06-13-2011, 01:20 AM
JASmith Wrote:The 124 grain 9mm M882 bullet has a muzzle velocity of 1263 ft/sec.
Technically it's on the high end of transonic but definitely going faster than the speed of sound in most parts of the world. For example, at 90F the speed of sound is close to 1150, it doesn't creep up to 1200 until the air temperature reaches 140F -- not many places are that hot.
In any event, the operative issue is not the speed of sound in air, but in things like the watery bag that makes up most of the body. This number is more like 5000 ft/sec...
To be sure, a shock wave races out ahead of the bullet, but it's intensity is not enough to cause damage. Consider the sonic destruction of kidney stones.
Joe:
So, what happens to that water when a bullet goes through it at say 2000 feet per second as opposed to say 800 feet per second?
LR55