224 Valkyrie vs 223 Remington

Evaluating rifle cartridges just isn’t all the time as simple because it might sound. Simply because one cartridge shoots sooner, flatter, and hits more durable, doesn’t all the time imply it’s the most suitable choice for you. Value, software, and rifles accessible, must also all the time play a component in any cartridge choice. The 223 Remington has lengthy been the preferred 0.22-caliber centerfire rifle cartridge, however a more recent and sooner choice known as the 224 Valkyrie has been round for some time and is popping heads. In terms of the 224 Valkyrie vs 223 Remington, which one is healthier for you? 

Desk of Contents

• 223 Remington
• 224 Valkyrie
• Velocity Comparability
• Vitality Comparability
• Trajectory Comparability
• Recoil Comparability
• Software Issues Most

223 Remington

The 223 Remington got here to us by means of the event of the ArmaLite AR15 rifle. It’s based mostly on the 222 Remington cartridge and was launched to the general public in 1964. Not solely is it the preferred chambering for the AR15, however it is usually highly regarded in bolt motion rifles. There are few issues a person can’t do with a pointy knife and a 223 Remington. From an exterior dimension standpoint, it’s equivalent to the 5.56 NATO army cartridge. The distinction is the 5.56 NATO is loaded to a better stress and the chamber that’s reduce right into a 5.56 NATO rifle’s barrel is barely completely different. You possibly can safely fireplace 223 Remington ammunition in a 5.56 NATO rifle however capturing 5.56 NATO ammo in a rifle chambered for the 223 Remington just isn’t advisable. Nevertheless, some 223 Remington rifles have what’s known as the “Wylde chamber” and may safely deal with each.

224 Valkyrie

The Valkyrie was launched by Federal in 2017 and it makes use of a barely bigger diameter case than the 223 Remington. Although loaded to the identical most common stress because the 223 Remington, the Valkyrie’s case will maintain about 7 % extra gunpowder, and over the vary of appropriate bullet weights, this usually interprets to a couple of 3 to eight % enhance in muzzle velocity. That, and its stipulated rifling twist price of 1 in 7, provides the Valkyrie the flexibility to push heavier, greater ballistic coefficient bullets at barely sooner speeds. The 224 Valkyrie has discovered a house with these all for capturing at lengthy vary with the AR15.

224 Valkyrie vs 223 Remington: Velocity Comparability

One of many quickest manufacturing unit masses for the 223 Remington is Hornady’s Superformance 35-grain NTX bullet at 4000 fps. The quickest manufacturing unit 224 Valkyrie load is the 60-grain V-Max load from Hornady with a muzzle velocity of 3300 fps. In case you evaluate the trajectory of the 224 Valkyrie vs 223 Remington with these two masses with each zeroed at 100 yards, the 35-grain bullet from the 223 Remington will drop six inches lower than the 60-grain bullet from the 224 Valkyrie at 500 yards. However when evaluating the cartridges loaded with extra related bullet weighs in manufacturing unit ammunition, the Valkyrie could have a 100 to 200 fps benefit.

Benefit: 224 Valkyrie

224 Valkyrie vs 223 Remington: Vitality Comparability

Though kinetic power is usually used to check completely different masses and cartridges, it’s much less essential than bullet impression velocity, bullet design, and the way each work collectively to ascertain terminal efficiency. Hornady’s 75-grain BTHP load for the 224 Valkyrie has an marketed velocity of 3000 fps with 1499 foot-pounds of power on the muzzle. Hornady provides the identical bullet for the 223 Remington at 2790 fps with 1296 foot-pounds of muzzle power. However Hornady’s Superformance 223 Remington load with the identical bullet zips out the barrel at 2930 fps with 1429 foot-pounds of power. This drastically cuts the benefit of the Valkyrie. Nonetheless, with most bullet weights, the Valkyrie goes to have a slight kinetic power benefit.

Benefit: 224 Valkyrie

224 Valkyrie vs 223 Remington: Trajectory Comparability

We touched on trajectory earlier, however that was with the lightest—quickest—manufacturing unit masses for the 224 Valkyrie vs 223 Remington. Whenever you step as much as bullets appropriate for large recreation or long-range competitors capturing, the sooner velocity of the Valkyrie and its compatibility with heavier and better BC bullets, provides it a slight edge. It must also be talked about that the SAAMI specified rifling twist price for the 223 Remington is 1 flip in 12 inches. 223 Remington rifles with these twist charges is not going to reliably stabilize bullets weighing far more than 55 grains. For a 223 Remington to compete with the 224 Valkyrie it should have both a 1 in 8 or 1 in 7 rifling twist price. Thankfully, many fashionable 223 Remington rifles do, so maintain this in thoughts when making your choice.

Benefit: 224 Valkyrie

224 Valkyrie vs 223 Remington: Recoil Comparability

Given a seven-pound rifle, most 75-grain bullets fired from a 223 Remington will generate about 4.5 foot-pounds of free recoil power. The identical bullet out of a 224 Valkyrie will generate about one other foot-pound of power. You’ll have a tough time distinguishing between the 2 and there’s simply not sufficient distinction to matter. And if a further foot-pound of free recoil power issues you or bruises your shoulder, you may need to follow air rifles or BB weapons.

Benefit: Tie

Software Issues Most

One distinct benefit the 223 Remington has over the Valkyrie is that there are nearly 10 instances as many manufacturing unit masses to select from. This similar benefit extends to rifles. You’ll discover much more 223 Remington rifles of all types than you’ll 224 Valkyrie rifles. The 223’s benefit in each areas is essential if you’re looking for a rifle and ammunition that may can help you do the belongings you need to do. Handloading circumvents this benefit however by no means underestimate the worth of having the ability to buy loaded ammo on your rifle.

The core of this comparability is generally about what you propose to do along with your rifle. For recreation or sport capturing, the manufacturing unit ammo benefit of the 223 Remington is difficult to miss. There are over 100 extra 223 masses to select from, and the least costly 224 Valkyrie will price about 40 % greater than the least costly load for the 223 Remington. In terms of searching rodents, varmints, or smallish large recreation, there’s not that a lot ballistic distinction between the 224 Valkyrie vs 223 Remington. With the identical bullet, the 224 Valkyrie will ship the about similar terminal efficiency because the 223 Remington, however it would do it at about 50 to 100 yards additional down vary.

Learn Subsequent: The ten Greatest Rifle Cartridges for Varmint Searching

In terms of self-defense, the 223 Remington reigns supreme. That is partly due to the huge number of self-defense masses accessible to select from, partly as a result of the 223 Remington’s smaller diameter case permits for a better capability journal, and partly as a result of there’s a greater number of correctly configured 223 Remington rifles and carbines to select from.

For long-range precision capturing the Valkyrie will get the nod with its capacity to raised deal with greater BC bullets with a tad extra velocity. Although the 224 Valkyrie is a ballistically superior cartridge, that is the one software the place I’d take into account it over the 223 Remington.