Is a gunshot a sonic boom?
Direct Answer:
While a gunshot does make a loud crackling noise, it’s not actually a sonic boom. Here’s why.
Speed vs. Distance
Supersonic aircraft typically break the sound barrier (Mach 1), creating shock waves that travel through the air, generating the distinct BOOM associated with sonic booms. This occurs at high speeds and at considerable distances.
A gunshot, on the other hand, is slower (typically in the realm of 100-600 meters per second) and takes place relatively close to the shooter or target, where the blast wave generated is not nearly as dramatic. The sharp crack, more commonly described as the crack of the bullet zipping past the eardrum or as a snap, has been misnamed as a sonic boom in popular perception. There is a notable difference!
Additional Factors to Consider:
• Muzzle Velocity: Subsonic firearms (bullets travelling under Mach 1), used for civilian self-defense and hunting, do indeed generate a cracking sound that has been inaccurately identified as a sonic boom.
• Explosive Effect: Although a single projectile (e.g., the bullet itself) hasn’t broken the sound barrier, the resulting shockwaves within the near vicinity might exhibit some attributes typical of a sonic boom due to air compression by expanding gases in the nearby space. Keep in mind, however, that even when combined with the loud initial report from the action spring and ignition, a proper sonic boom is yet distinct.
The Unique Cases:
• Cannonry and Small Arms: Higher-caliber weaponry (50-100 cal.), used by military units and special operations forces for suppressed operations or precision accuracy at longer distances, indeed use supersonic ammunition in specialized cases to achieve such extreme velocities as 5000-12000 RPM at muzzle (around 2300 mph!), rendering a distinctly distinct sonic "WHUM!" or the likes.
In summary: No, a handgun bullet or conventional rifle ammo at typical consumer-use velocities doesn’t cause a Sonic BOOM. The sharp sound we encounter upon hearing gunshots typically relates to its supersonic expansion in near proximity combined with air dynamics, unlike high-speed jets breaking Mach 1 in atmosphere and at large distances **creating a specific sonic "booming" effect. If you fire a slow-flying object, however, the surrounding air creates another phenomenon more akin to, but separate from the authentic sonic booms heard.
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Source: various online encyclopedic materials.
(Please refer to specific data sources listed in individual links.)