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subsonic bullets
ghost614
Member Posts: 129 ✭✭✭
anyhow, i was looking in the auctions and saw some subsonic rounds for sale, manufactured by a russian outfit called silver bear. first off, i never heard of these guys so any input on how the quality is or reliability would be helpful. secondly, the claim made is that they will function flawlessly in any semiautomatic pistol, but i'm not so sure. i remember hearing how subsonic rounds were jam prone, though i can't remember were. but to the point, if anyone could enlighten me on these two questions that would be most helpful. thanks.
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thats'me
So to keep the projectile subsonic a reduced charge is use, this may or may not cause ejection problems in semi automatic weapons, which need a certain amount of recoil to function properly. HOPE this helps ...Mark
"FEAR the Goverment, that fears your ARMS"
Rugster
Edited by - rugster on 06/30/2002 12:14:06
All bullets achieve their velocity "in the barrel"--when they exit, they are "coasting". If a bullet leaves the barrel traveling at a super-sonic speed, at some point it will "coast down" to a subsonic speed (assuming it has the space to), but it will not pass "into" a sonic compression wall--as for example, a jet plane will as it approaches the speed of sound.
The only point "trans-sonic" flight for a bullet could occur would be during deceleration. Perhaps some turbulence from interference with the "sonic flight air compressions" could interfere with the bullet stability, but I've never really heard of that as a problem.
The "sonic flight air compressions"--like little "sonic booms"--make suppressors less effective overall--which is why subsonic ammo is prefered if a suppressor is used.
I do not know about the Silver Bear brand (but would like to hear from anyone who has used it).
Generally, heavier bullets are used to achieve "sub-sonic" bullet flight. This can sometimes be a problem in auto's; something like a 147 gr. 9mm bullet can be longer and "fatter" at its point, than something like a 115gr bullet. This can sometimes cause feeding problems.
I just wanted to share my own experiences with subsonic ammo.
First of all, it's not the ammo that desides wether a weapon can recycle on subsonic ammo - it's more the question, wether the weapon can recycle on the lower pressure or recoil generated from the subsonic cartridges.
Subsonic ammo - quite noticably - doesn't go as fast or as far as regular ammo and they don't produce as much pressure either.
Wether subsonic ammo is more accurate - i don't know. at the short ranges i've tried it, i can't tell the difference between subsonic and hyper-velocity ammo - other than hyper-velocity tends to shoot a bit above subsonic ammo at the same range. (if the scope or weapon is ranged in with one of the types of ammo)
with the different speeds and bulletweights - you can expect some variation in accuracy - also the groups wouldn't stay the same.
I've tried subsonic ammo in cal. 9*19mm and .22LR semi-auto.
both weapons went flawlessly with both subsonic as well as faster sonic cartridges =o).
I don't see that subsonic ammo would be more corrosive.
subsonic ammo (modern ammo) is also made with non-corrosive primers and powder - so that shouldn't be a problem.
It is also right, that silencers can't take away the sonic boom.
it can only take away the boom caused by the gunpowder - i.e. the explosion or gaspressure causing the bullet to accelerate.
Firing a sonic bullet in a silenced weapon - will still give off a considerable boom, however it's not quite as loud.
Yet, as far as i know - heavier bullets are commonly used in sub-sonic bullets - however, just as commonly, the usual bullet is used.
I guess it goes both ways - why? don't know.. i'd like to learn.
I'd suspect it's got to do with energy.
A friend of mine had some 30.06 bullets re-calibrated to subsonic.
the reload-guy simply extracted the bullet, did some tests with the weapon and using new powder and reloaded a new batch of 100 cartridges to subsonic.
that worked okay with his FN-FAL. (with the gas-reload-knob set to almost minimum load).
i never tried the FN-FAL with the subsonic, but have watched him a number of times with a customed silencer too.
as regarding to the subsonic bullets... go try them out, you might get surprised. =o) as with other ammo - some types just don't "fit" as well as others.
buy a small sample - try it - if it works okay in yours - be happy that it might not work in your neighbours gun =o)
Hope you'd figure it out.
Regards
Peter E Jeppesen
Greenland.
I love my silenced .22 Anshutz rifle =o) And soon to be Steyr Scout with 10-round ext-set. ;o_
AN ARMED SOCIETY IS A POLITE SOCIETY
"Endurance"