What cartridge?

[TimK]

I already have several ARs set up for long range shooting in .223. I have a Valk that has driven me to despair. I’m finished with that barrel at a minimum, and maybe also the cartridge entirely. As a result, I have a tricked out rifle and I need to decide on a new cartridge to try or talk myself into sticking with the Valk. I built the gun for use in team matches where I’m the gas gunner. The Valk had great appeal since my wind was almost identical to my bolt gun shooting teammate. When it worked it was amazing, but it never worked for long. I won’t bore you with my tale of woe.

Here’s my question. What cartridges should I be considering? My current list consists of Valk (again), 6ARC, and .233 Ackley. What others, if any, should I be considering? I’m not wild about forming brass (I have a couple wildcats already) but I’d consider it.

6 ARC looks like an easy choice excpet for the scarcity of brass or even loaded ammo. I’m also content to wait for that problem to resolve itself if ARC turns out to be the best option. I have components for Valk coming out of my ears, so that’s a small consideration.

What do you fella’s recommend I consider?

 

[bigjake83]

I already have several ARs set up for long range shooting in .223. I have a Valk that has driven me to despair. I’m finished with that barrel at a minimum, and maybe also the cartridge entirely. As a result, I have a tricked out rifle and I need to decide on a new cartridge to try or talk myself into sticking with the Valk. I built the gun for use in team matches where I’m the gas gunner. The Valk had great appeal since my wind was almost identical to my bolt gun shooting teammate. When it worked it was amazing, but it never worked for long. I won’t bore you with my tale of woe.

Here’s my question. What cartridges should I be considering? My current list consists of Valk (again), 6ARC, and .233 Ackley. What others, if any, should I be considering? I’m not wild about forming brass (I have a couple wildcats already) but I’d consider it.

6 ARC looks like an easy choice excpet for the scarcity of brass or even loaded ammo. I’m also content to wait for that problem to resolve itself if ARC turns out to be the best option. I have components for Valk coming out of my ears, so that’s a small consideration.

What do you fella’s recommend I consider?

Sell your Valk components, and buy a Grendel set up.

I haven't really met any AR shooters the are 100% happy with the results of the Valk, even guys with custom bartlein barrels are reporting. 75 MOA at best for consistent accuracy and as you said the choices for brass for the ARC are shit so until Starline or Lapua starts making brass for thr ARC I'm not going to bother.

On the positive I've seem pretty respectable accuracy from the ARC with Hornady match ammo, just seems to be a little easier to get decent results from the ARC compared to the Valk.

What barrel are you running on the Valk?

 

[Mike_in_FL]

Well, if you do a Valkyrie again I would say get a Craddock Precision barrel. Then try and work up to 28 grains of CFE223 pushing 85.5 Bergers.

 

[simonp]

Im pretty happy with my 6.8 SPC though you will definitely need to load for it.

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

If you wanted to stay with the bolt face and mags you already have, you could go 6mm spc or gpc if you prefer. It has several other names but you get the point. Similar performance to 6mm arc and all you have to do is neck down readily available 6.8spc brass, or neck up 224 Valk.

I'd just go 6arc. It's not hard to find factory ammo, it's everywhere. Even hornady brass in a low pressure round like that will last a dozen firings or more. It's easily the best long range (to 1,000y easily) cartridge ever developed for the ar15. The cartridge is surprisingly accurate too, really easy to load for. Almost anything you put in them seems to shoot well.

 

[TimK]

Well, if you do a Valkyrie again I would say get a Craddock Precision barrel. Then try and work up to 28 grains of CFE223 pushing 85.5 Bergers.

That’s what I have. Bartlein blank finished at 24”, +2” gas from Craddock. Should have been stellar. To be fair, I loaded 88 ELDMs exclusively.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

Sell your Valk components, and buy a Grendel set up.

I haven't really met any AR shooters the are 100% happy with the results of the Valk, even guys with custom bartlein barrels are reporting. 75 MOA at best for consistent accuracy and as you said the choices for brass for the ARC are shit so until Starline or Lapua starts making brass for thr ARC I'm not going to bother.

On the positive I've seem pretty respectable accuracy from the ARC with Hornady match ammo, just seems to be a little easier to get decent results from the ARC compared to the Valk.

What barrel are you running on the Valk?

First of all, you arent getting Lapua Grendel brass for a long time. Brass is going to get trashed in a semi auto anyway so might as well run with shitty hornady for a few firings.

Second, the 6 ARC blows the grendel out of the water in every category but pure muzzle energy. The Grendel cannot push High BC bullets and cant even push low BC bullets fast enough. This is from someone with a very expensive grendel semi auto. Its going to be rebarreled to 6 arc as soon as its burned out.

With the 6 ARC you basically have a slightly downloaded 6BR/A/Dasher that can push the 105 hybrids out to 2800 fps, and end up with a cartridge that can make reliable hits out to 12-1400 with the right barrel.

Its not even a fair comparison.

 

[Mike_in_FL]

That’s what I have. Bartlein blank finished at 24”, +2” gas from Craddock. Should have been stellar. To be fair, I loaded 88 ELDMs

Interesting because mine hates the factory 88 ammo. I have a bunch of 88s still but haven't tried to work up a load.