Round of the week, the 950 JDJ

ByHunter Elliott

Dec 13, 2013 #20mm Vulcan, #95 caliber, #950 JDJ, #JD Jones, #JDJ, #large rifle cartridge, #largest rifle cartridge, #round of the week

The venerable 30-’06 on the left as compared to the 950 JDJ on right.

A 95 caliber projectile weighing in at 3600 grains and with a muzzle velocity of 2200 fps delivering 38600 foot pounds of energy is close to the limit of what a rifle cartridge can be. Here you have the 950 JDJ.

The case is made of a 20mm Vulcan case shortened to 4 inches and necked up to 95 caliber. It is not considered a destructive device by the ATF.

The 950 JDJ came to life in 1996 by JD Jones but sadly is no longer in production. With the individual hand turned bronze bullets costing $10 a piece and a live cartridge costing about $35 a piece may have played a part in that. The rifle being custom built by SSK from McMillan single shot rifles and custom made Krieger barrels weighed in at over 100 pounds and would cost in the $8000 range.

All that and the rifle is too big, heavy, and cumbersome for really anything but target shooting. Oh and for sure bragging rights (which in my opinion is worth it).

I expect this would have been the ideal round against dinosaurs, The Terminator (any of them), or any damn thing else you wanted to use it against. Though I would classify this as a crew served weapon.

By Hunter Elliott

I spent much of my youth involved with firearms and felt the call early on to the United States Marine Corps, following in my father's and his brother's footsteps. Just after high school I enlisted and felt most at home on the rifle range, where I qualified expert with several firearms and spent some time as a rifle coach to my fellow Marines. After being honorably discharged I continued teaching firearm safety, rifle and pistol marksmanship, and began teaching metallic cartridge reloading. In the late 1990s I became a life member to the National Rifle Association and worked with the Friends of the NRA. Around that time my father and I became involved with IDPA and competed together up until he passed away. I began reviewing firearms for publications in the mid 2000s and have been fortunate to make many friends in the industry. Continuing to improve my firearms skills and knowledge is a never ending journey in which we should all be committed. I am also credited as weapons master on a few independent films.

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