It’s safe to bet that most people, even some of the most savvy gun owners, didn’t know about the existence of a .950 caliber rifle. Yes, you did indeed read that right. This rifle fires a round that would most likely be seen drawn into an aircraft mounted rotary cannon.
The bullet’s diameter is 24.1 mm - which is four mm more than a round fired from your standard anti-tank rifle - and it packs an unbelievable amount punch. The .950 JDJ round is nearly double the size of the .50 BMG round that you see used in vehicle mounted machine guns meant to pierce other armored vehicles. Not to mention the fact that the bullet travels at a velocity of 2,100 feet per second, or 1,432 mph. The devastation that the round can cause boggles the imagination.
The only downside of the largest center-fire rifle ever made is that it requires a staggering amount of heavy material to actually withstand the enormous amount of energy the rounds produce. The muzzle break - which is used to redirect propellant gases to counter the recoil of the firing weapon - is 18 pounds all by itself. Only 12 people have actually shot the rifle and only three rifles have been made at this time. The one you will see in the video below was the first made and it weighs in at 50 pounds.
The round, designed and developed by J. D. Jones of SSK Industries, would normally be classified as Destructive Devices under the National Firearms Act of 1934. However, SSK was able to receive a “Sporting Use Exception” to deregulate the round and any rifle that fires it. It can, hypothetically, be purchased like any other rifle by someone at least 18 years of age as long as they have no felonies on their criminal record.
See the rifle in action in the video below: