# .45 ACP is a subsonic round?



## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

I looked up the speed pf sound (about 1,088-1,116) fps
And I looked up how fast a 45ACP is --about 950 fps

So 45 ACP is a subsonic round?


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Yes it is. you might enjoy just listen how long it takes to hear the round strike.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

A larger bullet that travels sub sonic will deliver more energy to a target. If you take a normal size bullet and slow it down to sub sonic you will lose power to the target. Think small and fast, or big and slow.

Edit: you mentioned the speed of sound, the speed of sound is variable. It will depend on temperature and the altitude you live at.


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## csi-tech (Apr 13, 2013)

Man is it a slow round. It is our issued duty round. We have always intentionally carried sub-sonic rounds.


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## Mad Trapper (Feb 12, 2014)

budgetprepp-n said:


> I looked up the speed pf sound (about 1,088-1,116) fps
> And I looked up how fast a 45ACP is --about 950 fps
> 
> So 45 ACP is a subsonic round?


With light bullets 185gr you get close to speed of sound with a max load ( 1050 fps). Bigger bullets are all sub sonic.


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## keith9365 (Apr 23, 2014)

If you get the chance to shoot the .45 on a bright sunny day at the range, sometimes you can actually see a little glint of the bullet as it flys down range. FWIW, the 147 gr 9mm is subsonic too.


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

Yep. Big and slow.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

This is why the .45 USP accepts a suppressor.
Only subsonic rounds can be sufficiently quieted by a suppressor.


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## Ralph Rotten (Jun 25, 2014)

There are supersonic loads for the 45, but its a +p+ load pushing a 200g bullet. Wears out your brass faster without much benefit since the 200gr bullet is likely a semiwad or fp. I prefer the classic 230gr load. 

45acp reminds me of that line from Good Fellas: Paulie didnt move very fast, but then again he didnt need to get outta anyones way.

Most modern 45acp jhps are designed to work at the lower velocities. Pushing a 45 to 1200fps could actually cause the projectile to malfunction (break apart rather than perfect expansion.) I had a friend who once got his hands on a big coffee can of ammo loaded for the Tommy gun. Stiff recoil, BLAMMO! he shot the stuff until it broke the barrel linkage on his Springfield. I think he even competed in an ipsc match while shooting that ammo. Crazy.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Seem to recall whether a round is sub sonic or not is dependent on the temp..and maybe the humidity. It was rumored the old out law biker hit men liked to use Winchester Wild Cats in .22 LR since they were close to subsonic from the box. Suppressed nicely in the Ruger semi auto pistols in warm weather maybe.


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## Ralph Rotten (Jun 25, 2014)

Ambient temps do effect your shot. Cold weather lowers your impact substantially. Ed Sanow did an article on that years ago, and it was astounding that his point of aim changed by several feet at 300 yds from summer to deep winter. Cool article.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

csi-tech said:


> Man is it a slow round. It is our issued duty round. We have always intentionally carried sub-sonic rounds.


Only one largish cop shoppe in this area which still totes the .45's. Most have went to .40's. Back when we carried .45's not too long back..we used a round which the training guy called the "flying ashtray." He claimed it would put a big hole in folks. Never did give it a test..lol. Pretty sure it was made by Winchester.
What happened to the flying ashtray? | 1911 Forums at 1911Talk.com


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## Ralph Rotten (Jun 25, 2014)

The Flying ashtray was SuperVel. The earliest of modern hollowpoints. 165gr jhp with this huuuuge cavity in front. I actually still have half of a box of these relics (they date to the mid sixties) for comparison testing. I got something like 1250fps last time i chronied one (before j shot the chrony!) Screaming fast round.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Gotcha on the Super Vel. Aint heard that name in years. We got issued the stuff we had in the real early 90's about the time that decided to standardize on .45's and gave everybody a Smith 4506.


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## dsdmmat (Nov 9, 2012)

got two boxes of super vels loaded in my 1911 and spare mags. Nothing says I love you more than a big hollow cavity flying toward you.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Never found any reason to use anything but 230 grain lead in my 1911's


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