Why You Shouldn't Shoot Subsonic In an AR-15 - Catastrophic Failure

For those of you following me, you know I've been experimenting with subsonic 5.56/223 for some time now. My most recent experiment, whether or not subsonic rounds would cycle an ar-15. It will not and I've concluded that it is dangerous. Here's why:
1. The chances of getting a squib load while doing low-power or sub sonic rounds is significantly higher.
2. In the case that you do get a squib, it is next to impossible to notice. There is no difference between a subsonic round leaving your barrel and a sub-sonic squib especially if you're on the range with other shooters or even if you're just talking while shooting.
3. Because you can't hear or tell the difference between a squib load and normal subsonic 5.56, shooting a second round behind that squib is almost inevitable.
My gunsmith said I was lucky to escape with all my face and all my fingers. Be careful guys. This is just my experience.

[@rifleshooterchannel208]

Case with 4 grains of Titegroup and no projectile carefully hand fed into the gun in position in such a way that firing *up* would be safe, maybe by building a jig with a bunch of phone books or suspending a bucket of dirt above the muzzle, and firing it off might push them out. That's how I cleared 2 squibs (single projectile each time though) when I was working up subs.

[@ZachTries]

Tempting. But that barrel is long gone. Replaced and tossed out unfortunately.

[@rifleshooterchannel208]

@@ZachTries That’s a shame. How badly was the bolt trashed? Total loss?

[@GaryASobek]

Thank you for the honesty. Your 5.56 reload video made me want something sub-sonic for the AR-15 platform. I am collecting parts to go 300 blackout and was planning on going that route. Your honesty convinced me that I am making the correct decision and will not experiment with sub-sonic 5.56 or .223 Remington in the future.

[@ZachTries]

Thanks for watching! Just trying to help out where I can.

[@lonniehutchinson30]

He's wrong...completely study physics. 9mm brush will to care of broke casings in 300 556 makes a extractor. It's beyond me how someone wake-up one day and decides to themselves that there a gunsmith without a lifetime of experience.

[@russcole5685]

Can you heat the barrel with a torch and melt the lead out

[@jasonbrown467]

thats exactly what i was thinking. 625f to melt lead, 2500f for the barrel. but i know nothing on the subject either and would likely just replace the barrale as well

[@Wolfe_Auto]

Thanks sharing your story! This changed my mind on how I wanna build my 556

[@rybread5718]

Is there any way you could chop the barrel and then push out one of the rounds? Then you could re-thread and have a barrel for an ar pistol or something... course I'm not sure the length of the gas system would be correct for that.

[@ZachTries]

Not a bad idea, but that barrel is long gone now haha.

[@ViralStacking]

Im sorry if you mentioned it in this video but what size bullet size (grains) got stuck as a subsonic loading?

[@TrashPanda71]

I want that barrel if you still have it. Test ways to remove the bullets safely.

[@giannihernand91]

Maybe if you were shooting with a 10.5 barrel i think those two rounds would had make it out. Very instructive video. Thank you.

[@ZachTries]

You're probably right haha. Thanks for watching!

[@Brutox6222]

That's where mine got stuck using that same .223 ammo

[@Brutox6222]

But i did a dumb a did a sub then super needless to say it didn't blow but the gas key completely sheared off and miraculously no bulge. But the odd thing is it didnt cycle in my 16" but cycled in my 20"

[@kx250monster1023244]

banana peeling your gun is harder than you think (atleast with modern guns) watch demo ranch video where he purposely tries to make it happen. (multiple videos actually) also hes got a video of a bent barrel that works 100%