First Look: Federal Premium Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing 224 Valkyrie

With the introduction of the all-new Federal Premium Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing in 224 Valkyrie, fans of this long-range AR-15 cartridge can now take advantage of the competition-proven Sierra MatchKing bullet to tighten their shot groups even further.

Thanks to the tight, uniform tolerances used in the construction of the jacket on each Sierra MatchKing bullet, the round is used extensively by competitors to win matches at long distances. The boattail bullet design is intended to provide the best possible ballistic coefficient of any projectile in its class, providing enhanced accuracy at extended ranges.

In the 224 Valkyrie load, the cartridge is loaded with a 90-grain projectile. The design of the 224 Valkyrie cartridge is purpose-built to provide enhanced long-range capabilities out of standard-length AR-15 rifle actions, pushing the limits of AR-style rifle designs to new heights. The round remains at supersonic velocities past 1,300 yards without excessive wind drift or bullet drop of other comparable AR-15 cartridges. One of the other benefits of the round is reduced recoil when compared to calibers with similar ballistic capabilities as the 224 Valkyrie.

"The Valkyrie was not intended as a replacement for the .223 Rem," wrote Shooting Illustrated Ammo Editor Richard Mann in his review of the round. "Right now, shooting at extreme distance is a rising trend, and that is what the Valkyrie was designed to do well. If you want to shoot an AR-15 at stuff beyond 500 yards, and consistently get hits, the 224 Valkyrie is the best option available."

When fired from a 24-inch barrel with a 1:7-inch twist rate, the Federal Premium 224 Valkyrie round, loaded with a 90-grain Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing projectile, produces a muzzle velocity of 2,700 fps and maintains its high velocity when compared to other AR-15 cartridges. At 500 yards, velocity measures 1,950 fps. At 1,000 yards, velocity measures 1,359 fps, and the projectile remains supersonic past 1,300 yards, according to Federal Premium.

“The longer you can fly faster than the speed of sound, the more you can maximize the accuracy and ballistics the bullet is designed to provide,” said elite long-range shooter and Federal Premium Brand Ambassador Jim Gilliland. “Once a bullet falls into subsonic flight, it’s much harder to hit your target.

The suggested retail price for 20 rounds of Federal Premium Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing 224 Valkyrie is $31.95.