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  1. #76
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    Quote Originally Posted by mustangfreek View Post
    So single loading or what mag you using that’s not giving ya a hiccup with the longer OAL.

    Just curious
    I’m not single loading

    Mag length is 2.30”...224 Valkyrie uses 6.8 mags, not 223




    On a positive note, A new 600 yard range opened up pretty close to where my current range membership is held. It’s a MUCH nicer range...the long distance lane is about 100yds WIDE. It’s got numerous 25yd pistol/rifle bays and a 360* bay. There are some real quality instructors on staff as well.

    And I’m heading out there today :)

  2. #77
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    Quote Originally Posted by Former11B View Post
    I’m not single loading

    Mag length is 2.30”...224 Valkyrie uses 6.8 mags, not 223
    Ya I thought about that later...it slipped my brain.

  3. #78
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    Gorgeous day

    Got my 80gr ELD and 80gr SMK loads with H4895 squared away. I also shot a box of Federal GMM 90gr SMK (not Fusion) to see how it did. Shot roughly MOA at 100 then I smacked steel at 500yds with it just to hear the heavy slap sound it makes.

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    I used Hornadys free Ballistic app and it got me close with the SMKs and inputted info but with the ELDs, it had much closer info and was dead on for me.

    My 80gr ELD load is moving right around 2965fps. The 90gr SMKs are just shy of 2700fps.

    Rainier’s 1:7.5 twist has NO problem with heavier bullets. I’ve shot 80gr and 88gr ELDs and now 90gr SMKs, both factory ammo and handloads with zero issues

  4. #79
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    That H4895 with the 90gr is looking pretty spectacular!! Bravo!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #80
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    Quote Originally Posted by old11bravo View Post
    That H4895 with the 90gr is looking pretty spectacular!! Bravo!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    There was a node between 23.0-23.3gr, but .2 did the best.

    I dropped the OAL from 2.30” to 2.290”. I might even drop it to 2.28” but it’s hard to mess with a good thing. I’ve only got 3lbs of 4895....need to fix that

  6. #81
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    I tested two depths of 80gr ELD/H4895:

    The first was my previously successful 2.29” and I tried a couple dozen at 2.275”.

    It definitely prefers the longer loading...that extra jump to the lands was not appreciated by the barrel.

    I’m mostly done in the testing Phase of this thing. If I get a wild hair, I will test some 70 grain Barnes TSX Bullets for hunting and I wouldn’t mind trying some 95gr SMKs just to see what happens, but I am very happy with the 80gr ELD and 90gr SMK loads

    Now for the real kicker: getting into some local DMR matches with it and seeing how many rounds the barrel is good for.

    I just hit 700 rounds down the tube on Saturday

  7. #82
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    Quote Originally Posted by Former11B View Post
    I tested two depths of 80gr ELD/H4895:

    The first was my previously successful 2.29” and I tried a couple dozen at 2.275”.

    It definitely prefers the longer loading...that extra jump to the lands was not appreciated by the barrel.
    I know it's slightly off topic (maybe) but have you tried any of the micrometer seating dies?

    A long time ago I bought a second hand Forster die for my 300 BLK and just recently started to use it. The Lee one leaves a lot to be desired by comparison. I was surprised at how big of a difference there is. Now I am thinking about switching all my rifle dies to Forster.

    I found a good deal on a micrometer die for 300 BLK as I figured it would be worth noting down the figures with so many different bullet lengths, ojives, and types for that caliber.

    I will let you know how it turns out, but so far I have been extremely impressed by Forster and I am sure that would translate pretty good as well for your .224 Valkarie. It seems to me that it would give you exacting control of your OAL and how far off the lands you are even with different bullets.

  8. #83
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    I have RCBS Competition dies in 223 and 308 with the side feeding window and micrometer; I want the same one in 224 Valkyrie. They just recently released a similar one, the Gold Medal series but I don’t want to mess with neck tension. The Competition die doesn’t do all that, just micrometer and bullet window which is all I want

  9. #84
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    I posted this on Instagram and tagged Sierra and Federal. I picked up a box of the “new formula” 224 Valkyrie 90gr SMKs by Federal because I read it was improved over the original and wanted to compare it to my handloads.

    I open factory ammo boxes out of habit to make sure I’m not buying a box with damaged or missing rounds and I noticed the meplats on the factory ammo looked....strange. (Top picture/top row) They look way different than the loose 90gr SMKs available for reloading (top picture bottom row). The tips/meplats aren’t rolled or uniformed on the factory ammo; it looks like it was shaved or hammered down flat. The open tips are gone and all the excess meplat material was like pressed inward. I opened all the boxes on the shelf and they were like this. The camera focused as much as I could get it to on such a small surface so it’s not as clear as it could be

    Any guesses?

  10. #85
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    Mass production. The effect of cranking out so many rounds per minute. Probably associated with seating in the case.
    There's no "Team" in F**K YOU!

  11. #86
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    The seating stem is hollow so I don’t know what would be touching the meplat. Unless they’ve got them specifically cut for each type of bullet and this one was indexed half a CH too low


    I wish I’d checked the lot numbers on the boxes of ammo to see if it was spread across several lots (so likely a normal or intentional thing) or if the five or six boxes were all one lot #.

  12. #87
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    I was able to send some much more detailed pictures to Federal, and they immediately sent me a label to return the ammo to them. Something was definitely out of whack.

    Took the Valkyrie hunting this morning, however someone on a nearby property decided to let loose with unknown types of firearms but he averaged about 1 shot every 6 seconds.....for three and a half hours. Needless to say, even the squirrels that normally come out to the corn piles didn’t show up. At least the weather was nice so it wasn’t a total loss of a morning

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  13. #88
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    I shot a precision match last weekend and will be shooting a similar one in December but am planning on using the Valkyrie with 80gr ELD/H4895

    200-500yd targets, most were 33-50% IPSC but some were odd shaped, hidden, etc. and working with a random team mate I’d never met under a time constraint was tough

    I shot it with my 16” Rainier Arms Ultramatch Gen 1 (Shilen) barreled 5.56 AR and 69gr SMKs using my 2.5-10x32 FFP Vortex. My dope was on point and I did really well running the rifle but fighting the clock and there were some long distance pistol shots I totally flubbed (75-120yds)

    I’ll bring it as a backup (but with 75gr ammo/dope)

    Looking forward to this next one a lot and seeing the Valkyrie perform off the flat range and in a fast paced environment


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    I need to get another optic in the 3-12, 4-16, etc range and run my 16” Mod 2 Ultramatch in one of these matches also

  14. #89
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    I would like to hear how the Valkyrie does after your match as well. You should look into this as it is not to far from home and join us sometime.

    https://www.arenatrainingfacility.co...a-7-9-feb-2020
    “Fast is fine, But accuracy is final.” Wyatt Earp

  15. #90
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    Match 2 of the CheytacUSA Tactical Sniper Series/Carolina Top Shot 2 Gun

    Tore it up with the Rainier Valkyrie barrel today. My pistol skills....not so much. I need to upgrade my sights (hard to hit 60-100yd 50% IPSC targets when the front post is double the target size)

    Anyways:

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