
And I dont see a big difference in velocity between my 8" and 16" barrel. You can google this and there is a wealth of info on it. To answer your question, I think of the speed of sound around 1050 fps on a warm day. I don't shoot many subs when its 30 degrees outside. I dont load any sub over 1050 fps, and try to get them between 10 fps.

On a 80 deg day I have shot some at 1150 fps and not get a sonic crack, if you shoot the same load when its 20 deg out you should get a sonic crack. Most try to set their sub to around 1000 fps. The lower the temp the lower the barrier with be. Well, speed of sound depends on temperature and humidity. For this reason, marksmen normally restrict themselves to engaging targets within the supersonic range of the projectile used, which is known as the rifles effective range. Once a bullet reaches its transonic stage, precision will be difficult to achieve and the projectile will most often deviate to a new, unpredictable flight path where tumbling may result. While some bullets will manage to overcome these effects better than others, it is very difficult to determine how well a bullet will transition through the transonic phase. At this point the bullet struggles to retain enough gyroscopic stability to overcome the increasing dynamic instability that is experienced. When spin-stabilised projectiles slow down to a point where they are reaching the sound barrier, the centre of pressure shifts forward, causing the bullet to pitch and yaw. In simpler terms, once parts of the airflow reach subsonic speeds, the projectile becomes unstable and bullet tumbling most often follows. The transonic effect related to spin-stabilised projectiles deals with the critical period of disruptive transition as the supersonic bullet reaches speeds close to the sound barrier.
#Subsonic fps crack#
The supersonic crack however cannot be removed, and can be heard from quite a distance. When using a suppressor (or silencer) in conjunction with supersonic loads, the sound will still be obvious and audible, but the shot will make a dull thump rather than a loud bang, and locating the direction in which the shot originated from can be difficult. Precision rifle ammunition will fall into this category. Supersonic ammunition uses advanced aerodynamical projectiles with the perfect weight and shape designed to travel at high velocities and often over long distances. Stopping power is the firearm’s ability to cause a target to be incapacitated or immobilised through use of a penetrating projectile These high speeds which operate above the speed of sound drastically increase the bullet’s velocity and effective range, flattening its trajectory and increasing stopping power.

This is a result of the sonic boom which occurs when the bullet breaks the sound barrier.

Supersonic ammo cartridges are designed to operate at velocities greater than the speed of sound, which causes the bullet to make a “crack” as it travels downrange.

Subsonic loads have a more unique purpose, and are typically custom loaded by hand or purchased for a very specific reason which we will discuss in more detail below. These include the majority of pistol and rifle cartridges used for sports shooting, hunting and self defence. The majority of gun owners, whether they know it or not, are familiar with supersonic cartridges. While subsonic ammo is quieter, producing less recoil, supersonic ammo produces a flatter trajectory, greater effective range and superior terminal performance (or stopping power) against living targets. In simple terms, subsonic means the bullet is moving slower than the speed of sound, while supersonic means the projectile breaks the sound barrier, producing a sonic crack as it travels through the air. While each have their own benefits, supersonic ammunition is most often the more responsible and ethical choice, specifically when related to hunting and defensive use. low speed ammo, and when one might be a more suitable choice over the other. Whether hunting, target shooting, experimenting with handloads or simply just curious, you may be wondering: what’s the difference between subsonic and supersonic ammunition, and which is better for your rifle? This article will cover what you need to know when comparing high vs.
