PURPOSE: To continuously produce the metallic powder having stable quality by adjusting the flowing down speed of a cooling liquid by means of a layer thickness-adjusting ring.

CONSTITUTION: The cooling liquid is ejected from an ejection pipe 7 along the inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical body 1. A cooling liquid layer 21 of a nearly specified inside diameter is formed by the layer thickness- adjusting ring and flows down while swirling until the liquid flows over the ring 6 and flows out downward. A molten metal 22 in an injection crucible 2 in the upper part of the cylindrical body 1 is then injected from a nozzle hole 15 toward the cooling liquid layer 21 and is parted by the swirling flow. This molten metal is rapidly solidified to powder. Since the swirling cooling liquid layer is formed by always the fresh cooling liquid, the layer is maintained at a specified temp. and since the layer is stable without disturbance of the liquid level, the rapidly solidified powder having the good quality is produced.