224 Valkyrie

Discussion about 5.56mm ARs

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bearcatrp
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Re: 224 Valkyrie

Post by bearcatrp »

Have thought about just getting an upper. Hope the prices aren't nuts but do want a quality upper. Can swap between my 300 BO. Would be cheaper than a full setup. Kind of figured heavier bullets will come out for this caliber. Closer we get to SHOT, think more manufacturers will announce support for 224 Valkyrie.
BC98
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Re: 224 Valkyrie

Post by BC98 »

Ballistic Edge wrote: I feel that if this caliber takes off the bullet manufactures will be right behind with heaver longer bullets like 100 or 110 gr vld's. One of the factory loads available is a 100 gr pill along with factory loaded 90 grain sierra vld pills. Since federal is marketing the parent company will make the rest happen. If you think about it it is real smart as a light recoiling rifle will bring a lot more shooters in to the fast growing precision shooting arena in particular woman and children. Why do you think initial factory ammo offering is a match type design.

Down side is at the moment there are no off the shelf dies and components available. all components are being held till after the shot show and official roll out. I have been told there will be a blitz. We will see. But feel that they really want you to buy the factory stuff.
Phil
Federal will not be offering a 100gr Fusion load anymore, it was switched to a 90gr projectile. Also, the 90gr Matchking is not a VLD bullet so should not be as jump sensitive as the Berger bullets. Though, I do see an advantage to the bolt gun in that the longer bullets can be loaded past AR mag length restrictions for optimum jump and velocity.

RCBS die sets for .224 Valkyrie are currently available. It also appears that Redding will be offering die sets, as well. Brass will be available (I found a couple of sites that have it up but listed as out of stock) but will likely not come until all of the loaded ammo is completed and shipped to distributors.
Ballistic Edge
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Re: 224 Valkyrie

Post by Ballistic Edge »

While I am sorry for using the VLD term after the 90 grain pill. I was thinking of the Berger and JLK offerings currently available and much more suitable to my project as well as my customer as you mention BC98. Sorry for the confusion. While this cartridge is designed for the AR platform as you mention I feel it will really shine in a bolt gun.

To digress for a moment. I once took on a basket case problem where someone built a AR in 6/223. The barrel was ordered in 1-8 twist and marketed by a major player in the AR market. It would only shoot 1 load about 1 moa if lucky. the rest of anything loaded looked like a shotgun pattern. The guy was so upset he took it off and I bought the dies and barrel. I looked at the system and saw there was a lot of issues in trying to get longer heavy 6mm bullets loaded to fit into a 223 AR mag. the bullets were loaded way to deep and I felt the geometry was causing ignition issues. I took the barrel, converted the barrel and made a adapter to fit it into a bolt rifle. welded up the gas port, and loaded dummies with the bullets seated correctly and throated so all would chamber correctly. It changed the setup so it went from you were lucky to get a group of 1 inch with 1 load to shooting a mixed hodgepodge of different ammo into 1/2-3/4 in groups. all of this with a POS scope you could hardly see through. Just correcting the ignition issues corrected the problem and now will shoot just about anything.

BTW

IDK for sure but I think things change quite rapidly. The press release dated Nov 2nd says Federal will offer both 90 and 100 gr choices. In 60 days a lot can happen within a major corporation. So if it is as you say then they have changed their mind.
It is safe to also say until after the shot show it is all up for grabs. As well as what actually ends up in the hands of the retailers all may change again.

While RCBS says they have a die set. very few if any are released. Major retailers like Midway a week ago was not stocking the brass and dies but they do have the ammo in limited supply, Brownells just received RCBS dies and have them on their site available but do not list brass, but they also have the ammo and list a 90 grain fusion load. I have not checked midway this week. But as of now Midway does not list brass or dies on their site.

While I am not clairvoyant. For myself at this present moment brass and dies are the least of the issues as of more of importance is the gauges from PTG and cutting the rifling in the barrel. By the time shot show is over and things start to fall in place, and my barrels are ready, I am sure things will be different.
Have a great day, God bless and Happy New Year
Phil
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BoomerVF14
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Re: 224 Valkyrie

Post by BoomerVF14 »

I haven't seen any posts in any forum I've checked where someone explains how buying a 224V upper gets me anything that a 65G upper doesn't do better. Not trying to troll. I just don't get it.
BC98
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Re: 224 Valkyrie

Post by BC98 »

BoomerVF14 wrote:I haven't seen any posts in any forum I've checked where someone explains how buying a 224V upper gets me anything that a 65G upper doesn't do better. Not trying to troll. I just don't get it.
That's difficult to tell without knowing what your uses for Grendel are.

Personally, my plan is to shoot some PRS type matches and I would prefer to use a small-frame AR with factory ammo, where possible. 224 Valkyrie provides me with a flatter shooting round that has less drop at 1000 yards with off-the-shelf ammo from Federal (my preference). Hunting isn't an important consideration for me but I might take it prairie dog hunting given the opportunity.
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BoomerVF14
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Re: 224 Valkyrie

Post by BoomerVF14 »

Fair point, I get that - the highest BC bullets at 6.5mm are around 142gr, and I don't see any factory Grendel loads for that projectile. Makes no sense to me to see a 90gr .224 bullet compared to a 123gr 6.5. Apples to oranges.
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smustian
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Re: 224 Valkyrie

Post by smustian »

Great review from MAC (Military Arms Channel). 90g bullet BC of .563 !!

https://www.full30.com/video/071135acad ... ubscribers
bearcatrp
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Re: 224 Valkyrie

Post by bearcatrp »

Thanks for sharing. This is awesome to see real world tests. Am impressed.
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rebel
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Re: 224 Valkyrie

Post by rebel »

bearcatrp wrote:Have thought about just getting an upper. Hope the prices aren't nuts but do want a quality upper. Can swap between my 300 BO. Would be cheaper than a full setup. Kind of figured heavier bullets will come out for this caliber. Closer we get to SHOT, think more manufacturers will announce support for 224 Valkyrie.
You would need to change your bolt as well.
You can't beat the mountain, pilgrim. Mountains got its own way.
bearcatrp
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Re: 224 Valkyrie

Post by bearcatrp »

rebel wrote:
bearcatrp wrote:Have thought about just getting an upper. Hope the prices aren't nuts but do want a quality upper. Can swap between my 300 BO. Would be cheaper than a full setup. Kind of figured heavier bullets will come out for this caliber. Closer we get to SHOT, think more manufacturers will announce support for 224 Valkyrie.
You would need to change your bolt as well.
My guess it will come with one.
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