J. D. Jones (born November 21, 1936) is an American firearms and cartridge designer, firearms writer and president of
SSK Industries. Jones began hunting at an early age, and became interested in
bullet casting
A cast bullet is made by allowing molten metal to solidify in a mold. Most cast bullets are made of lead alloyed with tin and antimony; but zinc alloys have been used when lead is scarce, and may be used again in response to concerns about lead tox ...
and
handloading
Handloading, or reloading, is the practice of making firearm cartridges by assembling the individual components (case, primer, propellant, and projectile), rather than purchasing mass-assembled, factory-loaded ammunition.
The term ''hand ...
firearms cartridges. In the 1960s, Jones collaborated with
Lee Jurras
Lee E. Jurras (July 27, 1934 – April 24, 2017) was an American firearm cartridge designer, known for creation of the Super Vel line of cartridges, and groundbreaking developments in hollow-point ammunition.
Jurras began handloading cartridges fo ...
to create the
Super Vel
Super may refer to:
Computing
* SUPER (computer program), or Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer, a video converter / player
* Super (computer science), a keyword in object-oriented programming languages
* Super key (keyboard butto ...
line of high-performance handgun ammunition.
In 1977, Jones founded SSK Industries, a company focused on cartridges and barrels (such as for the
Thompson Center Arms
Thompson/Center Arms was an American firearms company based in Springfield, Massachusetts. The company was best known for its line of interchangeable-barrel, single-shot pistols and rifles. Thompson/Center also manufactures muzzle-loading rifle ...
Contender rifle-calibre pistol) for high-power handgun hunting and target shooting.
Also in the late 1970s, Jones founded Handgun Hunters International, an association of like-minded hunters who used handguns for their sport, and HHI's attendant newsletter, ''The Sixgunner.''
Jones is primarily known for two lines of firearms cartridges. The first are the
JDJ cartridges
J. D. Jones (born November 21, 1936) is an American firearms and cartridge designer, firearms writer and president of SSK Industries. Jones began hunting at an early age, and became interested in bullet casting and handloading firearms cart ...
, primarily intended for the T/C Contender, ranging from .224 to .577 calibre. The second is the
"Whisper" cartridge family, intended to cause maximum damage at
subsonic
Subsonic may refer to:
Motion through a medium
* Any speed lower than the speed of sound within a sound-propagating medium
* Subsonic aircraft, a flying machine that flies at air speeds lower than the speed of sound
* Subsonic ammunition, a type o ...
speeds, making them nearly silent when used with a
firearm suppressor.
Jones is a member of the
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is a gun rights advocacy group based in the United States. Founded in 1871 to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA has become a prominent Gun politics in the United States, gun rights ...
and
Safari Club International
Safari Club International (SCI) is a US organization composed of hunters dedicated to protecting the freedom to hunt. SCI has more than 50,000 members and 180 local chapters. SCI members agree to abide by the organization's code of ethics, whi ...
and has authored two columns for ''
American Handgunner
''American Handgunner'' is a magazine dedicated to handguns, handgun hunting, competition shooting, reloading, tactical knives and other shooting-related activities in the United States. It is a sister publication to ''Guns'' and '' American Cop ...
'' magazine.
See also
*
14.5mm JDJ
*
.30-06 JDJ
*
.950 JDJ
The .950 JDJ (24.1×70mm) is a powerful large caliber rifle cartridge developed by American gunsmith and weapon designer J. D. Jones of SSK Industries.
Cartridge
.950 JDJ cases are approximately 70 mm in length, and are based on a 20×11 ...
References
External links
SSK Industriesofficial site
at Ammo-One.com
Firing the 950 JDJ- Video
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, J. D.
Ammunition designers
Living people
1936 births
American gun rights activists
Gun writers