If you have only heard a gun firing from a video, it sounds much different in person.
A lot of microphones do a very poor job of capturing the sound, and even the best recordings can't capture just how loud guns can be.
A lot of microphones do a very poor job of capturing the sound, and even the best recordings can't capture just how loud guns can be.
Firearms, particularly rifles, are so loud that there's just a qualitative difference in the sound that's impossible to capture with standard audio gear.
(My dad was Kent Lomont - google him for stories - he was one of the world's largest machine gun and destructive device dealers, and he/we shot everything from all of history all the time).
There is a distinct difference between gun shots and fireworks. There is a distinct difference between all sorts of guns (I can tell the difference between many, and certain guns, even full auto, have distinct patterns and noises).
For example, a Thompson machine gun (old Tommy guns from gangster movies) have a lower rate, "bup-bup-bup" sound of a certain frequency (.45 ACP caliber, Cutts compensator on the barrel, somewhat short). A Ma Deuce (.50 BMG large machine gun, very common) is a more rapid, lower, really impressive bang. A 22 pistol is a smaller pop. An A4 machine gun has a different rate, different (.308 or similar). Someone shooting a non-machine gun of the same caliber, trying to go at the same rate, never has the same mechanical precision at the rate. A mini-gun is just a constant buzz, like a saw, and terrifying once you see what it can do and associate that noise with that level of destruction. A .44 magnum is different than .357 magnum. Each is very distinct once you've heard/shot them enough.
But no good way to describe :)
I'm not sure how to explain it. But there is a place you can get some glimpse - video games and accurate war movies used to come to my dad's place to record all day, requesting this or that gun, which he would have and know how to work, with whatever rare or weird ammo was needed. Their sound guys would know how to record the noises well.
So many video games, especially ones that are trying to be historically accurate, will give you a taste, but none really capture the loudness.
It used to be you could go to the Knob Creek machine gun shoot twice a year and hear them, but even then you'd not learn different ones well since they all fire at once.
Or, if you're really interested, there are many places you can rent different guns, including machine guns, and hear the differences.
I once had a deer rifle fired above me when I was picking up shells, and I was just a bit forward of the barrel and it sounded much different.
I’ve never heard what a bomb or meteor strike but I’m sure I would instinctively jump and run.
Source: have fired a fair number of guns.
Not using ear protection constantly around guns will degrade your hearing significantly and permanently.