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by mptaker on December 2nd, 2006

mptaker

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What is the most powerful rifle?

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Answers. 20 helpful answers below.

  • by Michael Edelman on January 31st, 2007

    Michael Edelman

    There are a great many categories of guns that one might look at in answering this question.

    The most most powerful commonly available sporting rifle cartridge was, for many years, the .458 Winchester Magnum at 4,871 foot-pounds of muzzle energy.

    The most powerful proprietary cartridge was the .460 Weatherby Magnum, at 8,250 foot-pounds of energy; it is available only from Weatherby.

    The most powerful wildcat cartridge- that is, one not offered in any commerical loadings- is the .577 Tyranosaurous, which can be loaded up to over 11,000 foot-pounds of energy.

    The most powerful rifles legal for civilian ownership would be one of the many custom rifles designed around the military .50 BMG, which produces nearly 13,000 foot pounds of energy. All .50 BMG firing guns are generally fired from a bipod or tripod, so this does stretch the defintiion of "rifle" as normally thought of.

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  • by CannedHam on December 2nd, 2006

    CannedHam

    The most powerful handheld rifle in terms of muzzle energy (11,000+ ft lbs) is the .577 Tyrannosaur, a caliber designed by orthopedic surgeons to increase business in the lucrative field of shoulder reconstruction/replacement.

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  • by Anonymous on March 22nd, 2008

    Anonymous

    It might kill you, but can it kill an elephant or a TANK?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahti_L-39

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  • by singwell-is off researching a lot on February 21st, 2007

    singwell-is off researching a lot

    if it kills you it is powerful enough. :-(

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  • by BAM@Cyberscrewed.tk on January 30th, 2007

    BAM@Cyberscrewed.tk

    I would say the M82 Barrett rifle.

    The M82 rifle is a heavy sniper rifle developed by the American Barrett Firearms Company. It is currently used by many units and armies around the world, including the American Special Forces.

    Cartridge: 12.7 x 99 mm NATO,
    Caliber: 12.7 mm (.510 in)
    Rate of fire: semi-automatic
    Effective range: 2010m

    Read more about it here:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M82_Barrett_rifle

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  • by JohnOBonno on December 24th, 2008

    JohnOBonno

    A 105 mm recoilless rifle might carry that distinction if it were a true rifle.

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  • by Anonymous on March 22nd, 2008

    Anonymous

    The one that I am holding.

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  • by chuck on October 4th, 2008

    chuck

    .700 Nitro Express is a very powerful round, and is known worldwide by its reputation among serious big-game hunters. It's also referred to as the most powerful sporting cartridge in the world, and this may be accurate

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  • by Ultima on January 3rd, 2009

    Ultima

    I've heard of a rifle that uses .950 JDJ rounds.

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  • by MetalRain on September 18th, 2008

    MetalRain

    In answering this question you must consider what type of rifle it is (anti-personnel, anti-materiel, hunting...) as different types of rifles have highly varying calibres and configurations which would acutely effect its killing potential or armour piercing capabilities.

    With that said the most powerful (current production), anti-materiel rifles which I know of include;

    - MECHEM NTW-20 (by Denel from South Africa)
    - 20mm TAKE-DOWN Rifle (by Anzio Ironworks from North America)

    These two rifles are both chambered for the 20mm round (20x80mm and/or 20x110mm) which is exclusive used by various military and police bodies for anti-materiel purpose only. Anti-materiel rifles primarily used to hinder enemy activities by damaging or destroying their resources and defense systems. These resources and defense systems includes (but is not limited to);

    - fortified bunkers,
    - light armoured vehicles,
    - machine gun placements,
    - military installations (communication systems and ordnance stores) as well as,
    - stationary aircraft.

    It must been noted that these 20mm anti-materiel rifles are also classified as cannon/artillery weapon systems.

    In terms of anti-personnel rifles, one of the most noted is the Arctic Warfare Super Magnum (also known as the AWSM or AWM) produced by British Accuracy International. This particular rifle is chambered for the .308 Lapua Magnum round. The .416 Barrett round which can be used in various Barrett rifles can be seen as challenger to the .308 Lapua Magnum round.

    The .50BMG round is primarily designated to anti-materiel rifles with a secondary anti-personnel classification.

    In terms of hunting, especially big game or large animals, the .700 Nitro Express round is definitely one of the most deadly commercially available. Apart from having a very large and heavy projectile, the unique explosive compound mix used to propel the projectile is more explosive and volitile when compared to conventional mixes, and thus is more powerful. There are custom order rifles from several manufacturers that produce hunting rifles which handle the .700 Nitro Express round. The 4-Bore round previously spoken about would definitely be more powerful than the .700 Nitro Express.

    It must be noted that any calibre greater than the .50BMG (12.7mm) which is used in rifles such as the Barrett M82 Series, would be widely argued as overkill (easily) against enemy soldiers, let alone the 20mm anti-materiel rifles stated above.

    20.00 milimetres = 0.787 inch (20mm)
    17.78 milimetres = 0.700 inch (.700NE)
    12.70 milimetres = 0.500 inch (.50BMG)
    10.57 milimetres = 0.416 inch (.416 Barrett)
    7.823 milimetres = 0.308 inch (.308 Lapua)

    Please research further for more information.

    Cheers,
    Gunn

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  • by isaiah on August 5th, 2008

    isaiah

    as far as i know its the 4bore

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  • by Anonymous on February 21st, 2007

    Anonymous

    50 caliber rifle

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  • by Brandon_M4968 on February 11th, 2011

    Brandon_M4968

    Someone might have gotten it right, but the most powerful cartidge in terms of both availability and muzzle energy, that would be the 14.5x114 cartridge. A rifle that uses this cartridge is the PTRS-41 (if you've played call of duty, you'll know) Anyway, this cartridge produces somewhere between 29,000 and 32,000 Foot pounds of energy. It was designed to be an anti tank rifle, and boy is it.It is more than twice as powerful as the .50 BMG. Note, the 14.5x114 was made in 1941 by the soviets and the .50 BMG in 1921. Even in these years, leave it to the soviets to one up us simple Americans :)

    The truly most powerful cartridge is the .950 JDJ but is somewhat of a novelty. I believe there is only one rifle that uses this cartridge and is about unshootable due to massive recoil. Even still, the .950 JDJ can produce 38,000 foot pounds of energy. Thats over 3x as powerful as a .50BMG. I don't think anything could stop that amount of power.

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  • by Colton_B4291 on February 9th, 2011

    Colton_B4291

    Look there is no gun bigger and badder than the barret 50. cal sniper rifle the 50. cal has a reputation the reason they made the 50. cal sniper because a man shot a N.V.A trooper and was the longest confirmed kill. Come on it can peirce tank or 2 1/2 steal plate so the 50. cal is the biggest rifle.

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  • by Anonymous on March 22nd, 2008

    Anonymous

    .

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  • by researcher for God on May 3rd, 2007

    researcher for God

    One is the 50cal sniper rifle...

    It is used to take out thin skinned vehicles...

    for other Rifle ideas you could check out:

    discovery channel future weapons...
    or possible Mail call...

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  • by tuRdferg3son on March 22nd, 2008

    tuRdferg3son

    There is also the relatively new .700 nitro express developed in 1988 by Jim Bell and William Feldstein and built by H&H. In many respects this cartridge parallels the .600 Nitro Express, in that it is essentially a scaled-up version of that cartridge but is somewhat more powerful, and fires a heavier 1000-grain (64.8 g) bullet. The .700 Nitro Express develops an approximate average of 8900 foot pounds (12 kJ) of muzzle energy with a 1000-gr bullet at 2,000 ft/s (610 m/s). However handloaders can push the cartridge to generate as much as 15,000 ft·lbf (20.3 kJ) in a modern bolt action, by using a 1000-gr bullet fired at 2,600 ft/s (792 m/s). However, doing so makes the action of the rifle used nearly inoperable (especially in the case of a boxlock or sidelock rifle), while at the same time rupturing the cartridge casing and the primer cap.
    What about cost? Single factory loaded .700 Nitro cartridges are available, typically at $100 each which will hurt your wallet almost as much as the recoil will hurt your shoulder. Have fun.

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  • by Olero on March 22nd, 2008

    Olero

    Out of the ones i've fired? Berreta CX4 storm 45 acp. Powerful mofo.

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  • by tuRdferg3son on March 22nd, 2008

    tuRdferg3son

    there is also the 600 nitro express. will u pull the trigger for me?

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  • by Liutauras_M on November 24th, 2010

    Liutauras_M

    i think strongest weapon (rifle) is NTW 20 Anti-material

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXLRYf9EV2Y

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