Federal’s .224 Valkyrie is, no doubt, the biggest ammunition introduction of 2018. The new cartridge, based on the 6.8 mm SPC case necked down, nips at the heels of the 6.5 mm Creedmoor in terms of ballistic performance, but in a cartridge case that will fit inside a .223/5.56 mm platform. The .224 Valkyrie, from a 24" barrel, propels a 90-gr. Sierra MatchKing at 2700 f.p.s from the muzzle and stays supersonic out to 1,300 yds. After firing a few magazines of .224 Valkyrie, the 6.5 mm Creedmoor feels like a cannon. The .224 is soft-shooting and hardly discernible from a .223 Rem. What makes the .224 Valkyrie shine, though, is not just its performance, but its price. Federal will be able to produce ammunition at a fairly low cost. How inexpensive? How about less than $14 a box in the American Eagle line? federalpremium.com
