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Subsonic Ammunition For Personal Defense

HankT

HankT

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At a gun show last month I bought some personal defense ammo (10mm) from a private seller tableandthe guythrew in a partial box of Winchester Super-X, 180 gr. JHP that was marked "Subsonic."

What's the deal with subsonic ammo? What are the factors in considering this stuff for personal defense application? Benefits/detriments? Is it any good? Anybody use it?

I've never bought any or looked into it...
 
N

Nutczak

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Subsonic is what you want when you're using a suppressor.

Without subsonic rounds, the suppressor still does it's job by lowering the muzzle-blast that is heard, but the projectile breaking the speed of sound still creates a loud "Crack" noise going down range which kinda defeats having a suppressor in the first place

I wouldn't carry it for a defensive round without first verifying its penetration capabilities.
 
HankT

HankT

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Thundar wrote:
Hank, Do you have a supressor for your 10mm? Tell me you are not the one we thought you were!
Click to expand...

No, T, I don't have a suppressor for any of my 10mm semi-autos. I haven't gone over to the 'dark side.'

Yet.
19.gif




Thanks for the info, guys.
 
Gunslinger

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All .45ACP is subsonic. Large cross sectional pistol bullets more than make up for lack of MV by mass X MV superiority. The 9MM needs supersonic MV to make up for smaller mass, i.e., 115 gr vice 230 gr in .45ACP. Some prefer the 147gr 9MM which is subsonic. Personally, I use +P+ 124 or 115gr 9MMs. I like supersonic speeds in that sized round. But people who's opinion I respect prefer the 147s. I think you'd be fine with either. And a 10MM splits the cross sectional 9 v .45 debate nicely.
 
D

Doug Huffman

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That is correct but too precise with conditions of air temperature, pressure and humidity not specified.

I'd probably use 1150 fps in air as a rule of thumb because it has a least significant digit of zero, preceded by a five and the two ones. Calculating is easier with nice numbers.

I also remember 5,000 fps in seawater and 15,000 fps in steel.

http://www.wolframalpha.com/
 
Z

zack991

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Nutczak wrote:
Subsonic is what you want when you're using a suppressor.

Without subsonic rounds, the suppressor still does it's job by lowering the muzzle-blast that is heard, but the projectile breaking the speed of sound still creates a loud "Crack" noise going down range which kinda defeats having a suppressor in the first place

I wouldn't carry it for a defensive round without first verifying its penetration capabilities.
Click to expand...
This 100%
 
skidmark

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Subsonic ammo for self defense is just as good as supersonic ammo - if it hits where it will contribute to stopping the threat.

See http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum65/32361.htmlfor some more of the foolishness about "stopping power" being the most important consideration for self defense ammo.

stay safe.

skidmark
 
TFred

TFred

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Obviously there are many, many factors to consider in such a decision, but one thing that may be helpful to a certain extent is that the energy equation for a moving object is:

E = 1/2 * mass * velocity (squared)

That is why smaller bullets traveling at a higher speed often carry more foot-pounds of energy, the velocity component is squared, giving it much more influence in the equation.

Again... many, many factors to consider, this is just the foundation from which you start.

TFred
 
Gunslinger

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Interceptor_Knight wrote:
Gunslinger wrote:
All .45ACP is subsonic.
Click to expand...
Speed of sound is 1085 fps. Remington Golden Saber .45 185gr+P is 1140fps.
Click to expand...

To be precise, it depends on the altitude and ambient temperature. It is 1118.4 fps at the standard datum plane, 60 degrees F. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/souspe.html. (I should have specified 230gr .45ACPS.)

Flying supersonic fighter planes, we always used 1150 fps in calculations.
Mach goes up as temps go down, like at altitude.
 
B

Bull Frog

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The best fighter pilots always eat a super subsonic meatball sandwich, which has at least 6 meatballs and lots of cheese and sauce.

There's a new French Dip place here in Sunnyvale, California that is really good!
 
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