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For even more info, please visit federalpremium.com<\/a> and nosler.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is from the 2019 Modern Gun issue of Tactical-Life magazine. Grab your copy at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/a><\/em><\/strong>. For digital editions, visit <\/em><\/strong>Amazon<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"224 Valkyrie: Is the Round Just Another Fast and Furious .223?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"224-valkyrie-round-just-another-fast-223","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:18:49","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:18:49","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2019\/02\/11\/224-valkyrie-round-just-another-fast-223\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":129248,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2019-02-08 06:01:29","post_date_gmt":"2019-02-08 11:01:29","post_content":"

\n\nD\u00e9j\u00e0 vu<\/em> took a funky twist that warm March morning in Texas. With my back wedged against a broad live oak and a camo shotgun resting on my left knee, my eyes cut left and right, nervously searching for the approaching red-and-white head of a Rio Grande longbeard. The setting was familiar, as the Lone Star State has long been one of my favorite turkey hunting destinations. The Remington Model DM Predator on my knee, however, represented a new experience\u2014my first hunt with a box-magazine-fed shotgun and an introduction to a surprisingly versatile platform.\n\n[in_content post=\"194663\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n\nI\u2019d joined several other writers, folks from Remington and our hosts at Wildlife Systems Inc. at the Chaparrosa Ranch near La Pryor, Texas, to test-drive the DM Predator on turkeys, javelinas and feral hogs. With a full gun range and abundant game, the ranch would be the perfect proving grounds for the shotgun<\/a>. And the 870 DM Predator, with its specialized features and proven 870 pump action, was more than up to the task.\n

Magazine Logic<\/h3>\nUsing an 870 for turkey hunting\u2014or any hunting\u2014is nothing new. Like tens of thousands of people, I\u2019ve carried one in the spring woods or autumn pheasant fields for 30-plus years. It\u2019s unquestionably one of the most enduring and dependable American firearm designs.\n\nSo when Remington introduced several 870 DM models, which feature box magazines instead of the 870\u2019s traditional magazine tube, at the 2018 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trades (SHOT) Show, many folks raised their eyebrows, wondering why the company had tweaked such a proven product. The answer, according to Remington designers, lies in functionality.\n\n\u201cPump-action shotguns are far and away the most versatile platform there is, and the most prolific pump is the 870,\u201d said Daniel Cox, senior product manager of shotguns for Remington. \u201cBut as a manufacturer looking to innovate and modernize, you\u2019re constantly looking for ways to improve on anything out there to try to offer a solution to the market. How do you improve something like a pump-action shotgun? You really only have one commonly accepted shortfall when it comes to pump-action shotguns, and that\u2019s loading or reloading. It takes a bit of practice and muscle memory to load rounds up into the tube of the gun and into the chamber. That\u2019s the one Achilles heel anyone would agree on.\u201d\n

Remington 870 DM Predator<\/h3>\nEnter the idea of a box-magazine-fed 870 variant. The idea seems perfect for home-defense shotguns, as you can keep a full magazine separate from your gun and then load it almost instantly, without grasping for loose rounds and fumbling to fit shells into the chamber and magazine tube. And of course, the concept is ideal for shooting competitions that require competitors to reload quickly. Andy Haskin, director of research and development for long-gun programs at Remington, said those attributes also translate well to the hunting market.\n\n\u201cJust for instance, when I\u2019m turkey hunting, it\u2019s not at all uncommon to see coyotes or call in coyotes, so I would always keep a box of No. 5 buckshot in my chest pocket,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re sitting there calling turkeys, and the next thing you know, you have a coyote right on top of you. I would try to drop the gun and eject all my turkey loads out and then load in buckshot, and I\u2019m thinking, wow, if I could just carry a mag in my pocket, and all I have to do is hit that release and drop that mag in, I could be ready to shoot a coyote without all the commotion of emptying the mag tube and loading a new one.\u201d\n\nLikewise, Haskin said, waterfowl hunters will likely find similar value in the box-magazine-fed pump because it lets them reload fast for follow-up shots, or change shells in a flash when needed, like when a flock of geese approaches a duck spread. Further, the design promotes safe gun handling in the field, as you can easily pop the magazine out, pull the pump back and travel with an unloaded gun.\n

Early Reactions<\/h3>\nThat makes sense, but a great concept doesn\u2019t always translate to public acceptance. Designers watched closely as shooters first tried the 870 DMs. Cox said many people immediately recognized the gun\u2019s far-reaching practical applications. He mentioned a 35-plus-year law enforcement instructor who had very set, prescribed opinions about handling fighting shotguns.\n\n\u201cEven he came back and said, \u2018Honestly, it\u2019s different for me, because I have five decades of muscle memory, but there are people running guns on this range just as effectively as me right now who have never touched this thing,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cThe last thing we wanted was another gimmick. We wanted to put a meaningful option on the market.\u201d\n\nAt the SHOT Show\u2019s Industry Day at the Range, Haskin said, Remington set up a two-person competition in which shooters cycled a round, dropped the magazine, loaded another magazine and then cycled another round while being timed. That seemed to spark awareness.\n\n\u201cWhen they first picked the gun up, they all knew the 870 and about cycling the action, but when they cycled the action, hit the release, dropped that mag and put the next one in, it was almost instantaneous for them,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019d see their faces light up. That was kind of their ah-ha moment. They were all used to an 870 and having to stuff the rounds in the mag tube, and when they could just pop that mag in, they would turn to their friends and say, \u2018\u201cThat\u2019s awesome.\u2019\u201d\n

Mags Afield<\/h3>\nOur first job in Texas was to become familiar with the 870 DM. The Remington DM Predator model we used features Kryptek Highlander camo, an 18.5-inch barrel, a SuperCell recoil pad, a ShurShot stock and tactical forend, extended extra-full predator and turkey chokes, and detachable 3- and 6-round magazines. The receiver has a rail, and our guns carried low-profile HWS optics for turkeys and hogs.\n\nFirst-evening range sessions went well. The extra-full turkey chokes centered thick, consistent patterns of Remington No. 5 shot on turkey targets at 25 to 50 yards, and recoil with the relatively light guns was easily manageable. With smiles and high expectations, we looked forward to the next morning, when the real tests would arrive.\n\nOur guide, Ted, dropped me off at a pasture road in the dark the first day. I watched the truck taillights fade into the distance, popped a full three-shot magazine into the DM and set about locating a turkey. The gun\u2019s light weight and relatively short overall length made it easy to carry while walking, though I wished I had brought a sling. (The gun has sling attachments. I\u2019d just neglected to think ahead.)\n\nAfter an action-packed but unsuccessful early morning, I called Ted and met him at the road. Fellow hunter Travis Ryan, then of Barnes Bullets, had scored a dandy gobbler with his DM, and we relived the story of his hunt. But Ted reminded me that the morning wasn\u2019t finished, and suggested relocating to another area.\n\n[in_content post=\"174720\" alignment=\"align-right\" \/]\n

Remington 870 DM Predator On the Hunt<\/h3>\nHe pulled the truck into a nearby pasture and showed me a winding trail that led through some pretty timber to two large water holes. Turkeys typically frequented the area at midmorning, he said, so he suggested I slip toward the water and attempt to strike a gobbler.\n\nMy first calls received no responses, so I tiptoed slowly along the trail, glassing ahead to be safe. Finally, figuring I was getting close to the water, I found a good-looking bend in the road and set up to call for a bit.\n\nSoft yelps and clucks on a slate were met with silence, so I pulled out an aluminum pot call, figuring its louder, high-pitched sounds would cut through the wind better. A gobble interrupted my first series, and two more quickly followed. The birds were about 120 yards away, on the other side of the nearest water hole.\n

Remington 870 DM Predator Success Afield<\/h3>\nI continued calling, and the turkeys gobbled at about every other series, moving steadily from left to right. Then, after about five minutes, they went quiet. Figuring they had probably reached the road and were likely approaching, I set down the pot and readied the DM Predator.\n\nMoments later, two gorgeous Rio longbeards popped into view, and the lead bird raised his head on cue. I centered the sight above his wattles and fired, ending the hunt. The encounter had transpired just as seamlessly as if I\u2019d been using my own woods-worn 870 turkey gun. And although the 25-yard shot didn\u2019t test the DM\u2019s capabilities, the gun proved deadly effective.\n\nThat afternoon, our turkeys in the cooler, Travis and I switched out our three-round mags for six-round boxes loaded with hog medicine. And although we never saw any pigs, the DM\u2019s versatility was apparent.\n

Wrap Up<\/h3>\nWriters probably overuse the term \u201cdo-everything gun,\u201d but the Remington DM Predator sure fits the bill. From turkeys to larger game, or competition and home defense, the box-magazine-fed pump seems like a multiple-use champion.\n\nFor more information, visit remington.com<\/a>.\n

Remington 870 DM Predator Specs<\/h3>\n

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If you are a big 6.8 SPC shooter, the Valkyrie is a barrel swap. It\u2019s the same thing for those using 5.56mm with the .22 Nosler. Shorter barrels and lighter bullets seem to favor the .22 Nosler, so those wanting an 18-inch barrel may be better served. Having compared the Valkyrie and a 6.5 Creedmoor<\/a> out to 800 yards, I\u2019d say it is a solid competitor for PRS gas gun matches. As with many of these things, much will boil down to personal preference, and both will get the job done quite nicely, regardless of which one you choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For even more info, please visit federalpremium.com<\/a> and nosler.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is from the 2019 Modern Gun issue of Tactical-Life magazine. Grab your copy at <\/em><\/strong>OutdoorGroupStore.com<\/a><\/em><\/strong>. For digital editions, visit <\/em><\/strong>Amazon<\/a><\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","post_title":"224 Valkyrie: Is the Round Just Another Fast and Furious .223?","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"224-valkyrie-round-just-another-fast-223","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 16:18:49","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 16:18:49","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2019\/02\/11\/224-valkyrie-round-just-another-fast-223\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":129248,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2019-02-08 06:01:29","post_date_gmt":"2019-02-08 11:01:29","post_content":"

\n\nD\u00e9j\u00e0 vu<\/em> took a funky twist that warm March morning in Texas. With my back wedged against a broad live oak and a camo shotgun resting on my left knee, my eyes cut left and right, nervously searching for the approaching red-and-white head of a Rio Grande longbeard. The setting was familiar, as the Lone Star State has long been one of my favorite turkey hunting destinations. The Remington Model DM Predator on my knee, however, represented a new experience\u2014my first hunt with a box-magazine-fed shotgun and an introduction to a surprisingly versatile platform.\n\n[in_content post=\"194663\" alignment=\"align-left\" \/]\n\nI\u2019d joined several other writers, folks from Remington and our hosts at Wildlife Systems Inc. at the Chaparrosa Ranch near La Pryor, Texas, to test-drive the DM Predator on turkeys, javelinas and feral hogs. With a full gun range and abundant game, the ranch would be the perfect proving grounds for the shotgun<\/a>. And the 870 DM Predator, with its specialized features and proven 870 pump action, was more than up to the task.\n

Magazine Logic<\/h3>\nUsing an 870 for turkey hunting\u2014or any hunting\u2014is nothing new. Like tens of thousands of people, I\u2019ve carried one in the spring woods or autumn pheasant fields for 30-plus years. It\u2019s unquestionably one of the most enduring and dependable American firearm designs.\n\nSo when Remington introduced several 870 DM models, which feature box magazines instead of the 870\u2019s traditional magazine tube, at the 2018 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trades (SHOT) Show, many folks raised their eyebrows, wondering why the company had tweaked such a proven product. The answer, according to Remington designers, lies in functionality.\n\n\u201cPump-action shotguns are far and away the most versatile platform there is, and the most prolific pump is the 870,\u201d said Daniel Cox, senior product manager of shotguns for Remington. \u201cBut as a manufacturer looking to innovate and modernize, you\u2019re constantly looking for ways to improve on anything out there to try to offer a solution to the market. How do you improve something like a pump-action shotgun? You really only have one commonly accepted shortfall when it comes to pump-action shotguns, and that\u2019s loading or reloading. It takes a bit of practice and muscle memory to load rounds up into the tube of the gun and into the chamber. That\u2019s the one Achilles heel anyone would agree on.\u201d\n

Remington 870 DM Predator<\/h3>\nEnter the idea of a box-magazine-fed 870 variant. The idea seems perfect for home-defense shotguns, as you can keep a full magazine separate from your gun and then load it almost instantly, without grasping for loose rounds and fumbling to fit shells into the chamber and magazine tube. And of course, the concept is ideal for shooting competitions that require competitors to reload quickly. Andy Haskin, director of research and development for long-gun programs at Remington, said those attributes also translate well to the hunting market.\n\n\u201cJust for instance, when I\u2019m turkey hunting, it\u2019s not at all uncommon to see coyotes or call in coyotes, so I would always keep a box of No. 5 buckshot in my chest pocket,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re sitting there calling turkeys, and the next thing you know, you have a coyote right on top of you. I would try to drop the gun and eject all my turkey loads out and then load in buckshot, and I\u2019m thinking, wow, if I could just carry a mag in my pocket, and all I have to do is hit that release and drop that mag in, I could be ready to shoot a coyote without all the commotion of emptying the mag tube and loading a new one.\u201d\n\nLikewise, Haskin said, waterfowl hunters will likely find similar value in the box-magazine-fed pump because it lets them reload fast for follow-up shots, or change shells in a flash when needed, like when a flock of geese approaches a duck spread. Further, the design promotes safe gun handling in the field, as you can easily pop the magazine out, pull the pump back and travel with an unloaded gun.\n

Early Reactions<\/h3>\nThat makes sense, but a great concept doesn\u2019t always translate to public acceptance. Designers watched closely as shooters first tried the 870 DMs. Cox said many people immediately recognized the gun\u2019s far-reaching practical applications. He mentioned a 35-plus-year law enforcement instructor who had very set, prescribed opinions about handling fighting shotguns.\n\n\u201cEven he came back and said, \u2018Honestly, it\u2019s different for me, because I have five decades of muscle memory, but there are people running guns on this range just as effectively as me right now who have never touched this thing,\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cThe last thing we wanted was another gimmick. We wanted to put a meaningful option on the market.\u201d\n\nAt the SHOT Show\u2019s Industry Day at the Range, Haskin said, Remington set up a two-person competition in which shooters cycled a round, dropped the magazine, loaded another magazine and then cycled another round while being timed. That seemed to spark awareness.\n\n\u201cWhen they first picked the gun up, they all knew the 870 and about cycling the action, but when they cycled the action, hit the release, dropped that mag and put the next one in, it was almost instantaneous for them,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019d see their faces light up. That was kind of their ah-ha moment. They were all used to an 870 and having to stuff the rounds in the mag tube, and when they could just pop that mag in, they would turn to their friends and say, \u2018\u201cThat\u2019s awesome.\u2019\u201d\n

Mags Afield<\/h3>\nOur first job in Texas was to become familiar with the 870 DM. The Remington DM Predator model we used features Kryptek Highlander camo, an 18.5-inch barrel, a SuperCell recoil pad, a ShurShot stock and tactical forend, extended extra-full predator and turkey chokes, and detachable 3- and 6-round magazines. The receiver has a rail, and our guns carried low-profile HWS optics for turkeys and hogs.\n\nFirst-evening range sessions went well. The extra-full turkey chokes centered thick, consistent patterns of Remington No. 5 shot on turkey targets at 25 to 50 yards, and recoil with the relatively light guns was easily manageable. With smiles and high expectations, we looked forward to the next morning, when the real tests would arrive.\n\nOur guide, Ted, dropped me off at a pasture road in the dark the first day. I watched the truck taillights fade into the distance, popped a full three-shot magazine into the DM and set about locating a turkey. The gun\u2019s light weight and relatively short overall length made it easy to carry while walking, though I wished I had brought a sling. (The gun has sling attachments. I\u2019d just neglected to think ahead.)\n\nAfter an action-packed but unsuccessful early morning, I called Ted and met him at the road. Fellow hunter Travis Ryan, then of Barnes Bullets, had scored a dandy gobbler with his DM, and we relived the story of his hunt. But Ted reminded me that the morning wasn\u2019t finished, and suggested relocating to another area.\n\n[in_content post=\"174720\" alignment=\"align-right\" \/]\n

Remington 870 DM Predator On the Hunt<\/h3>\nHe pulled the truck into a nearby pasture and showed me a winding trail that led through some pretty timber to two large water holes. Turkeys typically frequented the area at midmorning, he said, so he suggested I slip toward the water and attempt to strike a gobbler.\n\nMy first calls received no responses, so I tiptoed slowly along the trail, glassing ahead to be safe. Finally, figuring I was getting close to the water, I found a good-looking bend in the road and set up to call for a bit.\n\nSoft yelps and clucks on a slate were met with silence, so I pulled out an aluminum pot call, figuring its louder, high-pitched sounds would cut through the wind better. A gobble interrupted my first series, and two more quickly followed. The birds were about 120 yards away, on the other side of the nearest water hole.\n

Remington 870 DM Predator Success Afield<\/h3>\nI continued calling, and the turkeys gobbled at about every other series, moving steadily from left to right. Then, after about five minutes, they went quiet. Figuring they had probably reached the road and were likely approaching, I set down the pot and readied the DM Predator.\n\nMoments later, two gorgeous Rio longbeards popped into view, and the lead bird raised his head on cue. I centered the sight above his wattles and fired, ending the hunt. The encounter had transpired just as seamlessly as if I\u2019d been using my own woods-worn 870 turkey gun. And although the 25-yard shot didn\u2019t test the DM\u2019s capabilities, the gun proved deadly effective.\n\nThat afternoon, our turkeys in the cooler, Travis and I switched out our three-round mags for six-round boxes loaded with hog medicine. And although we never saw any pigs, the DM\u2019s versatility was apparent.\n

Wrap Up<\/h3>\nWriters probably overuse the term \u201cdo-everything gun,\u201d but the Remington DM Predator sure fits the bill. From turkeys to larger game, or competition and home defense, the box-magazine-fed pump seems like a multiple-use champion.\n\nFor more information, visit remington.com<\/a>.\n

Remington 870 DM Predator Specs<\/h3>\n