Too low to have been made by typical .223 / .300 Win Mag ammunition from the grass / South Barn.
True. There are dozens of possibilities to consider, but it’s very time-consuming to explore each one, so they need to be prioritized.
Yes, suppressors provide flash suppression and some degree of hearing protection, so that’s why tactical shooters always use them.
I disagree. Subsonic ammo is available for .300 Win Mag, but there is significant ballistic disadvantage to having muzzle velocity of 1100 fps vs. 3100, so why would the SS counter-snipers have been using it?
Also, looking at Shot 10 on the podium mic, we see an abrupt impulse that engages the audio limiter:
Shot 10 is very loud compared to Shot 9, which leads me to believe it is a supersonic crack.
I’ve watched that video of the North counter-snipers many times, and just pulled it up to watch it again. My assessment is that those two men were trying to get eyes on the suspect but could not see him through the foliage. The video is titled “New Video of Secret Service Snipers Firing at Gunman from Roof,” and, at first, I also thought that I saw recoil movement. However, as I watched it more carefully I came to the conclusion that neither of those men fired. Instead they were startled by the first shot coming in. I know they are trained professionals and should have been perfectly composed when taking incoming fire, but I don’t think that’s the way things work in real life situations.
I think I did see the video that you are referring to, but I could not find it just now to cite it. I recall that Melton’s guest was very emphatic that Stewert’s phone was hearing several suppressed shots. However, when I listened to those same noises all I heard was the type of sound you hear when you reposition your fingers on the body of a plastic-cased smartphone. So, it seemed like a nothing burger to me.