The fact that firearms aren't integrally suppressed in the mainstream is a slap in the face to innovation. You're not going James Bond quiet with most suppressed weapon systems.
The Hollywood movies are some of the worst misinformation peddlers out there. Suppressors are actually quite good at reducing some of the sound from firearms, but the actual effect on 556/308/ super sonic calibers is nothing like what most movies portray. Hearing protection is still required because they still sound like a 22lr being fired unsupressed. The first time I fired the 556 suppressor, I was shocked at how loud it still was. After watching Hollywood movies all my life, I thought it was going to be whisper quiet. The same for the 9mm. I compared the sound of the 9mm with 115gr and 124 gr versus the 147gr and the difference was incredible. The 147gr is subsonic (below 1100fps at my elevation) and it sounds like a pellet rifle. Still not Hollywood quiet, but you don't need any hearing protection. The 115gr and 124gr were as loud as a 22lr, so hearing protection is still required
The quietest firearm I have EVER "not-heard" was at a shooting range a couple of years ago. A fellow on a bench to my right was shooting a Savage .22 cal rifle with a screwed-on suppressor. I could see him pull the trigger and I could hear the drop of the hammer like a faint "click" but didn't hear anything else. Turns out he was using subsonic .22 rounds in a suppressed rifle and driving tacks at 50 yards. Very impressive. Apparently rabbits and small game fear him.
Subsonic 22 sounds like a bb gun. It isn't as quiet as the infamous Carlisle carbine from WWII, that one you could only hear the firing pin striking the primer (from accounts)0. It was "affectionately" known as the Hush Puppy because it was used to neutralize sentry dogs.
The fact that firearms aren't integrally suppressed in the mainstream is a slap in the face to innovation. You're not going James Bond quiet with most suppressed weapon systems.
The Hollywood movies are some of the worst misinformation peddlers out there. Suppressors are actually quite good at reducing some of the sound from firearms, but the actual effect on 556/308/ super sonic calibers is nothing like what most movies portray. Hearing protection is still required because they still sound like a 22lr being fired unsupressed. The first time I fired the 556 suppressor, I was shocked at how loud it still was. After watching Hollywood movies all my life, I thought it was going to be whisper quiet. The same for the 9mm. I compared the sound of the 9mm with 115gr and 124 gr versus the 147gr and the difference was incredible. The 147gr is subsonic (below 1100fps at my elevation) and it sounds like a pellet rifle. Still not Hollywood quiet, but you don't need any hearing protection. The 115gr and 124gr were as loud as a 22lr, so hearing protection is still required
The quietest firearm I have EVER "not-heard" was at a shooting range a couple of years ago. A fellow on a bench to my right was shooting a Savage .22 cal rifle with a screwed-on suppressor. I could see him pull the trigger and I could hear the drop of the hammer like a faint "click" but didn't hear anything else. Turns out he was using subsonic .22 rounds in a suppressed rifle and driving tacks at 50 yards. Very impressive. Apparently rabbits and small game fear him.
Subsonic 22 sounds like a bb gun. It isn't as quiet as the infamous Carlisle carbine from WWII, that one you could only hear the firing pin striking the primer (from accounts)0. It was "affectionately" known as the Hush Puppy because it was used to neutralize sentry dogs.