The best .224 Valkyrie upper for you is out there. But it will be a bit of a challenge to find one that will best fit your rifle. When you do, you’ll be able to add it on and be ready to give your Valkyrie a whirl out on the range or out in the field (whichever is best for you).
To ensure that you’re not wasting a lot of time and money, we’ve decided to provide you with a list of five of the best .224 Valkyrie uppers that are currently on the market.
Before we get to our list, we’ll talk about what consists of an upper receiver and how you can choose one that best fits your personal needs.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for 224 Valkyrie Uppers
- OUR TOP PICK: PSA 20" Rifle-Length 1/6.5" Stainless Steel 15" M-Lok Upper
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Aero Precision M4E1 Threaded Upper
Comparison Chart of the Best .224 Valkyrie Uppers
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
Our Top Pick  |
| View Latest Price → |
Best Budget Option  |
| View Latest Price → |
What Are The Components of an Upper Receiver?
Like it’s lower receiver counterpart, the upper receiver of an AR-style gun contains some elements that are vital to a rifle’s overall function. Here are the vital components of an upper receiver:
Upper Receiver
This encompasses all the individual parts listed below. Each part has its own function, though a good upper will provide quality components all-around. Contains parts like the bolt carrier group (BCG) and also the charging handle, barrel, and forend.
Barrel
Obviously, without this part of the upper receiver, it would be useless. But it is designed to give you the best in overall accuracy. The barrel twist ratio will also give you a good idea of how accurate your shots will be. In this case, a very accurate Valkyrie rifle is quite impressive for something that is considered one of the best in the business when it comes to long-range rifles.
Gas System
The gas system is comprised of the following: the gas block and the gas tube. An AR-style rifle will rely on gas to propel your .224 Valkyrie rounds. There are four lengths of gas systems: pistol, carbine, mid, and rifle-length gas systems. Each gas system has barrels that will work in conjunction with their respective gas system. For example, rifle-length gas systems work most effectively with barrels longer than 16 inches long.
Bolt Carrier Group
Best known as the BCG, these include parts like the firing pin, cam pin, extractor, and the gas key. This part is best used for helping you reload your AR-style rifle. This will ensure that your rounds are fired and ejecting the rifle correctly.
Charging Handle
A handle that is connected to your BCG. This is designed to pull the BCG to the rear of your rifle so you can place a round in the chamber or correct a possible malfunction. In the event of the latter, you can pull on the handle to remove the bad round and replace it with a new, functional one.
Forward Assist
Usually added on as a cosmetic addition and pretty much useless to most AR-style rifle users. But if used, it helps the bolt function properly.
Rail System and Handguard
After extended usage, the barrel of your gun will get hot. And it can get hot really fast. The importance of these parts is to ensure that you don’t accidentally touch the barrel or other parts of the gun. This way, it will protect you from getting burned.
Ejection Port Cover
This part of the upper receiver is designed to make sure that your AR-style rifle is functioning properly. Also, this comes quite in handy to keep the rifle as clean as possible. The ejection port cover will prevent all kinds of dirt, dust, and debris from entering your rifle.
What Makes a Great .224 Valkyrie Upper?
Before you make the final decision in choosing a great Valkyrie upper, it is important to know what a good one consists of compared to something of low quality.
If you’re a first-time buyer, you should probably consider the advice of those who have bought these types of uppers in the past. You can look for ideas and suggestions in various gun owner forums on the internet.
But, to save you the time, here’s a list of recommendations from past buyers of what you’ll need to look for in a great upper:
What’s Included?
The first question that needs to be asked is: what is included in this Valkyrie upper? Most uppers include parts like the BCG, the barrel, and other parts that will also comprise of the upper receiver itself. Not all receivers are created equal. Some will have a few parts included and some will include only minimal parts and you may have to purchase other pieces separately.
Installation
Of course, you’ll need to install your new upper receiver in order for the thing to actually work. The key word to look for when it comes to finding accessories like uppers is “drop-in”. This means that the upper receiver will be easy to install. In other words, you won’t need to rely on your gunsmithing skills (or lack thereof) to install this.
Likewise, a professional gunsmith may not even be needed to install the upper receiver on your rifle. Of course, if you prefer to leave installation to the experts, they can install any and all types of upgrades.
Barrel Twist
As mentioned, barrels are part of the upper receiver. If you’re looking to make your .224 Valkyrie rifle as accurate as possible, it’s important to take a look at the barrel twist. The barrel twist is a ratio associated with the overall accuracy of the rifle.
Look for barrels with a twist ratio of 1:7. Ideally, ratios of 1:6.5, 1:7, or even 1:8 will be suitable for .224 Valkyrie rifles. Also, these will work with .300 Blackout rounds that weigh anywhere between 55 to about 80-grain.
Review of the Best .224 Valkyrie Uppers
Below is a list of five of the best .224 Valkyrie upper receivers currently on the market. As you look through each of these, be sure to examine the review carefully. Each review will give you a brief synopsis of what’s included and the type of application it might be best for.
You may be finding an upper for the purpose of replacing your current upper receiver or looking for an addition to your rifle building project. Either way, one of these upper receivers is bound to be a good choice after doing some careful consideration. With that said, here are the top five Valkyrie upper receivers:
Runner-up:
Radical Firearms Rf Complete Upper 15MHR 22"
Pros
Cons
Next up, we have the Radical Firearms RF Complete Upper. If you're looking for something of a better alternative to the PSA (if it somehow didn't impress you), then you'll want to pay close attention to this upper since it might fit your Valkyrie rifle.
This includes a 22-inch barrel that is best used for purposes like hunting or target practice. The barrel twist is 1:7, which means you'll be more apt to get a good accurate shot out of your Valkyrie rifle. To note, if you have rounds that weigh about 55 or 60-grain, these rounds will be much more effective with that barrel twist ratio. Though we digress, this is something worth noting for future reference.
The best thing about this receiver is the inclusion of the pepper pot muzzle break. This is designed to reduce as much recoil as possible and prevent a great deal of muzzle jump. Either way, reduced recoil and less muzzle jump mean more control and accuracy for your rifle.
Also added to this receiver is an M-LOK rail designed to accommodate any additional accessories you wish to use on your Valkyrie rifle. If you have any Valkyrie rifle accessories laying around, then you’ll probably want to put them to good use at some point. What better way to use them than with the help of an M-LOK rail?
Bottom Line
If you're looking for a great upper receiver that will not only give you the best accuracy possible, but will also have a rail handy for use with accessories, then the Radical Firearms upper receiver might be a worthy addition to your Valkyrie rifle.
Regardless if you're buying a replacement piece or an addition to a rifle under construction, you'll get a product that is designed to get the job done. Accurate, reliable, and tough as nails, this Radical Firearms option is considered one of the best on the market for a few good reasons.
Best for the Money:
Aero Precision M4E1 Threaded Upper
Pros
Cons
Now, we'll be turning our attention to the Aero Precision M4E1 Threaded Upper. We chose this as our model of choice for those looking for an upper receiver but more likely to be on a budget. We aim to provide budget shoppers with the best quality accessories at prices that they can afford. And this upper is no different.
This includes a barrel that is long enough for any type of purpose you can think of. Hunting, self-defense, target hunting, it doesn't matter, you'll have an easy to install and ready to use upper that will complement the rest of your Valkyrie rifle.
Also included is your choice of an M-Lok or a KeyMod rail. As far as rails go, it basically comes down to personal choice or preference. But nonetheless, this upper is designed to give you a decent upgrade on your shots and will make sure that they are accurate, no matter how far away the target is situated.
Mid-range at 200 yards or at long-range (500 + yards), you’ll be able to hit your shot with a pinpoint accuracy that is hard to match. If you’re looking for a great upgrade for your Valkyrie rifle and hate having to pay extra, then the Aero Precision upper might be the best possible choice for you.
Bottom Line
For a budget upper receiver, we're quite impressed with the overall features and abilities of this item. Don't be shocked if you see some lower priced receivers actually deliver quite well in terms of performance.
However, it's also the quality that you'll also need to pay close attention to. Other than that, one of the things that also impressed us is the ability to choose between an M-Lok or KeyMod rail. If you have some accessories handy, you'll probably want to find the best rail that might fit your other components.
Even if you have some money to play around with, this might be an upper receiver that could use a closer look. Who knows, it might be better for you as opposed to the others?
Best Complete Upper:
Radical Firearms 22” Complete Upper Assembly
Pros
Cons
If you’re looking for something that’s more of a complete upper, then lucky for you, we’ve found the best one for your Valkyrie rifle. The Radical Firearms Complete Upper Assembly contains a 22-inch barrel with a barrel twist ratio of 1:7, designed to give you an excellent amount of accuracy no matter how far away your target is situated.
Imagine being out in the field with a long enough barrel to deliver unmatched accuracy and velocity that will be enough to land your kill shot. If that isn’t considered impressive, we can’t say what is. Also included in this upper receiver is a carbine-length gas system with a low profile micro gas block.
Other parts include a forward assist, shell deflector, and an M-Lok rail designed to not only protect your hands from touching a hot barrel, but also designed to accommodate any additional accessories you may have. If you're looking for the total package in an upper receiver, then look no further than the Radical Firearms upper.
Bottom Line
The Radical Firearms upper is the prime example of what a complete upper receiver should look like. What we forgot to add was that this includes a muzzle brake, which means less recoil and no muzzle jump. You already might know that means you’ll be getting very accurate shots and better control over your Valkyrie rifle.
If you want the complete total package as opposed to buying each and every part separately, this item by Radical Firearms will be your saving grace. You’ll save yourself some money and even time in the process.
Best CMMG Upper:
Cmmg, Inc Cmmg Upper Receiver MK4 DTR
Pros
Cons
For our final upper, we'll be taking a look at the best CMMG upper. We'll be sticking with the Radical Firearms brand for this one. This has a 22-inch stainless steel barrel with a twist ratio of 1:7. Also added to this is the pepper pot muzzle break.
Already, you can tell that the barrel of this upper receiver will be enough to tempt you to buy it. The reason being? You'll not only get the most accuracy out of each of your shots, but you also won't have to deal with a lot of recoil and muzzle jump in the process. If you hold accuracy and reduced recoil to a higher standard in your Valkyrie rifle, then you'll probably want to go with this CMMG upper.
Also included is the complete bolt carrier assembly, designed to do its job in making sure that your Valkyrie rifle is functioning properly. This also includes a low profile micro gas block, shell deflector, and forward assist.
Bottom Line
Once again, we've included what appears to be a complete package upper receiver. You pretty much get the fixin's and then some with the Radical Firearms upper. This might be the best choice for you if you just want to get all the parts of an upper receiver in one go. Financially, this might be the best possible option for you.
To save yourself the time, money, and possible headaches related to tracking down the parts you need get the Radical Firearms upper receiver, this allows you to just install it once you get it. You'd be better off firing off your rifle at the range than searching all day for a gas system or a barrel.
5. PSA 20" Rifle-Length 1/6.5" Stainless Steel 15" M-Lok Upper
Pros
Cons
First on the docket, we’ll be taking a look at the PSA 20-inch, rifle-length stainless steel barrel. Along with this upper receiver is a 15-inch M-Lok that can be used to add on additional accessories like optics.
At 20 inches, this is designed to provide your Valkyrie rifle with a superior level of accuracy and precision. This is an upper receiver you can install on your rifle if you intend to use it for hunting or long-range target shooting. Likewise, you can use it for other applications like self-defense or competitive shooting.
No matter what you’re using your Valkyrie rifle for, it’s important to have an upper receiver for the best in performance. If you hold accuracy and high performance to a high standard, the PSA upper receiver might be the best one for you.
This upper receiver is designed to work with rifle-length gas systems. So be sure to double check which gas system your rifle has prior to purchasing an upper that will complement it.
Bottom Line
The PSA upper receiver deserves this honor and for good reason. This upper receiver was made to give your Valkyrie rifle a major upgrade in the accuracy department.
How impressive will it be if you are able to hit a target exactly where you want it from a long-range? Chances are, you’ll get just that with the barrel that has a 1:6.5 twist and is designed to improve the overall accuracy itself.
If you’re looking for something that will turn your Valkyrie rifle into a sharpshooter, the PSA upper may yield that result for you.
Conclusion
Finding the best .224 Valkyrie upper may be tough to do. But if you know exactly what you’re looking for, the search process won’t be as tough. Be sure to find an upper that will best fit your rifle and is also compatible with any other parts you already have, like your rifle’s gas-length system.
As always, be sure to do your due diligence if you see an upper that interests you. It’s better to know what other people are saying beyond the customer reviews than not know whether or not if it’s actually worth the investment.
