How do they sound?

[SundownRider]

Hello the Line!
This may sound like an odd request, but I am currently in the process of writing a book. It has many guns named throughout, but I realized that I was only able to describe the sound of those guns that I have actually fired. The main character in my book recently acquired an M1A, and since I have never fired one (to my eternal regret...yet) I was wondering if anyone could describe to me what the firing of an M1A would sound like, descriptively. I have described the crack of a high powered rifle and the "thoom" sound of an Enfield, as well as the "punch" of a .45, but the M1A is outside my experience. Other guns that would help are .223 AR's (I've shot them, but it's been a while), and the Mosin Nagants.
Any help is certainly appreciated, and worth a mention in the Author's Note.

 

[justanegg]

be sure to include

::shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh:: KABOOOOMCHLSHSLSHS

of the 120MM M1A1 abrams main gun

 

[44 AMP]

Not to be difficult, but...

guns can sound different, depending on where you are in realtion to the muzzle. From the shooter's perspective, they sound different than from what someone standing behind, 10 feet to the side, or downrange hears.

Different guns also have unique sounds that the shooter hears, but others may not. One of the most graphic examples is the M16/AR15 series of guns. The shooter hears a distinct "zoiiing" at the end of the shot, when firing from the shoulder. This is because the action spring is large diameter, and very close to your ear. The sound of the spring vibrating is transmitted to your ear through the plastic stock. The shooters hear the muzzleblast, and blast from the ejection port as the case ejects, and the sound of the spring in the stock all combined, with the "zoiiiing" of the spring reverberating for a second or so after the blast of the shot is gone.

The M14/M1a also has a unique sound, unlike many other rifles. It is hard for me to describe, but the metallic sound of the action is heard "ringing" slightly after the blast of the round fades. The two sounds are blended together, and one has to really think about it to notice how it sounds different from say, a bolt action of the same caliber. And it is only heard by the shooter.

different calibers sound slightly different, as do different cartridges of the same bore size, due to the differing speeds of the bullets and the amounts and types of powders burned.

All of the sounds of gunfire in films and TV are sound effects. Real gunfire cannot be accurately reproduced by the recording medium. For instance, film a .22 revolver and a .44 Mag firing and both will make a "pop" sound. The .44 will be a much bigger "pop". but still far from what the human ear hears.
Foley artist in studios make a sound effect to "simulate" what the ear actually hears. They cannot accurately reproduce it, and even if they could, movie speakers can't.

 

[RedneckFur]

I could only describe it as a crack-clang sound, and the clang is easy to not notice at first.

 

[Swampghost]

I suggest that you find one, shoot it and then describe it. If your character is in battle don't wear muffs and you'll hear a lot.

I assist 3 writers in town, one has published 14 books. I'm still waiting for Cussler or Clancey to come calling. LOL

 

[texfar]

+ 1 44 AMP. Don't forget temperature variations. Really cold crisp mornings will sound different than a humid summer day to my ears. Also sound of the echo of the supersonic crack is different.. One of my favorite sounds on a crisp cold morning, is that supersonic crack following the discharge of the rifle as it echoes through the hills. My M14 does this, but not as cool as the .300 Ultra Mag or 7mm STW. If you have not gotten the answer by the time I rotate home I will do a high quality recording for you when I rotate home. As with the AK, it a distinct sound.
ken

 

[dannyb]

Of course the construction of the range will have an effect on the sound as well. The shot will sound different if you're firing at an indoor type range, a range with wood chutes for the shooting stations (like one or two in the Pocono mtns), or a firing line in a shack-like structure, or just an open field.

 

[B.L.E.]

+ 1 44 AMP. Don't forget temperature variations. Really cold crisp mornings will sound different than a humid summer day to my ears. Also sound of the echo of the supersonic crack is different.. One of my favorite sounds on a crisp cold morning, is that supersonic crack following the discharge of the rifle as it echoes through the hills. My M14 does this, but not as cool as the .300 Ultra Mag or 7mm STW. If you have not gotten the answer by the time I rotate home I will do a high quality recording for you when I rotate home. As with the AK, it a distinct sound.
ken

During the early morning hours, there often exists a temperature inversion. There's a cold blanket of air on the ground maybe a 100 ft thick and above that height, suddenly the air becomes warm. Because sound goes faster in warm air than in cold air, sound refracts when it hits that cold/hot air interface and bends back down to the ground instead of going straight.. That's why you hear really distant train whistles, conversations from a mile away, and why your rifle shot seems to echo forever during those conditions.

 

[Dirty Bill]

Depends on barrel length,flashider and ammo used. The supersonic crack is heard first,followed by pop when the bullet hits tissue. Then the Boom of the rifle. That's what I hear,anyway..

 

[SteelJM1]

The range i shoot at hase a nice steep tall mountain behind it, so the echo's from the loud guns are fun to hear3 -4 seconds after the initial blast. A couple weekends ago there was a nice cloud cover too, so the clouds reflecting the sound + the mountain made from a very impressive thunder like sound a few seconds after every Garand bark. I would purposely wait after each shot just to hear that thunder; *BOOM!*..............*rrrrooooOOOOAAAAaaaarrrr*

 

[SundownRider]

Okay. So there is a lot more to this than I originally anticipated. Thank you for the replies. I will keep these things in mind as I develop my story.
Swampghost: I assisted a writer of detective novels once upon a time. After he met me and we went to the range, he had a much clearer idea about recoil and follow up shots and how long it took to reload a revolver. Up to that time his characters "snapped" cartridges into the cylinder.

 

[B.L.E.]

All of the sounds of gunfire in films and TV are sound effects. Real gunfire cannot be accurately reproduced by the recording medium. For instance, film a .22 revolver and a .44 Mag firing and both will make a "pop" sound. The .44 will be a much bigger "pop". but still far from what the human ear hears.
Foley artist in studios make a sound effect to "simulate" what the ear actually hears. They cannot accurately reproduce it, and even if they could, movie speakers can't.

The more I think of it, the more I think that this is probably a good thing. It means we can watch movies without earplugs.

 

[Picher]

I think it sounds like POWk, with a very fast gas-operation and seemingly no separation between the firing and the slight sound of the action closing.

Thats completely different that the old Browning Auto-5 recoil-operated shotgun that goes POOMchuk.

That's the best I can do.

Picher

 

[Beretta16]

All of the sounds of gunfire in films and TV are sound effects. Real gunfire cannot be accurately reproduced by the recording medium. For instance, film a .22 revolver and a .44 Mag firing and both will make a "pop" sound. The .44 will be a much bigger "pop". but still far from what the human ear hears.
Foley artist in studios make a sound effect to "simulate" what the ear actually hears. They cannot accurately reproduce it, and even if they could, movie speakers can't.

Only really realistic sounding BOOM I've heard that sounded like a gun shot in person is when in Saving Private Ryan, Tom Hanks and the guys are crouched down in the field and that truck or halftrack or whatever blows up and Tom Hanks runs around the otherside of it and lights up a German with his Thompson. Sounded really real.

 

[SR420]

SundownRider I was wondering if anyone could describe to me what the firing of an M1A would sound like, descriptively.

Not an M1A, but if you turn up the volume on this video you will hear the action.

 

[Scorch]

My 5-year-old says guns go BANG! I thought everybody knew that!

 

[wayne in boca]

Pow (miss)
Pow-thud (hit)
Pow-scream (near-miss)

 

[B.L.E.]

The sound that the movies and tv shows get most wrong is the sound of enemy rifle bullets going over your head as they shoot towards you.

Reality: The bullet makes a surprisingly loud sonic boom that sounds a lot like a gunshot and then a second or so later, you hear the gun that fired the bullet which, because of the distance, is not nearly as loud.

In the movies: The bullets make sort of a whistling or zinging noise.

 

[Pbearperry]

sounds of guns

Maybe it's just my guns,but most of them say Ka-Pow when I pull the trigger.Once when I forgot to load it ,the gun said CLICK.

 

[Tom2]

I am not sure how the sound of the gun plays into the story that much anyway(unless obviously misinformed), seems like if you get too involved in describing it during a dramatic moment in the plot, it would bog down the pace of the story? Unless you are the one shooting, in which you may perceive the sound of the mechanisms working up close, the sound would be much the same for any similiar centerfire high power rifle at a reasonable distance from it. The exceptions might be really small bore guns and something like a 50 cal. rifle? The sounds of charging the gun or loading it before it is fired is a different matter.