.950 JDJ

.950 JDJ
Type	Rifle
Place of origin	United States
Production history
Designer	J. D. Jones
Manufacturer	SSK Industries
Specifications
Parent cartridge	20 × 102 mm Vulcan
Bullet diameter	0.950 in (24.1 mm)
Case length	4 in (100 mm)
Ballistic performance Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy 3,600 gr (233 g) 2,200 ft/s (670 m/s) 38,685 ft·lbf (52,450 J)

The .950 JDJ is a large caliber rifle cartridge developed by J. D. Jones of SSK Industries.

Cartridge

Loaded .950 JDJ cartridges are approximately the length of an empty .50 BMG casing (i.e., 4 in or 10 cm), and are based on a 20×102mm case shortened and necked up to accept the .950 in (24.1 mm) bullet. Projectiles are custom-made and most commonly weigh 3,600 grains (230 g) which is 8.2 ounces or over half a pound.

Rifles

As its name implies, rifles chambered for the cartridge have a bore diameter of 0.950 in (24.1 mm), which would normally classify them as Destructive Devices in the United States under the 1968 (1934) National Firearms Act. However, SSK sought and received a "Sporting Use Exception" to de-regulate the rifles, meaning they can be purchased like any other Title I rifle by a person over age 18 with no felonies on their criminal record.^{[citation needed]} The rifles themselves, of which only a handful have been made, use McMillan stocks and extraordinarily thick Krieger barrels bearing an 18 lb (8.2 kg) muzzle brake. Overall, depending on options, the rifles weigh from 85 to 110 pounds (39 to 50 kg) and are therefore only useful for shooting from a bench rest or heavy bipod. Despite the weight, recoil is significant, and shooters must be sure to choose components (i.e., scopes and bipods) that can handle the abuse. The sheer size and weight of these weapons makes them impractical for hunting use, as they cannot be carried afield. Thus, they are largely "range queens"—rifles that are brought to the range for a fun time, but not usually used for hunting or other "more practical" uses. Additionally, the cost of owning and operating such a firearm is beyond most shooters; the rifles cost ~US$8,000, loaded cartridges are $40 each, and the individual lathe-turned bronze bullets are $10 apiece.

Ballistics

The cartridge propels its 3,600 gr (230 g) bullet at approximately 2,200 ft/s (670 m/s). This yields a muzzle energy of 38,685 ft·lbf (52,450 J) and a momentum of 154.1 Newton-seconds, about the same as a 20×102mm Vulcan round.^{[citation needed]} This kinetic energy would allow the .950 JDJ to pass through several body-armored humans. It is comparable to the original tank rounds of World War I in terms of ballistics.^{[citation needed]}

By comparison, the 5.56×45mm NATO cartridge, used in the M16 rifle, produces between 1,200–1,300 ft·lbf (1,600–1,800 J), while the .308 Winchester, a favorite for hunters and medium-range police/military sniping, produces between 2,000–3,000 ft·lbf (2,700–4,100 J) depending on the load used. The ballistics of the .950 JDJ are more similar to that of the 20mm autocannon round, which delivers approximately 39,500 ft·lbf (53,600 J). The muzzle energy of the .950 JDJ is comparable to the kinetic energy of a 2,800 lb (1,300 kg) automobile traveling at 20 mph (32 km/h).

In a 110 lb (50 kg) rifle, this will develop well over 200 ft·lbf (270 J) of free recoil energy if an efficient muzzle brake is not used. This is far beyond the shoulder-firing capacity of nearly all humans, even without considering the difficulty of shouldering such a heavy rifle. Shooting is usually heavy "lead sled" or similar shooting rest, and the rifle is not held to the shoulder because of the severe recoil and possible injury. The rifle scope has significant eye relief to avoid injuring the ocular orbit.

See also

• Cartridges over 13 mm in caliber
• List of rifle cartridges
• 20 mm caliber
• Denel NTW-20, South African anti-materiel rifle

External links

• SSK Industries