Is there any reason to shoot "supersonic" 9mm ammo through a Sig 228 or 229 pistol with a suppressor attached to a Sig Threaded Barrel?

quote:

Originally posted by GrandPotter:
Is there any reason to shoot "supersonic" 9mm ammo through a Sig 228 or 229 pistol with a suppressor attached to a Sig Threaded Barrel?

Sure.

-You're low on ammo and can't find subsonic?
-You're indoors or in some other type of confined space. The overpressure of firing the pistol is a different consideration than the supersonic crack of the bullet itself and a suppressor can at least help with the former.
-For range / target shooting, using a suppressor is a different kind of fun regardless of what kind of ammo you use.

I guess my question is confusing. Happens with "old" age

Most people shoot "SUB"-sonic ammo through a suppressor. So is there a reason why someone would chose to shot SUPER-SONIC through a suppressor?

quote:

Originally posted by GrandPotter:
Most people shoot "SUB"-sonic ammo through a suppressor. So is there a reason why someone would chose to shot SUPER-SONIC through a suppressor?

By choice? I'd say no. If you went to the trouble of acquiring a suppressor then you'd typically also go to the trouble of using subsonic ammo. In some cases though you don't have that option but a suppressor can still be useful, such as with 223/556

I'm not any kind of suppressor expert, but I believe that there is still some sound suppression even when using supersonic ammo.

Suppressing Supersonic Ammo

suppressors work their magic even with supersonic rounds. Its not "some" suppression, its lots of suppression. Its just that suppressors can't magically get rid of the supersonic 'crack'. There are actually some 9mm subguns that bleed velocity so that you get subsonic rounds through the suppressor from supersonic ammo. But that's not really relevant to a 229. If you want the whole process to be the maximum quieter get subsonic ammo (meaning mostly 147g in 9mm). But shooting supersonic ammo still gets a huge reduction in noise exposure.

All correct--you might still hear a pop, but it will be much quieter, not to mention the recoil reduction.

And, depending on the load, a "supersonic" cartridge may not actually be supersonic out of the 3.9ish inch barrel of the 229. (My kid shoots 115gr range ammo through a 4" AR9 with Obsidian 9, and it rarely seems to go supersonic.)

I am mainly thinking Home Defense use with the threaded barrel suppressed.

So even though supersonic might do the job, I think for minimum wall/structure penetration and shooting without hearing protection on, subsonic has got to be the only way to go.

You would probably be suboptimal on both counts. There is simply no meaningful difference in structure penetration between the various 9mm loadings if we are talking a typical 'house'. They all penetrate common construction.
And the sound difference is not a practical difference in a self defense situation.
And what you give up with choosing subsonic 9mm defense loads is access to the best performing rounds. And certainly IMO the #1 criteria for home defense is getting the best possible ammo performance from the platform you pick.

One of the reasons to use a suppressor, even with super-sonic ammunition, is to assure that you and your team's firearms have a noticeably different sound signature than that of your opposition

It gives you the benefit of reduced hearing damage for everyone in the house while still running your normal load. I like 147 HST which is subsonic but if 124s were all I had I'd still run them through a can and they'd be more quiet though not as quiet.

Suppressors don't make anything silent.

For home defense they allows you to not take as much permanent hearing damage, a plus.

Stating the best rounds for self defense can't be accessed using a suppressor I can't agree with at all.

Honestly any 9mm 147 grain JHP from the major ammo companies should work and be subsonic and have the same terminal effects as the other good 9mm weights and +P or not.

Example : Gold Dot G2 147 Grain is subsonic and is functionally equivalent to any other high end 9mm hollowpoint.

Here are some features according to the internet of G2 9mm 147 grain GDHP

"The casing is crimped to a hollow-point projectile that weighs in at 147 grains; this is a common heavyweight in the 9x19mm caliber and offers deep penetration, effective energy transfer, and subsonic muzzle velocity for compatibility with silencers"


If you've ever fired a gun indoors without protection you'd know its not a good time for your ears.

I did a long time ago with 357SIG.

I'm quite certain my ears are still ringing sometimes.

quote:

Honestly any 9mm 147 grain JHP... be subsonic and have the same terminal effects as the other good 9mm weights and +P or not.

We can argue this all day long as there isn't any absolute answer but the net is that the +P 124 rounds have at least 20% more energy. That's a pretty meaningful difference IMO. I wouldn't trade that for the difference in sound to get subsonic ammo in a self defense situation. but that's just me.