Try GOLD - Free

.224 Valkyrie

Rifle
|
Varmint Rifle & Cartridges Fall 2018

<div><div><p><strong>Testing a New Varmint/Target Cartridge</strong></p></div></div>

.224 Valkyrie

John Haviland

Unless you’ve been in a coma for most of the last year, you’ve no doubt heard of Federal’s new .224 Valkyrie cartridge. Federal states the Valkyrie is based on the 6.8 SPC case necked down to .224 caliber, beats the ballistics of all other AR-15 cartridges and offers comparable performance to larger cartridges like the 6.5 Creedmoor with about half the recoil. Those are substantial claims.

At the outset, Federal offered four loads for its Valkyrie that focused on heavy, .22-caliber bullets, and stated the following velocities fired from a 24-inch barrel with a 1:7 rifling twist: Federal Premium Nosler 60-grain Ballistic Tip Varmint, 3,300 fps; Federal American Eagle 75-grain Total Metal Jacket, 3,000 fps; Federal Premium Gold Medal Sierra 90-grain MatchKing, 2,700 fps; Federal Fusion 90-grain soft point, 2,700 fps.

The popularity of a cartridge depends initially on the availability of rifles. Savage Arms, Federal’s sister company, chambers the cartridge in its MSR15 Valkyrie and Recon LRP rifles. Airborne Arms, Barrett, CMMG, CMT JP Rifles, Mossberg and LaRue Tactical are also offering ARs for the cartridge. Palmetto State Armory is making an AR upper and Masterpiece Arms a bolt-action rifle, and there are probably others.

The Valkyrie Case

Federal employees searched through Norse folklore for

Rifle

This story is from the Varmint Rifle & Cartridges Fall 2018 edition of Rifle.

Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Already a subscriber?

RECENT STORIES FROM Rifle

MORE STORIES FROM Rifle

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

Spesh sees something special in alt-comedians

[Spesh, from E1] a newly formed, L.A.-based production company and distributor of alternative comedy specials, wrapped the final shot of its third special of the year.

time to read

3 mins

December 18, 2025

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

'Stereophonic' is informed by an expert

Arcade Fire’s Will Butler composes for another volatile band — this time fictional.

time to read

4 mins

December 18, 2025

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

Modern take on a complex heroine

Michelle Williams shines in a revival of Eugene O’Neill’s ‘Anna Christie.’

time to read

6 mins

December 18, 2025

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

Dolphins benching Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was unsure what his future with the team will look like following Wednesday's benching for rookie Quinn Ewers.

time to read

2 mins

December 18, 2025

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

Ducks end trip with OT loss

After LaCombe ties it late, Fantilli’s goal with 1:28 left in extra period lifts Columbus.

time to read

1 min

December 18, 2025

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

Bondi Beach was a laid-back spot. Then horror unfolded

It was a beautiful summer evening at Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach, thronged Sunday by thousands of people soaking up the lingering warmth or taking sunset dips in the sparkling sea.

time to read

4 mins

December 18, 2025

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

Suspect in Australia massacre wakes up, is charged

Naveed Akram, 24, had been in a coma since the Bondi Beach shooting that killed 15.

time to read

4 mins

December 18, 2025

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

FBI deputy director to leave post next month

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Wednesday that he will resign from the bureau next month, ending a brief and tumultuous tenure in which he clashed with the Justice Department over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and was forced to reconcile the realities of his law enforcement job with provocative claims he made in his prior role as a popular podcast host.

time to read

2 mins

December 18, 2025

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

In the throes of Trump’s us-vs.-them presidency

Only his backers and allies matter. GOP leadership continues to ignore his cruelty.

time to read

4 mins

December 18, 2025

Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Times

SALMON SPECIES MAKES COMEBACK

After 34-year absence, young cohos have returned to Mendocino County creek. Officials cite restoration efforts.

time to read

1 mins

December 18, 2025