. Much less drop at 1000 and much less wind drift at a 1000.