What is Subsonic?

Subsonic ammunition is designed to operate at velocities below the speed of sound, which, at standard conditions, is approximately 1,125 fps or Mach 1. This prevents the supersonic shockwave, or “crack,” of the projectile when the round is discharged. Coupled with a sound suppressor, subsonic ammunition is effective at reducing the acoustic intensity of the muzzle report and jump by modulating the speed and pressure of the propellant gas released from the muzzle.