tracers

[pathfinder]

I just ordered the components to make some tracer rounds. The options were green, red, or white. So I got one of each. I talked to the guy on the phone when I placed my order and he gave me some instructions on how to do it. But I was wondering if anyone here has any experience making these. Any and all info is welcome. The web sight I ordered from is www.hi-vel.com

[MtGun44]

Illegal on most ranges and in many states due to fire hazard.

Be careful making them, too. Seems like a real opportunity to get burned up
fiddling with this stuff.

Bill

[Cap'n Morgan]

This PDF file describes the process in detail:

http://thedisease.net/functions.php?PHPSESSID=12fdfe79e3fc31e288491bf6b6 cc6f4e&arcanum=ammo/Homemade_Tracers.pdf

There's a whole lot more to making tracers than just stuffin' some flammable material in the rear of a boolit, it seems... [smilie=1:

[cbrick]

Big time NO-NO here. Not only would the kindly deputy grace you with some jewelry but the County could also charge you the cost of fighting the fire.

Would probably be a lot of fun experimenting with it if you had a safe enough place to shoot it but that ain't around here anywhere.

Rick

[Screwbolts]

Tracers are fun!!!! I and my family have shot thousands, in everything from 223 to 50bmg. In the 50, if it doesn't trace or flash when it hits, what fun is it.

MTGun44: Never heard of them as ILLEGAL, do you actually mean Banned???????? Words mean things!!!

I don't shot at public ranges, how does one survive with out a 200 yard range in their back yard? Or a family farm with 1200 yards available.

To fully enjoy your tracers you'll need long range.

Ken

[chris in va]

Not 'illegal' here either, however I shoot at Knob Creek. Ironically all those tracers from the last MG shoot set off some entertaining brush fires in the hills and cut the last volley short.

[waksupi]

If you shoot tracers up here in the mountains, you can expect to have your firearm confiscated, and a serious fine. Too much fire danger.

[beagle]

Having worked on military aerial gunnery (Cobra and Apache helicopter) ranges for upwards of 20 years, I can say that we started a fire every time we went out and these were ranges that had been fired on weekly for years with tracers.

I can't emphasize the safety that should be taken with firing them. The comments above are right.

It seems the biggest hazard is with ricochets where the bullet lands and continues to burn. .50s, .45s and .38s are especially bad about this but .30s are bad enough.

On the other hand, they are fun under the proper conditions and I have set many "hooches" on fire in VN with tracers and an M-60.

Just be careful if you do decide to shoot them. I'm not sure what yours are loaded with but the standard military tracer compound is pretty corrosive from my experiences if not cleaned immediately./beagle

[Screwbolts]

In all forms of shooting we have a responsibility for safety and leaving our shooting area in good health.

I have put out out many fires from shooting tracers. not every celebration comes after a rain storm or in Winter with a good snow cover. Not to mention 20 pound LPG tanks and APITs with a road flare just to make sure we have ignition.

I believe everyone should witness the ricochets of tracers at night to see just what could happen with projectiles impacts, I do realize that FMJ projos have a completely different tendency to bounce around after impact than any other type.

IMHO, Tracers are the most fun when shot at long range across a snow covered valley into hard packed Ice or rock piles of course AT NIGHT, with moon light to define your targets. In this situation the whole valley will light up as they fly to target and then again as they ricochet. Almost like Christmas Lights was what my brother-in-law thought.


Shoot safe, shoot often and take a new person with you!

Ken,

Central, NY

[Hardcast416taylor]

Tracer bullets get more unstable the farther they travel from the gun muzzle due to the consumptiion of the tracer material in the bullet base making it nose heavy. This results in an unpredictable angle of trajectory as a ricochet. I believe states like Ca. won`t even let you use steel core fmj ammo due to the sparking hazard let alone using tracer ammo on ranges due to fire hazards. Do what you wish with this stuff, I`ll stick with ball rounds when I shoot jacketed. Just remember to clean your barrel a.s.a.p. after using this stuff, unless you like brown cobblestone like gun barrel bores.Robert

[pathfinder]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I have shot tracers before. Pretty much anytime the Syracuse Gun Show comes to town. We almost always shoot them in the wintertime or after a couple days of heavy rain. I also realize that this is not an endeavor is not to be taken lightly. Not to mention there is a creek that runs right in front of my berm. So we greatly reduce the risk of fire. I do realize that there is always a risk of something happening. And I definitely have a prepared mind. I have been witness to my parents house burn to the ground and all of the heirlooms, gun collection, memories, and helpless painful feelings that go along with it. Anyone that reads this and has been through it knows exactly what I'm talking about. Anyway all I'm saying guys is that I love the art of casting and reloading and wanted to branch out and try some new things. Thanks again for all the constructive criticism and feedback.

[qajaq59]

Well, it sounds like you have a place to shoot them, and are taking precautions, so hopefully you wont ever have a fire. However, the last time I saw them fired the guy was at a public range here in Florida and didn't ask the RO about them. He got a really nice bill from the county for setting the woods on fire. And he also ticked everyone off because we couldn't shoot for hours while the fire fighter were trying to put the fire out. Just Be Careful

[Screwbolts]

Just remember to clean your barrel a.s.a.p. after using this stuff, unless you like brown cobblestone like gun barrel bores.Robert

From my experience your warning is completely unfounded with any form of modern ammo. I have several rifles that have seen in excess of 1000 rounds of Tracers, they are not any more corrosive than any other condom wrapped bullet, they do not light until well after they leave the bore, and sometimes they don't light a all. The only tracers I fire are ones I have loaded. I do not allow my barrels to get hot enough to cook on.

One of My 50 BMG single shots has launched over 1400 of them there tracers. the barrel is from Montana rifle Co. and it is still pristine.

I shoot for fun, and am not interested in shooting at any public ranges. I can't comprehend why anyone would chose to live somewhere that they can't just step out on their porch and shoot anything they like.

I live .6 miles from the entrance of a State Park, and feel it is my obligation to introduce every one that camps at that park to the sound of gun fire. In the last 26 years there has never been a problem.

Ken

Central, NY

[qajaq59]

I can't comprehend why anyone would chose to live somewhere that they can't just step out on their porch and shoot anything they like. Rarely is it a choice!!

[pathfinder]

I live on a 60 acre plot int the middle of a 2000 state forest. Ill post as an attachment.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Wba3VZMbA (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Wba3VZMbA)

[pathfinder]

Here's another view. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Wba3VZMbA

[pathfinder]

The only RO around these parts is me.

[Recluse]

I shoot for fun, and am not interested in shooting at any public ranges. I can't comprehend why anyone would chose to live somewhere that they can't just step out on their porch and shoot anything they like.

Well I can't comprehend why anyone would choose to live somewhere that continues to elect the likes of a Chuck Schumer, Hillary Clinton, Charlie Rangel, etc.

:rolleyes:

I saw all the tracers I ever wanted to see years ago in the military--both going away from me and coming towards me.

If I never see another damned tracer round again in my life, that'll be fine with me.

:coffee:

[Screwbolts]

Well I can't comprehend why anyone would choose to live somewhere that continues to elect the likes of a Chuck Schumer, Hillary Clinton, Charlie Rangel, etc.

:rolleyes:
:coffee:

Point well made!!!!!!!!! :brokenima

I can assure you that I do everything I can to get people to vote, and try to remove these scumbags, but as long as we have parasites like NYC attached to us and out of control Illegals in the white house we are in trouble. I was directly responsible for 6 people registering to vote last year. One was nearly 60 years old.

Ken

[ghh3rd]

I saw all the tracers I ever wanted to see years ago in the military--both going away from me and coming towards me.


Recluse, and all of you other veterans, thanks for your service!

[Hardcast416taylor]

From my experience your warning is completely unfounded with any form of modern ammo. I have several rifles that have seen in excess of 1000 rounds of Tracers, they are not any more corrosive than any other condom wrapped bullet, they do not light until well after they leave the bore, and sometimes they don't light a all. The only tracers I fire are ones I have loaded. I do not allow my barrels to get hot enough to cook on.

One of My 50 BMG single shots has launched over 1400 of them there tracers. the barrel is from Montana rifle Co. and it is still pristine.

I shoot for fun, and am not interested in shooting at any public ranges. I can't comprehend why anyone would chose to live somewhere that they can't just step out on their porch and shoot anything they like.

I live .6 miles from the entrance of a State Park, and feel it is my obligation to introduce every one that camps at that park to the sound of gun fire. In the last 26 years there has never been a problem.

Ken

Central, NY


You must have had different people than me telling you when to clean a barrel after tracers were fired thru it.Robert

[82nd airborne]

recluse, im sure youve seen the lovely green ones coming your way, funny how it can remind you of christmas with red and green tracers flying in opposite directions.