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. 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. This is a result of the sonic boom which occurs when the bullet breaks the sound barrier. 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. Supersonic ammunition uses advanced aerodynamical projectiles with the perfect weight and shape designed to travel at high velocities and often over long distances. Precision rifle ammunition will fall into this category. 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. The supersonic crack however cannot be removed, and can be heard from quite a distance. 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. In simpler terms, once parts of the airflow reach subsonic speeds, the projectile becomes unstable and bullet tumbling most often follows. 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. 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.Īt this point the bullet struggles to retain enough gyroscopic stability to overcome the increasing dynamic instability that is experienced. 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. 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. As it happens, a heck of a lot of handgun ammunition is inherently subsonic, but that doesn't necessarily mean much! Subsonic vs.Subsonic Ammunition: What It Is, Why It's UsefulĪmmunition that's loaded so that the projectile travels under a certain velocity threshold is subsonic in that the bullet doesn't break the sound barrier. However, subsonic ammunition, like a hollow point, is a tool with an intended purpose. It has uses, many of which are practical beyond merely being quieter than a typical gunshot.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |