Sound Suppressors: Limiting the Danger of Decibels

By Tactical-Life

So, what exactly do sound suppressors do? There are four noises which make up the “boom” one hears when shooting a firearm.

The first is the action noise (i.e., the hammer hitting the firing pin, the slide/bolt cycling, gas escaping though the ejection port). The second is the bullet flight noise. If the round travels faster than the speed of sound, which is approximately 1,050 feet per second, there will be an audible “crack” heard by the shooter and those the projectile passes. The third is the bullet striking the target. The last noise associated with the firing of a firearm is the combustion noise hitting the atmosphere when the projectile leaves the barrel.

• RELATED STORY: Suppressors: A Great Tool For Modern Shooting

The gases that pushed the projectile from the barrel are going faster than the speed of sound and typically still burning. The “boom” of the gases hitting the atmosphere is typically louder than the other noises, which is why the boom generally is all the shooter and those near the shooter hear.

Firearm suppressors work in the same manner as mufflers for cars and lawn mowers. Both provide a controlled environment in which the gases can expand and cool before …read more

Source:: Tactical Life