Subsonic...what does this mean?

Ed Smurf

Ed Smurf

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So I'm having a debate with someone who tells me that 7.92x57 is a subsonic round. This would be news to me. If true if you were near (safely) the target you would hear the shot before the bullet hits target. Or am I completely wrong.
 
As per Google, the speed of sound in 20 degree C air is circa 1125 feet per second. I see reloading manuals have some confusion if referring to European CIP round or USA SAAMI round - but apparently original German military rounds - 227 grain Round Nose bullets were used - circa 1905 the German military had converted all their weapons to use the higher velocity "IS" or as some would write "JS" round (different size bore - different barrel - different bullet) - most assuredly, both the original Patrone 88 and the subsequent 8x57JS, even SAAMI 8 mm Mauser are faster than the speed of sound in air - not sure how slow one could load it though??

There is an old (war time?) saying that you will not hear the shot that kills you - so the obverse of that would be that if you heard a shot, you are not dead yet.
 
Subsonic (below Mach 1) you'll hear the sound first before impact.

Supersonic Mach 1 - Mach 5

Hypersonic Mach 5 and above

I've never seen or used a 7.92x57 subsonic round. It's possible to make , though...
 
most factory subsonic ammunition is rated at below 1100 fps.
the 7.92x57 (8mm mauser) is absolutely not a subsonic cartridge.
the revered k98 from WWII and the Gewehr98 from WW1 have been fed with this round...
if buddy handloaded, im sure he could find a load that was subsonic...but we could say that about most cartridges..
 
You could load it subsonic, that's a hundred percent true. But I have never heard of any factory, or military ammo that was subsonic. It is far beyond the speed of subsonic.
 
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