The .950 JDJ rifle remains a testament to the extremities of firearm engineering by J. D. Jones of SSK Industries. This behemoth is the largest dimensional sporting rifle in the world, measuring 0.950 inches in bore diameter, far above what would ordinarily classify it as a Destructive Device under the 1968 National Firearms Act. However, SSK Industries received a “Sporting Purposes Exception,” which would make the rifle able to be purchased by any American citizen over the age of 18 without a criminal record, the same way one would purchase just any other Title I rifle.
The .950 JDJ cartridge is a marvel unto itself. It’s based on the 20×102mm case, which is shortened and necked up to accept the .950-inch bullet. These custom-made projectiles typically weigh 3,600 grains, or 230 grams, which is more than half a pound. The cartridge sends this massive bullet downrange at about 2,200 feet per second, yielding mind-boggling muzzle energy of 38,685 foot-pounds. This kinetic energy is rivaled only by the original tank rounds of World War I and penetrates multiple layers of body armor.
It will probably come as no surprise that the .950 JDJ rifle, on paper at least, actually has very little practical application. It could weigh anywhere from 85 to 110 pounds, depending of course on the configuration. This is so heavy that it is really possible to shoot off only a bench rest or an extremely heavy bipod. It has an intense recoil, and free recoil energy exceeds 200-foot pounds if an effective muzzle brake is not built into the rifle. This well is beyond human capacity for shooting from the shoulder, so special shooting rests must be used to avoid injury.
The rifle itself is so heavy that it can’t even be used for hunting or combat. Hence, people sometimes refer to this rifle as a “range queen.” It is a gun taken to the range just to shoot. Running this type of gun is also very expensive. The original price range is $3,000 to $4,000 and this rifle was sold at auction (Rock island) in February for $99,875, and the loaded cartridges cost $40 each; individual lathe-turned bronze bullets can run $10 apiece.
A .950 JDJ round weighs about 3,600 grains, travels at 2,200 feet per second, and has about 36,000 foot-pounds of energy. That’s a monster. What does a guy use a .950 JDJ rifle for? Whatever a guy wants; T-rexes, Decepticons.
Overall, the .950 JDJ rifle represents impressive firearm engineering, designed more for the fun and challenge of shooting mighty long-range rifles than for practical application. Production of this rifle started in 2006 and ended in 2014, with only three units produced. This, in effect, therefore makes the rifle stand out, signifying an interesting era in military and sporting history, one that is extreme for what is possible with firearm design.