.224 Valkyrie: Fad or Fabulous?

.224 Valkyrie: Fad or Fabulous?
April 19, 2022 Edited March 24, 2023 11541 view(s)
.224 Valkyrie: Fad or Fabulous?

One of the coolest names ever given to a cartridge, able to hit targets effectively at over 1,200 yards, all with the ease and comfort of an AR-15 platform! .224 Valkyrie is an excellent cartridge with some fascinating history and abilities.

 

History

Like many cartridges, .224 Valkyrie started as an attempt to make the AR-15 a more versatile and longer range platform. This time it was Federal’s turn to try their hand at it.

Federal wanted to make a cartridge that could compete with .22 Nosler but still feed on an AR-15 platform rifle.

The .224 Valk was the result of that development.

Mostly due to the huge marketing push by Federal when it was released, a lot of people gave it a shot, and for the most part, we liked what we saw.

.224 Valkyrie came out in 2017, early-2018 is when I was first really getting into long range shooting, and I dove in hard on the .224 Valk hype train.

But… there were issues.

224 valkyrie ammo on workbench

 

Barrel Twists & Turns

I lived through these events and saw many of these issues myself, I’ve also researched old articles to refresh my memory, but even with all of that -- I can’t find a really definitive answer for why and how this happened.

Bottomline -- when 224 Valkyrie was released, Federal told people that a barrel with a 1:7 twist rate would be best.

But a lot of people had issues with stabilization resulting in bad accuracy. Somehow, the idea that a 1:6.5 barrel would be better took root and became popular; this solved the issue for some people.

Then Federal came out with their 90gr options for .224 Valkyrie, and people jumped on it but again had issues with twist rate -- this time, the 1:6.5 barrels weren’t cutting it.

Federal recommended that people use 1:7 twists but boost the muzzle velocity of the new 90gr bullets.

And again -- this solved the issue for most of us.

That said… .224 Valkyrie can be a weird cartridge to handload, and nailing down a great load can take some time. For me, factory ammo works really well so I never went down the rabbit hole of reloading for it.

But honestly, most of the “long range” calibers for the AR-15 have some weirdness to them. 6.5 Grendel is well known for this too.

224 Valkyrie Shooting Long Range

 

Practical Uses

Hunting

.224 Valkyrie isn’t my choice for hunting; the bullets are a little too light for my taste. But for smaller game or closer ranges, there is no reason to ignore .224 Valk.

Federal has a wide range of hunting loads for the .224 Valkyrie from 60gr to 80.5gr that all work really well within their engagement envelopes.

If you’re going to hunt with .224 Valkyrie, I would use it mostly as a varmint and predator round. It’s fine for hogs too, but I rather have something hit harder on an angry hog.

 

Long Range Precision

This is really where .224 Valkyrie shines. For PRS gas rifles or just plinking at a really long distance, .224 Valk is a real contender and a solid choice for many of us.

Supersonic well past 1,000 yards with manageable windage, .224 Valkyrie also has very low recoil and is a real joy to shoot -- especially for younger shooters or those with smaller frames.

I took my old .224 Valk to 1,100 yards, and it was always a joy and a challenge.

 

Ballistics

Federal has several heavy bullet options for .224 Valkyrie, they even have some extra heavy options too. Generally speaking, heavy is better for long range shooting as long as you can keep the velocity up.

While Federal’s 90gr Sierra Match King is a great option, I actually prefer Hornady’s 88gr ELDM.

Ballistically there isn’t much difference between the two, but for me, Hornady tends to feed better.

This chart shows you how .224 Valk stacks up compared to .223 Remington, 6.5 Grendel, and 6mm ARC.

As you can see, 6mm ARC is really the only one that comes fairly close -- however, 6.5 Grendel is sending a bullet that is much heavier than the Valkyrie bullets.


.224 Ballistics Chart

Charts are cool, but you need more info. Here it is broken down using a 10mph crosswind. “Max hunting range” is given as maintaining both 1,000 ft.lbf energy and 2,000 FPS.

I’m looking at bullets really designed for long range precision, so double-check your numbers with your hunting ammo before going out and slinging lead at critters.

.224 Valk 90gr Federal SMK has a muzzle velocity of 2,700 FPS, is supersonic till almost 1,300 yards, and has 120 inches of windage at 1,000 yards. Max hunting range is 300 yards.

.224 Valk 88gr ELDM also has an MV of 2,700 FPS and is supersonic till almost 1,300 yards, but has 126 inches of windage at 1,000 yards. Max hunting range is 300 yards.

.223 Rem 70gr VLD is the worst of this test, but that is to be expected. With an MV of 2,850 FPS, it drops subsonic at about 950 yards and has 132 inches of windage at 1,000 yards. Max hunting range is 100 yards.

6.5mm Grendel 123gr SST starts with an MV of 2,600 FPS, stays supersonic until almost 1,200 yards, and has 97 inches of windage at 1,000 yards. Max hunting range is 400 yards.

6mm ARC 108gr ELDM is my personal favorite with 2,750 FPS MV, supersonic until almost 1,300 yards, and has 83 inches of windage at 1,000 yards. Max hunting range is 400 yards.

.224 Valkyrie Ammo on Table

 

Will .224 Valkyrie Survive?

With the rise of cartridges like 6.5 Grendel and 6mm ARC, it’s a fair question to ask if .224 Valkyrie will even stand the test of time.

Personally, I think it will -- at least for now. Maybe in 20 years, I’ll be proven wrong, but I don’t think you’ll run into problems getting ammo or components for this cartridge anytime remotely soon.

 

Why You Should Get .224 Valkyrie

6mm ARC and 6.5 Grendel hit harder and fly further, it’s true. And on paper, they might be “better” in a lot of ways.

But .224 Valkyrie has something that Grendel and ARC lack (besides having the best name) -- even during ammo shortages, you can FIND and afford .224 Valk.

6mm ARC is really hard to get your hands on right now, and even when you do, the options are super limited. I haven’t been able to get ARC ELDM in close to a year.

6.5 Grendel has some great options since it is made by more than one manufacturer, but since more people are shooting it, there is a lot more demand, and prices are higher.

You can get .224 Valkyrie 90gr SMK for almost a dollar per round less than match grade 6.5 Grendel (at the time of writing this, at least).

Even when my LGS had huge ammo runs on it during the pandemic, they almost always had some .224 Valkyrie on the shelf even long after they ran out of 6.5 Grendel.

When it comes to sending rounds downrange a long distance, being able to feed your rifle is the most critical.

 

Build Or Buy

.224 Valkyrie, like many other cartridges, is very easy to set up in an AR-15.

224 Valkyrie uses 6.8 SPC bolts and magazines. Sometimes they are marked as being for both .224 Valk and 6.8 SPC, and some just say one or the other. Either way -- both work for both. 6.5 Grendel magazines will work as well.

A new 224 Valkyrie barrel, a new bolt, and new magazines -- you’re good to go with your new .224 Valk build.

Or the easy way of doing things is a new 224 Valkyrie upper and some new magazines.

I’ve used 5.56 NATO mags in a real pinch at the range, but feeding issues were plentiful and not something I recommend. But if you forget the Valkyrie mags at home that day, it can kind of work.

Something to keep in mind is that 224 Valkyrie really likes longer barrels, like 20-24”, to get the velocity it needs to really shine.

Taking a normal 16” carbine and throwing a 24” .224 Valk upper on it might throw your rifle’s balance all out of wack. A good bipod and some great long-range fundamentals go a long way in resolving these issues.

For a truly dedicated long-range shooter, you might want to look into a heavier buttstock like a Magpul PRS Gen 3 to help out.

 

Wrapping Up

.22 Valkyrie is a cartridge that didn’t live up to its full potential, but still has a lot of room to grow and fully come into its own.

Ammo is very reasonable, even in dark times like these, and the long range ability of the cartridge is well proven.

I still love 224 Valkyrie, I also love 6.5 Grendel, and 6mm ARC. They each have strengths and weaknesses that make each a very fun round to play with.

Clearly, the best answer is to get at least one of each, but starting with .224 Valkyrie is a great way to get going!

[Bear Creek Arsenal will be releasing a limited run of .224 Valkyrie Complete Uppers, barrels, and 224 Valkyrie bolt carrier groups on 4/20/22! Grab yours soon before they're gone.]

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Basuki Zaini
April 19, 2022
Please make 224 valkyrie complete upper!
john@customerservice
April 20, 2022
Check out our limited run here: https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/calibers/224-valkyrie/224-valkyrie-complete-uppers.html
Mason Alexie
April 19, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this. I’ve been in debate on a 224 Valkyrie but wasn’t sure the full process on converting my BCA AR-15 into a 224 Valkyrie. My only issue is, is that there aren’t side charging options for a 6.8 spc/224 Valkyrie bolt carrier group. Would be great to see a conversion option for bolt carrier groups outside BCA bolt carrier groups.
Matthew Sandy
April 22, 2022
I ordered a barrel and bolt from atheris firearms in Roanoke Va. I put it on my Bca side charging .223..
Darren Bagford
April 19, 2022
When will you be releasing the 6mm arc and seen earlier you were also thinking of another new caliber. Wish I would have seen the release of your 224 earlier. I just ordered one yesterday
Todd Demare
April 22, 2022
I agree. Please make a 6mm ARC next!!!
Tyler Walker
April 19, 2022
Hey I seen the post about the 224 Val are all considering maken 224 Val and 6.8 and 6mm?
john@customerservice
April 21, 2022
Make sure to sign up for our newsletter (https://www.bearcreekarsenal.com/bca-subscribe) where you will get all news of upcoming new products.
Erik Vainu
April 20, 2022
I ordered your .224 Valkyrie 18" barrel and BCG today. I already have a stripped upper receiver, gas block, gas tube, muzzle break and hand guard to build up the upper. Ammo and magazines now ordered too. Can't wait to build it and shoot it at the range!
Jeffa
April 21, 2022
I have 2 upper halves in 224 Valkyrie. One is an 18” 1 in 7” twist savage upper. The second upper is a 24” 1 in 6.5” twist. The 18” upper wears a thermal scope and has taken many hogs at ranges out to 175 yards with the 78 grain Barnes triple shock bullets. The 24” upper wears a sig bdx scope and has taken several whitetail deer out to 522 yards with the 75 gr eldm bullet from hornady. The 224 Valkyrie is a very efficient little round that punches above its weight. There are better and worse big game cartridges to be sure. There are few cartridges that combine low recoil, mild muzzle flash, good velocity with heavy for caliber high bc high sectional density bullets, like the 224 Valkyrie does.
Matt
April 22, 2022
I got one of your 24 inch 224 valkyrie uppers a couple years ago. Works flawless. keep up the great work
Damon Brown
April 22, 2022
I have a 224 Valkyrie with 24” barrel 1-7 twist, A2 solid lower, 2 stage trigger. The Match 88gr ELD group the best, all others have been inconsistent. I had only shot it out to 300 yards until a month ago, some friends invited me to go to a long range shoot with them. We stretched it out to a mile!! The biggest issue was seeing the splash of the bullet. Everyone was surprised it was as consistent at that range.
Chris
April 22, 2022
Please bring back the 24" heavy stainless spiral fluted barrel complete upper. I did a budget build, added a Timmy trigger and a cheap Bushnell scope and the thing is a tack driver. Triple tap at 800 yards on a 15" plate is hard to beat!
David
April 24, 2022
I would like to see you make the 224 valkyrie in a 24" bull barrel fluted
Damion badillo
April 25, 2022
.224 is gonna be a fad.
Swede
November 26, 2022
Dunny thing is the ammo for the Valkyrie. Now 11/26/2022 it's nowhere to be found! Nothing locally (PNW) and only four vendors online that I can find, and they all have only Hornady's 88's... Still tempted to build an upper ????
Daryl
June 23, 2023
As a handloader it seems that almost every cartridge can be made to fill a niche. I think the developers of alternative calibers let us down by not pushing the pressure limits. I primarily hunt coyote, varminrs, and cull deer inside 309 yards.. I like the 224 with the 75 eld because it's a slight improvement in terminal performance with a 20 inch barrel versus my 556 with a 24 inch barrel and the 73 eld. With the 224 the magic is really all about the right barrel twist and length for the projectile. There's a delicate balance between the velocity and the RPM for that particular projectile. I have found this particular combination with a 7.7 twist barrel to be perfect. Very accurate and very quiet when suppressed. I find the advantage of the 224 over the 22 nosler is a more reliable feeding cartridge in the AR platform.
Sam
July 3, 2023
I have a 24" Valkyrie that shoots very well. Thanks to BCA for a fine long range rifle. Now I just have to stretch out my range. I love shooting heavy bullets and the Valkyrie makes that alot easier than a 223. Kind of like putting a big block engine in, does the job better.
Wilson Rohan
April 25, 2024
So far, I managed to shoot 0.5 MOA consistently with my Bear Creek 20" stainless 224 Valkyrie upper using 75 grain Hornady ELD bullets and 27.8 grains of CFE 223 (RCBS Lil' Dandy rotor 14 and 15). I obtained 2925 fps on the Chronograph, with a SD of 7.2. I used Federal brass and Winchester small rifle primers. My overall cartridge length was just under 2.26 inches. Next I will be experimenting with heavier bullets (90 and 95 grain). I have not found any of the preferred powders (RE16, RE17, 2000 MR) yet. Does anyone have advice regarding powders that will allow a 90 grain A-Tip or Matchking to achieve 2650 fps or better in a 20 inch barrel?
John Shirley
July 18, 2024
A bit confused about some of your history. 90 grain bullets were offered when the .224 Valkyrie was first rolled out. The first deer ever taken was with a 90 grain Federal Fusion. The challenges with accuracy were with one of the initial rounds offered, the 90 grain Federal Gold Match Sierra Hollow Point. Redesigning the ammo evidently solve the problem, however I have a 6.5 twist upper that shoots even the original 90 grade "Factory Seconds" well.
Wilson Rohan
September 26, 2024
My first attempts at a reliable and accurate hand load for my Bear Creek 20-inch Valkyrie upper yielded a 0.5-inch (best 4 out of 5) group at 100 yards for the 75-grain ELD bullet and 27.8 grains of CFE 223 (one turn of RCBS Little Dandy rotor 14 plus one turn of rotor 15), with an average muzzle velocity of 2925 fps. and a standard deviation of 7.2. My overall cartridge length is 2.26 inches. Unfortunately, my second test, using Hornady 88 gr. ELD bullets did not go as well. My chronograph fell over and broke. Then we had range problems (too many idiots that day). My Winchester StaBALL 6.5 loads all failed miserably. I had the same results with Winchester 748. One of my Winchester 760 loads showed promise: 28.0 grains of W760 VERY COMPRESSED to the point of bullet deformation gave me 1.5-inch groups and about 2690 fps velocity. My CFE 223 loads yielded 1.4-inch three-shot groups using 25.6 grains (Little Dandy rotors 21 plus 4) and 26.1 grains (Little Dandy rotor 26, one turn) gave me a 1.4-inch three-shot group with a muzzle velocity of about 2650 fps. I have high hopes for W760, so I will try it again during the next session. Also, the 26.1-grain load using CFE 223 was satisfactory, although I think I can do better.
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