224 Valkyrie vs 22 Nosler vs .223 Remington: Wild Speculations!

A few days ago, Federal Premium Ammunition announced a new cartridge: 224 Valkyrie. We already have a fine new uber-.223 (22 Nosler), so why should we consider the newcomer?

Take everything I say here about the .224 Valkyrie with a grain of salt. Neither SAAMI nor Federal have released the cartridge's specs. However, there is some data out there that gives a fairly decent idea of case dimensions and purposes.

The first element to consider is the choice of a 90-grain SMK (Sierra MatchKing) projectile for the initial load. Since the Valkyrie is clearly intended for AR-15 pattern magazines, that means the case will have to be relatively short. Those huge VLD projectiles (Very Low Drag) are MUCH longer than 55-grain FMJs, or even 77-grain SMKs. And thanks to a poster on a forum, we now know that the rim is not a rebated rim like you get on the 22 Nosler; it's a full 0.420"-ish rim, like on the 6.8 SPC. This case may likely be a 6.8 SPC case necked down and with the shoulder pushed back.

As for purpose, the initial projectile choice says it all: 224 Valkyrie is intended to fling very heavy projectiles long distances. The claim is that the projectiles will remain supersonic to 1,300 yards. If so, this opens up a whole new world of possibilities for game harvesters and competitors alike. 22 Nosler brings a lot of heat, but it is limited to 77-grain projectiles . Anything bigger really won't fit. A 90-grain projectile will resist aerodynamic drag and wind drift, meaning that not only can the sportsman deliver more downrange energy, but the likelihood of a hit is also increased.

My interest is piqued. I want to try it.

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