224 Valkyrie for hogs?

Rookie

LSB Member
The majority of my hunting will be coyotes, but, every once in a while, I'll get the chance to hunt hogs.

With that in mind, anyone have an idea how well the 224 Valkyrie would do on hogs? Of course, shot placement is key...
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
A .22 subsonic will work fine on hogs, with the correct shot placement. The Valkyrie will do a little better than standard .223 hunting rounds at typical hunting distances and that is about it. It really isn't a bullet you want to be using on medium/large game like hogs at distance, but distance shooting is where this round excels. Nobody that I have seen is promoting it for anything over varmints.

What I keep seeing is this pattern. You can make just about any gun work on the first shot. When the hogs start running and you don't have the opportunity to make well placed shots, the smaller and less powerful calibers tend to be poorer stoppers. A .22 to the pelvis of a 200 lb boar at 150 yards isn't likely to cause it to break stride. A .45-70 in the same situation is more likely to cause the hog to be significantly slowed or stopped so that a followup shot can be administered. In that continuum, the .224 Valkyrie will be more toward the low end of performance than the high end with the .45-70.

However, go out and try. Be the first!
 

Rookie

LSB Member
I've got a 308 I can use, but it would eliminate the hassle of moving my thermal since I can't convince the wife (yet!) that I need another. From what I've been reading, the 224 Valkyrie shoots flatter than the 223 which would be nice for coyotes. Because I don't hunt hogs that often, I can't justify a 6.8 as much as I could justify the 224.

I wouldn't mind being the first, but, since it will cost me $600+ just to hunt, I really don't want to be the one to figure out if it works.
 

pruhdlr

Cantonment,Fla.
SUS VENATOR CLUB
Load up the 62 or 70gr Barnes TSX and you will have a fine hog killer. Run the numbers. The drops at distances. The terminal energy at different distances. The B.C. and SD of the bullets.
You might/could find these numbers to your liking.
Remember the "reduced" recoil makes for faster,more accurate follow up shots also. Could save the expensive thermal/NV from gettin' beat up.
Pick the bbl with the fastest twist rate available. Let us know how the Val works for you. --- pruhdlr
 

Brian Shaffer

Hog Hunter
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
I've got a 308 I can use, but it would eliminate the hassle of moving my thermal since I can't convince the wife (yet!) that I need another. From what I've been reading, the 224 Valkyrie shoots flatter than the 223 which would be nice for coyotes. Because I don't hunt hogs that often, I can't justify a 6.8 as much as I could justify the 224.

I wouldn't mind being the first, but, since it will cost me $600+ just to hunt, I really don't want to be the one to figure out if it works.

It will work, but the question is how well it will work. The real longer distance trajectory advantage comes from the heavier bullets that have a much higher BC than the lighter bullets. You can run with the lighter bullets and get some good velocity, they they are still going to have a crappier BC. In the end, you have a .223 on steroids, getting 3300 fps for 60 gr. versus 3150 out of a regular .223.
 

437

LSB Active Member
The majority of my hunting will be coyotes, but, every once in a while, I'll get the chance to hunt hogs.

With that in mind, anyone have an idea how well the 224 Valkyrie would do on hogs? Of course, shot placement is key...
I'll keep you in the loop on what I see with this have an acquaintance who dabbles in every new caliber debut I think his is a Savage. He isn't a hunter, but does shoot at 1000 regularly down the road a piece can get you at least some rifle performance observations. Big Creedmoor lover.
 

Homebrewer

LSB Active Member
LSB TURKEY BUZZARD PRESERVATION SOCIETY
SUS VENATOR CLUB
LoneStarBoars Supporter
Rookie -
I believe the 224v would kill a close hog with a good TSX type bullet.. First accurate shot only.
Do not bet on any second or following shots to kill or disable runners.
Short answer, don't give up your 308/thermal, for 224V/thermal on hogs.
If you are considering a back up hog rifle to your 308, look at the 6.5Grendel, 6.8SPC, 7.62x39, or .30 Herrett (if you reload).
-
Everything Brian advised is accurate. Trust that.
Absolutely nothing wrong with the 224v for varmints or target. A Valkyrie should excel on yotes called during the day, and not require a second thermal.
 
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Red duster 1

New Member
Rookie -
I believe the 224v would kill a close hog with a good TSX type bullet.. First accurate shot only.
Do not bet on any second or following shots to kill or disable runners.
Short answer, don't give up your 308/thermal, for 224V/thermal on hogs.
If you are considering a back up hog rifle to your 308, look at the 6.5Grendel, 6.8SPC, 7.62x39, or .30 Herrett (if you reload).
-
Everything Brian advised is accurate. Trust that.
Absolutely nothing wrong with the 224v for varmints or target. A Valkyrie should excel on yotes called during the day, and not require a second thermal.


Im from Georgia, my main rifle for hogs is the ar 10 in 308, but I have a 224 valkyrie with a 22 inch barrel , with the 90 grain fusion it does a excellent job on hogs .
 

diggler1833

LSB Active Member
Yeah...two shooters and a stationary target at close range. Same results can be had with a .22LR *Not that you're going to see me try.

Larger calibers are just better for borderline hits on runners. From a statistical analysis; I lost about a quarter of hit hogs with a 5.56, and had two boars charge me (which were killed within 20 yards of me). This year I've had exactly 12.5%, an eighth of my hogs hit make it off property with my 6.8.
 
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