Dtech .224 Valkyrie...1st Test

GG224

New member
After many months of research, to include these online forums, I decided to go against the odds and seek out an AR platform to compete with bolt guns in MOA distance shooting, i.e. MOA steel at distances from 500-1000 yards timed (I'd never shoot this against a Kelbly bolt gun or 6mm dasher, etc, for groups).

Also, after hearing many naysayers speak against the .224 Valkyrie as being a gimmick I decided to put less trust in those with nothing more than opinions and placed it in the people who were actually testing them.

I was finally ready to order the upper (from another custom builder)when I talked to Mike at Dtech. He advised me about the proper twist rate of 1:6.5 instead of the then marketed 1:7. I put the brakes on and did more research. Mike was right. Several more calls and all of my questions answered, even when he sounded busy when I called, and I placed the order. A few days shy of 3 weeks it came in the mail.

I talked to Federal and they advised a 24" bull barrel for optimum powder burn and velocity, etc.

I read the instructions in the FAQ section but don't have a URL address for the photo. If I could just upload the image I would.

Specs and add-ons:
Dtech medium contour upper- 24" threaded.
Aero Precision lower with STR stock.
VooDoo muzzle brake (70% reduction- think 22 Magnum)
Hiperfire Eclipse Trigger 2 1/4 lb. pull- Absolutely AWESOME!!!
Armaspec silent buffer spring.
ATI grip.
Burris XTR Mil/Mil 5-25x50 34mm scope with Burris PEPR mount.
(Coming soon- Cryptic coated BCG and Fortis Charging handle)

48 rounds on 1st day out for sighting and break in.
Started the sight in at 100 yards because the range was packed and did not go cold very often. 1st shot was off target so I removed the BCG and looked down the barrel and then through the scope to bring it close. I was using a Caldwell Tack Driver bag. Next shot on paper. Dialed it in and now I was shooting 2MOA. Not happy at all. Checked scope mount and the 1/4 inch screws were not torqued properly. Getting better but still not what Shilen Select Match barrels and Dtech products are reputed to be.

What was I shooting? Federal 75 grain ammo. This stuff is fine to waste on varmints but not for precision. I switched to 90 grain SMK. 1st shot low...heavier bullet. 2 shots later dead on. 3 shot group- same hole. Smaller than a dime. Buddy was on the spotting scope and we still waited to confirm it when we got to walk down range because it was so small. Yep, evidence of the three rounds just about fitting into the space of a .30 cal. round. Next 5 shot group was 3/4 MOA- what can I say, I was so [beeep] happy at that point I got a little excited.

I have every reason to believe this will be a 1/2 to 3/4 MOA gun. Gonna try some more 90SMK's and some Hornady 88's. Next day out, and update, is at the 600 yard range later this month.

Mike at Dtech provides a product just like his other reviewers write about and his service is great. I have no doubt I will be dealing with him on other builds. This is the type of gun that makes believers out of AR and .224 Valkyrie skeptics. Yes, it was only at 100 yards. I will give honest reviews at distance when I get there. The guys with me were shooting a 6.5 Creedmore and a .223 F-class respectively. They didn't put too many rounds through my Valkyrie before expressing their own interest in building one.

Of course I recommended Mike.

To be continued.....
 
Originally Posted By: willy1947

You sure put a lot of work in this.
To be nice "It sounds interesting"
Keep up the hard work.



Couldn't begin to tell you the amount of hours. Mostly reading and research with my original concept in mind. With all of the endless custom options for AR's I went at each one with a specific purpose for function.

The gun weighs in at 12.5 lbs. with scope. Not great for coyote hunting but great for a setup on some prairie dog mounds. It shoots and has the feel of a bench gun. All it would take to make anyone a believer in this would be to sit behind it and pull the trigger.


For anyone doing a Dtech build, the Aero Precision lowers fit perfectly. If you added an Aero hand guard it would look like an Aero Precision rifle with a custom barrel.
 
Can anyone tell me how to get the image pasted on the forum? I tried the directions in the FAQ section but I couldn't get it to work. It still comes out as a URL link.
 
Originally Posted By: GG224Can anyone tell me how to get the image pasted on the forum? I tried the directions in the FAQ section but I couldn't get it to work. It still comes out as a URL link.

I use IMGUR.com It is simple and easy to use You join then upload and
transfer your pictures. They will show you how. PM me if you need help.
 
DSC01305.jpg
 
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Good chance of doing some 500-1000 yard shooting this coming Sunday. Steel plates 5" at 500, 6" at 600 etc. Sportsman's Warehouse is sponsoring a shoot at the end of Sept. Need to work on my Dope for that. They do 2 shots at each distance in a 3 min. period. The only problem I could see would be with the shooter- I have no experience in med-heavy winds. If the weather is nice I don't see any problems competing against the bolt guns. I think I might even have more TOT than they do.
 
Long range shooting day: MOA targets from 500-990 yards.
Temp = mid 70's humid
Cloudy and Overcast
Very light to no wind
(Harry Jones Memorial Range, WV.)

Note: I have never shot a precision or other non-automatic firearm over 300 yards previously.

5 Rounds to warm up the barrel and make sure of zero. Minor adjustments from previous outing most likely due to elevation and weather conditions. Still within 1.5 MOA from 1st round. 4 other rounds 1/2 MOA.

Buddy ran my ammo info. and weather data on his military grade ballistics computer.(He is a former Army sniper) 500 yards for SMK 90 Grain was a .3 Mil adjustment from a 100 yard zero.

5 inch gong nailed on first shot. 600 yard gong was hanging off the chain so we moved to 700 yards and a 7 inch gong. 5.6 Mil for 700 and wind factored in a little. 1st shot approximately 2 inches right. 1/4 Mil left and hit! 8 inch gong at 800 yards with 7 Mil adjustment- hit 2 out of 3!

990 yards with 9.5 Mil- hit 2 out of 5. Total Mil adjustment from 100-990 yards was 9.5 Mils elevation. I don't know what the Aero was but the Howa was 10 Mils.

First time shooting long range and this is what I was able to do with this rifle. Anyone who questions the ability of the .224 Valkyrie for a flat shooting accurate round doesn't know what they are talking about. This gun shoots better than I do. I don't know what they can be shooting to think this caliber is lacking in some way.

The other guys I was shooting with were using a 6.5 Creedmoor Aero Precision AR-10, without a match grade barrel, and a Howa 6.5 Creedmore bolt gun, also factory. The bolt gun was more accurate at longer range. My buddies' skill was able to get everything out of the factory Aero and shoot MOA up to 700 and likely within 2 MOA to 990. It was so close so many times but that is the difference between factory and match grade barrels. I was also able to hit the 990 gong with the Howa 1 out of 2 shots- but at least it was dead center.

I dialed back down to zero on the scope and one guy shot about .3 MOA and the other had one large hole. Haters can hate, and maybe they shot something that was not to the specs it should have been i.e. twist rate, barrel length, ammo load, etc, but they don't know what they are talking about when it comes to this build on this caliber. I don't even have 70 round through this gun yet.

This is my first Dtech upper. I will not use any other upper on any personal build. I don't know what more anyone could ever hope to get out of an AR upper. This barrel shoots like a laser. I hope to catch up to it with my skill at some point.

If anyone has any specific questions for me about this, fire away.


 
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I do not do any reloading yet. I use Federal 90 gr. SMK's.

I did try a 3 shot group at 100 with the Hornady 88 Gr. Match and it was not good- 1.25 MOA. This was at the end of the day. I will give the Hornady an honest attempt next time out. Both of the guys I was with were shooting Hornady 147 gr. match ammo for their 6.5's.
 
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