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Is a firearm 'high powered' once it achieves a certain level of velocity? Or a certain amount of energy or good old knock down power?
To me, a high powered rifle would be a centerfire round such as a 30-30, 30-06, .223, 338 ect. I don't know why but i just dont really think of rounds like my 38-55's and 44-40's to be 'high powered'.
And then we get the 'experts' in the media quoting 'the offenders used a high powered rifle' in regards to a .22 rimfire?! I wouldnt consider a rifle chambered for .22 to be high powered.
And then we have the timeline factor. Im sure in 1894 the 38-55 was considered to be a 'high powered' cartridge.
I don't think there is no right or wrong answer and it looks to be a matter of opinion and I am sure one of much conjecture
Generally, a "high-powered rifle" is any modern rifle designed to fire a bullet at high velocity from a hollow cylindrical metal shell by means of igniting a primer and detonating a smokeless power charge contained within. Exactly where a "rifle" becomes a "high-powered rifle" has never been definitively established.
Clearly rifles chambered for the .30/30, the .30/06, the .270 Winchester, and the .308-- which are designed for hunting medium to big game and/or military use--are high-powered rifles. Even smaller rounds such as the .243 Winchester, the .222 and the .22 hornet are generally so classified. Alternatively, .22 rimfires are generally not considered high-powered rifles, nor are rifles designed to fire handgun rounds such as the .357 magnum and the .44 magnum.
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_a_hig ... z1AiyYVyt7
High Powered is any Firearm the Anti's are whipping the General public into believing is High Powered. In Australia as you know Chris, a Pump action or Semi Auto 12 guage is more High Powered than a Bolt or Break action Shotgun and deserves to be restricted and a recent proposal in South Australia is suggesting that Lever Actions are also High Powered instuments of the Devil regadless of calibre.
Forgive me mate but you did suggest there may be more than one correct definition. I can think of a few off hand that are incorrect though.
I studied firearms advertising from an investment standpoint so I could decide whether or not old advertising materials and media would make a lucritive investment and under what economic conditions. I learned a lot about the slogans, logos and phrases that were used. Directly related to your question, in the early 1900's and particularly 1910 to 1920 there are minutes of meetings from a handful of ammunition manufacturers, primarily Remington (later UMC) that refer to the proper use of "high-powered". Bear in mind they refer to the "proper use" in the marketing context, not actual performance or other factual basis. Generally, "high-powered", along with other claims of "high velocity" and Remington's "High-Speed" were to be used for "big game cartridges that meet or exceed 2000 foot per second velocity". One interesting twist to this is Remington's 1909 sales and marketing meeting dialogue where they decided "High-Speed" was fast velocity for big game but "Express" was the same speed (as High-Speed) with heavier bullets for the biggest game. Eventually, Federal Cartridge Company Trademarked the logo Hi-Power. Again, this was a marketing concept that was locked in as a proprietary logo for the company and the actually speed of the ammuntion with such labelling lost relevance.
Growing up in northern Illinois a high powered rifle usually referred to any centerfire rifle. 22's rimfires were common on most farms and shotguns didn't count. When most people talked high powered guns they meant deer rifles and such. Even the 32-20 was considered a high powered rifle back then. That is as close as I can remember. Don't forget Savage came out with their model 99 in a "22 High Power". I don't know if this is when most centerfires were considered "High Power" or not. Now days a lot of the media types call anything firing a big cartridge a "Large Caliber" meaning usually used with handguns bigger than 22rm's and even 38 specials. Just my assumptions. I am sure more answers are correct depending on the gun and local. Good Luck.
Chris, This list of "Low Powered" rifle cartridges is copied from the WA Firearms Regulations. The terms/descriptions used are as they appear in the regulations. When applying to licence rifles in these calibres approval could be given at local police station level. Applications for "High Powered" rifles (in centrefire calibres other than on this list) had to be referred to district level for approval. The system has since changed and all applications now go to the Central Firearms Branch in Perth but the list remains extant.
5 mm Remington Rim Fire Magnum
.17 Hornady magnum rim fire
.22 Rim fire
.22 Winchester magnum rim fire
.22 Hornet
.22 K Hornet
.218 Bee
.25 Rim fire
.25/20 WCF
.297/.230 Morris (Short and Long)
.297/.250 Rook rifle
.295 Rook rifle
.300 Rook rifle
.300 Sherwood
.30/30 Winchester
.310 Cadet rifle
.32 Rim fire
.32/20 Winchester
.32/40 Winchester
.35 Winchester (Self Loading)
.351 Winchester (Self Loading)
.357 Magnum
.38 Smith and Wesson Special
.38 Winchester
.38/40 Winchester
.38/55 Winchester and Ballard
.360 No. 2 Nitro express
.41 Smith and Wesson Magnum
.44 Rim fire
.44 Winchester
.44/40 Winchester
.450 Snider with 380 grain bullet and 55 grains of black powder
.450/.577 Martini solid and coiled
.44 Remington magnum
.45 Colt
.45 ACP
.45/70 Government
.577 Solid and coiled Snider
Last edited by Bruce Scott on Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.
El Chivo wrote:judging from listening to newscasters on the radio, "high powered" means it has a scope. "Assault weapon" means it's black.
So what is my Remington 870 Express, with it's dark gray stock and forearm? It has no scope. Must be "low powered" I would imagine! What a bunch of BS!!!
Bruce Scott wrote:Chris, This list of "Low Powered" rifle cartridges is copied from the WA Firearms Regulations. The terms/descriptions used are as they appear in the regulations. When applying to licence rifles in these calibres approval could be given at local police station level. Applications for "High Powered" rifles (in centrefire calibres other than on this list) had to be referred to district level for approval. The system has since changed and all applications now go to the Central Firearms Branch in Perth but the list remains extant.
5 mm Remington Rim Fire Magnum
.17 Hornady magnum rim fire
.22 Rim fire
.22 Winchester magnum rim fire
.22 Hornet
.22 K Hornet
.218 Bee
.25 Rim fire
.25/20 WCF
.297/.230 Morris (Short and Long)
.297/.250 Rook rifle
.295 Rook rifle
.300 Rook rifle
.300 Sherwood
.30/30 Winchester
.310 Cadet rifle
.32 Rim fire
.32/20 Winchester
.32/40 Winchester
.35 Winchester (Self Loading)
.351 Winchester (Self Loading)
.357 Magnum
.38 Smith and Wesson Special
.38 Winchester
.38/40 Winchester
.38/55 Winchester and Ballard
.360 No. 2 Nitro express
.41 Smith and Wesson Magnum
.44 Rim fire
.44 Winchester
.44/40 Winchester
.450 Snider with 380 grain bullet and 55 grains of black powder
.450/.577 Martini solid and coiled
.44 Remington magnum
.45 Colt
.45 ACP
.45/70 Government
.577 Solid and coiled Snider
I notice that the 22 Savage Hi-Power is not on this list. How strange!
86er wrote:I studied firearms advertising from an investment standpoint so I could decide whether or not old advertising materials and media would make a lucritive investment and under what economic conditions. I learned a lot about the slogans, logos and phrases that were used. Directly related to your question, in the early 1900's and particularly 1910 to 1920 there are minutes of meetings from a handful of ammunition manufacturers, primarily Remington (later UMC) that refer to the proper use of "high-powered". Bear in mind they refer to the "proper use" in the marketing context, not actual performance or other factual basis. Generally, "high-powered", along with other claims of "high velocity" and Remington's "High-Speed" were to be used for "big game cartridges that meet or exceed 2000 foot per second velocity". One interesting twist to this is Remington's 1909 sales and marketing meeting dialogue where they decided "High-Speed" was fast velocity for big game but "Express" was the same speed (as High-Speed) with heavier bullets for the biggest game. Eventually, Federal Cartridge Company Trademarked the logo Hi-Power. Again, this was a marketing concept that was locked in as a proprietary logo for the company and the actually speed of the ammuntion with such labelling lost relevance.
I didn't know that about the marketing aspect. But, from what I've read over the years it appeared to me that the transition from lead bullet and black powder to the jacketed and smokeless era was when the term High power came about. So 2000 FPS would make sense. Generally lead bullet black powder velocities never saw 2000 FPS. But when the smokelss era started it was common to see 2000 plus from those guns.
Bruce Scott wrote:Chris, This list of "Low Powered" rifle cartridges is copied from the WA Firearms Regulations. The terms/descriptions used are as they appear in the regulations. When applying to licence rifles in these calibres approval could be given at local police station level. Applications for "High Powered" rifles (in centrefire calibres other than on this list) had to be referred to district level for approval. The system has since changed and all applications now go to the Central Firearms Branch in Perth but the list remains extant.
5 mm Remington Rim Fire Magnum
.17 Hornady magnum rim fire
.22 Rim fire
.22 Winchester magnum rim fire
.22 Hornet
.22 K Hornet
.218 Bee
.25 Rim fire
.25/20 WCF
.297/.230 Morris (Short and Long)
.297/.250 Rook rifle
.295 Rook rifle
.300 Rook rifle
.300 Sherwood
.30/30 Winchester
.310 Cadet rifle
.32 Rim fire
.32/20 Winchester
.32/40 Winchester
.35 Winchester (Self Loading)
.351 Winchester (Self Loading)
.357 Magnum
.38 Smith and Wesson Special
.38 Winchester
.38/40 Winchester
.38/55 Winchester and Ballard
.360 No. 2 Nitro express
.41 Smith and Wesson Magnum
.44 Rim fire
.44 Winchester
.44/40 Winchester
.450 Snider with 380 grain bullet and 55 grains of black powder
.450/.577 Martini solid and coiled
.44 Remington magnum
.45 Colt
.45 ACP
.45/70 Government
.577 Solid and coiled Snider
I notice that the 22 Savage Hi-Power is not on this list. How strange!
It's just a silly useless saying that means to lots of folks RUN!
The same folks running away from the "high powered" gun would think nothing of getting in a "high powered" car
