What is a "high-powered rifle"

[RandyD]

There is not an official definition, but it is generally used to describe all centerfire rifle cartridges.

Rimfire rifle cartridges and pistol cartridges (.44 magnum) fired from a rifle are not considered high power.

Your post reflects what my understanding has always been. Based on the posts, the term highpower seems to have various meanings. I have never heard of a rifle being characterized as low or medium power. I just divided them into two groups; (rimfire, smallbore, 22) and (highpower).

[Legasat]

The media would have us believe anything more powerful than a BB gun is "high powered"....of wait, BB guns are dangerous too, make that a Nerf gun.

[Springfield45]

I see this phrase in the media a lot. And from most, if not all, of my lib friends on social media. What is a high-powered or high-power rifle?

I think it is one of these.

[OpenSightsOnly]

ha!



I don't think the average anti-gunner knows about NRA Highpower matches, let alone anybody in the media.

Yep, I doubt that anybody knows what DCM/CMP is all about other than I buy a Garand so I can hear it "ping." sad but true

[cdtx2001]

In media terms.....

High powered rifle is anything that doesn't resemble an assault weapon.

Sniper rifle is a high powered rifle with a scope.


High powered should never be confused with high profile, nor should high caliber.

So........what would a high profile, high caliber, high powered chick look like?

[bohoki]

anything not low powered?

[sl0re10]

its their made up catch phrase (like assault weapon) so it's hard for us to define it for them... but based on energy and/or size of the bullet alone; 223 / 5.56 is not at the upper end of power for a rifle round... so calling it high powered isn't logical, factually correct, et cetera imo.

[essjay]

I think it is one of these.

A fully-automatic Assault Klishnakov 47? Very scary! And I'm offended!

[Rez805]

For gun people it would be a rifle chambered in something higher than at least .308. For the media it means the same as Assault Rifle, Assault Weapon, Shoulder Thing That Goes Up, Military Style Rifle, etc.

God forbid they find about the 40 Watt range.

[cbr9290318]

I see this phrase in the media a lot. And from most, if not all, of my lib friends on social media. What is a high-powered or high-power rifle? And what differentiates a high-powered rifle from a low-powered rifle or a normal-powered rifle?

Usually, it's in reference to AR15 rifles that shoot the .223/5.56 cartridge. So if a .223 is "high powered," what is a 308? Or a 300WM? Or a 338 Lapua? Or a 6BR? Or 6.5 Creedmoor?

When you see or hear the phrase "high powered" in the media, with respect to any firearms, you should instantly recognize

[Cokebottle]

So all center-fire rifles are "high-powered" rifles?

What is a "military-style" bolt"

To the media? Anything larger than .22lr

Seriously.

[cbr9290318]

[as_rocketman]

I see this phrase in the media a lot. And from most, if not all, of my lib friends on social media. What is a high-powered or high-power rifle? And what differentiates a high-powered rifle from a low-powered rifle or a normal-powered rifle?

Usually, it's in reference to AR15 rifles that shoot the .223/5.56 cartridge. So if a .223 is "high powered," what is a 308? Or a 300WM? Or a 338 Lapua? Or a 6BR? Or 6.5 Creedmoor?

Highpower came into the lingo with the invention of smokeless powder, the NRA didn't invent it.

This is basically correct.

The best explanation I've ever seen is that the "power level" corresponds to the chamber pressure. So rimfires (including the large old rimfires) would be "low-powered," along with the majority of pistol-caliber carbines and such, and old black powder rounds as well. Just about any modern centerfire chambering is "high powered." The old low-powered rounds were typically around 15,000 to 20,000 PSI, while high-powered rifles are in the 50,000 PSI and up range.

There are some intermediate-powered rounds, some of them extremely popular. .30-30 and .30 Carbine come to mind, at about 42,000 and 36,000 PSI respectively. However, with definition creep being what it is, I suspect either of these would get lumped in with "high-powered" cartridges, even though they are not.

There are also some orphans. .45-70 in its original loadings would be low-powered, although it's certainly not my first choice of something to stand in front of. Modern "Ruger Only" loads for .45-70, and similar cartridges like .450 Marlin, are on the hot end of intermediate power.

Bottom line, it's not really a useful term anymore. I usually take it to mean "not rimfire," if I take notice of it at all, if I see it in the news.

[IrishJoe3]

Usually anything shooting a magnum load or over .22 rimfire caliber, depending on who you talk to. It is a relative term.
News media could not tell the difference if they were looking at it in person. Can not differentiate due to ignorance.

Not true.

CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/11/us/newtown-anniversary-nra-gun-protest/

Leinz was a junior in high school in 1979 when the effects of gun violence hit home. Her classmate, Brenda Spencer, used a high-caliber rifle to open fire on Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego. She killed the principal and a janitor who came to his aid and wounded eight children.

Brenda Ann SPENCER

Classification: Homicide
Characteristics: Juvenile (16) - School shooting
Number of victims: 2
Date of murders: January 29, 1979
Date of arrest: Same day
Date of birth: April 3, 1962
Victims profile: Principal Burton Wragg, 53 (Principal) and Michael Suchar, 56 (Custodian)
Method of murder: Shooting (.22-caliber rifle)

She used a Ruger 10-22 .22 rimfire rifle. CNN even calls that a 'High Power' rifle.

http://murderpedia.org/female.S/s/spencer-brenda.htm

[Divernhunter]

To me The high powered rifle is my 50bmg rifles. All others are just rifles except 22RF then they are 22's