What does it sound like to get shot at?

[Sunray]

150 yards isn't far enough for the sound to out pace the bullet.
"...so you hear a ballistic crack..." When a bullet moves through the air, it pushes that air out of the way a literally creates a vacuum behind it. The sound of the air going back where it was. It's a sonic boom. When you hear it, the bullet is usually right overhead or very close by.
"...in rifle range pits..." CF required wearing helmets. Bullets bounce back at the guys in the butts. One of 'em missed one of my guys by a couple feet.
An RPG and other rockets make two sounds. The first is the rocket engine breaking the sound barrier. The second is the war head exploding. It's a sort of Bang, Crump sound depending on where you are in relation to it.
"...a "full appreciation" of just how much stuff is..." Not that you really want to know. snicker.

 

[hdwhit]

Like the sound of someone soiling their pants.

Very true.

You develop an acute awareness of your own mortality.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

All you have to do is find a guy about 62 -72 years old who's an Army vet. Many of them can tell you, if they'd care to, exactly what it sounds like. All too many of them can also tell you that they didn't hear the crack, they were too busy dealing with the impact.

900F

 

[Lizard1911]

I was sitting on a hill in very open country looking over the valley below during deer season. In the very quiet November air you would occasionally hear the report of a shot at varying distances. I will never forget the very distinctive "Zzzzzz" sound of a bullet whizzing by overhead. I don't recall if I ever associated a distant report with the bullet, but I do distinctly recall thinking that I almost was the victim of unbelievably random bad luck.

Similar thing happened to me, in Quebec hunting 'Bou. Hearing the projectile spinning
overhead was a little creepy.

 

[2zulu1]

My earliest memories were pulling butts at the Camp Pendleton Edson Range. I was a phone talker in the butts while the shooter was at the 500 yard line. I could hear the bang of the rifle as a split second later the crack of the bullet passing over and hitting the target. Thought it was pretty cool at the time. The next time I heard that crack was Vietnam and it did not seem as cool as it did in the Edson Range butts area.

Ron

Welcome home Ron.

 

[bikerdoc]

Been 48 years since I heard that sound. Ask whatever higher power you claim to never here it.

 

[Reloadron]

Welcome home Ron.

Thanks and many thanks to all the veterans who heard that "crack" sound.

Ron