22 ARC Cartridge Profile | Hornady's New 22 Advanced Rifle Cartridge Reviewed

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

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[@larryvollmar8763]

A couple years ago I decided to go and try the 224 Valkyrie. Once I settled on the Barnes TSX bullets, I worked up a load that gives me half minute of angle to 3/4 minute of angle consistently. I have taken everything from coyotes to Whitetail with it. I know they were problems with bullets with the 224 Valkyrie but I guess I was one of the lucky ones that didn’t have the problems. The two to ARC looks like a very good round, but doesn’t give that much more in performance than my 224 Valkyrie. And as you said if you really don’t need it. Can you justify spending the money. Not at this time in today’s economy. Great video though I really enjoyed watching it.

[@chacelarsen3413]

I started shooting the 22 ARC recently out of a Ruger American gen2. I've been pretty impressed with its perfirmance. 62g ELD VT pushing almost 3500fps from handloads gets pretty close to 22-250 performance with a more efficient cartridge. I'm going to start playing with the 80g ELD X. Pushed to 3100, it should make a pretty decent whitetail cartridge.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

Nice! Sounds like you're achieving performance pretty close to advertised out of those handloads? If so, you're blowing the 22-250 away in every category except for trajectory, where it still has a small advantage

[@JohnSanders-p7o]

I love your charts. My go to s for when i m building comprehension n comparisons

[@scottythebody0811]

Are there that many people that do long range shooting? This high BC market is exploding. Seems like a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist to me. Are there that many guys with a 300 Win mag that are saying, “I’d love to shoot that, but I don’t have a .600 bc bullet”?

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

Eh, sort of. There are still nowhere near the number of serious competitive shooters as there are hunters. That said, those competitive shooters each individually shoot WAY more rounds per year than the average hunter.

[@scottythebody0811]

@@Thebiggamehuntingblog That’s a very good point and makes a lot of sense. For most hunters, a box will last years, but we know how easy it is to burn through hundreds of rounds at a range. Thanks for posting.

[@MountaintravelerEddie]

I got a .300 win mag and shoot milk jugs at 1,000 and only load the 220 and 230 grain bullets and I switch the barrel to .308 and shoot the 175 and 200 grain bullets my MRAD. Vids on my channel….. Kind of thought about a smaller bullet, .223 cal bullet. I do load the .223 with the 77gr and 80 grain match, and I just don’t care about BC, I just care about hitting steel at a long distance.

[@Wheat777]

Industry likes fresh kool-aid

[@chadperry4021]

@@Wheat777that’s true but what’s wrong with making slow improvements? It keeps things interesting.

[@AnotherReincarnation_No84]

Valkyrie also goofed out big time on rim/bolt diameter choice, and the 22 ARC developers outpaced them by using very common bolt head size

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

Good point

[@sethperry1323]

The 22nxs was actually 22-250 velocity in a ar15... it's a pretty neat cartridge..

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

I'm not familiar with the 22NXZ. Can you tell me more about it?

[@Eye_Guard]

Today, when I buy my next new 22 caliber rifle, it will be a bolt action, 22" barrel, 22 Creedmoor. Now when I buy my next new carbine, and AR-15, it will be a 6 ARC w/an 18" barrel. Though when I buy a new 6 ARC rifle, it will be a 22" barrel, mini action, bolt action. But my next new big game (typically deer sized) 6mm, it will be a bolt action, 22" barrel, 6mm Creedmoor. These 22's are with 1:7" twist barrels, 6mm's a 1:8" twist. Now if I were to come across a beautiful used bolt action 223 Rem or 22-250 Rem, I'd buy it. As with a beautiful used bolt action 243 Win, I'd buy it. My very first high powered deer rifle at 9 years old in 1979 was a bolt action Ruger model 77, 22" barrel w/a 1:10" twist, 243 Win and it delivered very nicely. I killed a trophy pronghorn at a long range with it when I was ten. And then the AR-10, 18-20" barrel, any fitting caliber will work, my favorite for big game a 358 Win 20" barrel. Though if I were to pursue a 358 Win rifle it would be a bolt action 22" barrel, the Ruger model 77 w/a 22" barrel is a favorite for sure. Though some lever action 358 Winchesters are quite appealing, like the Savage model 99s and the Browning model BLRs. Any of these 358s I'd snatch up in a heartbeat (being in good condition). But concerning the 22 ARC, for me it's nothin' to sneeze at, in either gas or bolt action. If I were choosing a new (22 caliber) AR-15, it would be the 22 ARC for sure. P.S. My next sought after rifle is a Hawken muzzleloader for big game.

[@seanduncan8422]

Hey John. Great video. If you reload you can buy the 80g ELD-X bullets. They should work well on antelope and southern deer.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

100%! I'd love to see Hornady release a factory load with that bullet too

[@poorfatman5317]

What about the 224 Valkyrie?Ain't it the same thing

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

The 224 Valkyrie was designed for a similar purpose, but it just didn't do it very well on a large scale.

[@chadperry4021]

The 224 Valkyrie is a cool cartridge that was plagued with problems. Poor brass life, finicky accuracy and factory ove-pressured rounds. Truthfully, I wanted it to succeed and who knows maybe in the future it will have a resurgence, but with the 22 arc being flat out better in every category it’s unlikely.

[@thebro5820]

Other thing about the 224 Valkyrie is that the design was based around a 90gr bullet, as opposed to the 22-250 is better suited for the 40-60ish grain. In short. The 22-250 is a sprinter, the 224 is a marathon runner. Both are great, but the higher BCs of the 224 will eventually outrun the 22-250. It's a shame the 224 didn't do better than it did. It is definitely a gunsmith special. If you like to tinker, the 224 is your cartridge. If you want an off the shelf option, the 22arc the 22 creedmore, or even just the .223.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

100%. The 224 Valkyrie was based around a good idea, but the execution wasn't quite right. I think it may have also been a little ahead of its time. Will be interesting to see if things work out better with this new offering from Hornady...

[@hantusmostert]

​@@Thebiggamehuntingblog 25GT

[@jeffreywilson690]

For me Ar 15 I can go with 22 arc, but for a bolt 22/250 ai and fast twist

[@jorgesolis9468]

Sooo 22 creedmoor

[@joshwilcox8941]

This cartridge is rad

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

😎

[@biggamehuntingadventures6533]

Would love to see this cartridge with a bullet better suited for bigger game too...

[@phild9813]

This is what I would buy one for. 77 grain LRX or 78 grain TSX would be great.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

Good point! I forgot about the 77gr LRX!

[@chacelarsen3413]

80g ELD X @ 3100 comes to within about 100 fps to .243 performance.

[@reloadingfun]

I don't think people are got to get the velocities that the book is stating. i have experience with the 22br which has the more capacity than the ARC. people are going to be disappointed, i think. the 22 arc may have a velocity advantage over the 223, but not more than the 22-250.

[@doghousedon1]

You can't blame Hornady for trying to make an extra buck. But it's superfluous to what I already have. Thanks, Hornady, but I'm good.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

Fair enough. I wouldn't blame anyone for not wanting to make the switch if they already have something they like

[@keithprinn720]

as usual if you already have a varmint rifle in 223 or 22.250 do you really gain much to justify. can understand if getting a new rifle and a gas gun works better for some like coyotes.

[@shanevonharten3100]

Theres not many gaps left for these marketing teems to fill with these completely unnecessary rounds

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

We'll see! 🤷‍♂️

[@benjaminbagley4168]

Oh just wait until we get 3-4 new 25 caliber cartridges.

[@hotramen5952]

idk if I need one but its a cool round.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

Haha, I agree!

[@Nickrioblanco1]

Although the video and information are interesting and entertaining. I prefer cartridges that are more multipurpose.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

I don't blame you one bit for feeling that way. The 22 ARC is certainly a pretty niche round at this instant that's probably very interesting to people who live and breathe for that stuff, but less so for others.

[@chadperry4021]

Minus being able to plink for cheap what won’t this do that other center fire 22’s will?

[@codyboland8109]

⁠@@chadperry4021if you don’t have an ar15, nothing. If you do, a pretty good bit.

[@zachmccall1513]

I just don't think it'll last just my opinion

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

Fair enough. We'll just have to see!

[@Nickrioblanco1]

I have to agree. The market is saturated.

[@scottzagger]

It uses a common case head and bullets so sustaining it at lower volume is easy compared to a lot of stuff that truly disappears.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

Good point

[@edwardhoward4708]

It’s hard to see what this has over the .224 Valkyrie whereas .224 Valkyrie can support higher pressures in AR-15 due to its smaller base and rim diameter. But, there is Hornady’s marketing campaign. And 22 ARC, 6mm ARC, and 6.5 Grendel can be loaded to higher pressures for bolt guns. So there is that. And the 22 nosler uses the standard AR-15 bolt face.

[@sindeecharlton8857]

Problem::::: In California we can not use the ELD-VT round. We can only use non lead rounds. I know move out of California. But there are other States moving to non lead as well.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

You make a very good point

[@Greyzonecompliant]

22-250 with 36 grains Barnes varmint grenade 😉

[@montaego]

hmm..it's like a 22CM without any speed. Not sure the utility here outside of an AR platform.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

I mean, it's utility is based largely on the fact that it does work in an AR-15 (which the 22 Creedmoor does not). But yes, your point is well taken that the 22 Creedmoor is certainly a hotter round if you plan on using it in a bolt gun.

[@jeffreywilson690]

Not a apple to apple comparison, same bullets out of each How much does Hornady pay

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

Tell me you didn't watch the video without saying you didn't watch the video

[@raimol.6406]

Blah, blah, blahh

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

😂

[@Ronhickmott]

If a hunter is standing there with a 22-250 in hand and is thinking of upgrading, why not rebarrel with a tighter twist, that will give you most of the 22arc advantages with the advantage of the 22-250 powder charge, and you can A.I. it at the same time.

[@Thebiggamehuntingblog]

That's certainly an option, but a 22-250 with a tighter twist still won't work in an AR-15 (which is THE main selling point of the 22 ARC) and you need a longer barrel to fully take advantage of the 22-250's power. Depending on your rifle, a 22-250 loaded with the 62gr ELD-VT or either match bullet might also be too long to fit in the magazine or even in the chamber.

[@BigGameHuntingPodcast]

😎😎😎