Fun with Tracer rounds...

M

Magnum Wheel Man

New member
I was at the one local gun show I sell at, & my table neighbor had a 50 cal ammo can, full of what I assume were "pulled" 22 caliber caliber tracer bullets... we threw a few on a powder scale, & they weighed out between 52 & 55 grains... I'm sure they came from 223 / 5.56 cartridges... the guy that was selling them, say's he's tried them with 221 Fireball, & they lit off, but that may have been a sales pitch...

I ended up with 400-600 of them through trading... curious if any of you guys have played with any thing like these??? I've shot loaded tracers before, but never hand loaded them... I have many 22 caliber cartridges I could load them in, from 22 Hornet, & 5.7, 222, 223 to 22-250... any ideas what "type" of powder is the best for lighting them up...

is the phosphorus hard on barrels, or it it like shooting corrosive ammo???

what has worked for you guys, or what have you tried that didn't work so well???
 
I've loaded and shot them in .223 using H335 powder with slightly reduced 55 grain data. I drop back 1/2 grain from 55 grain data. Most typical powders will light them provided the tracer compound has not deteriorated. Pulled tracers have been advertised that 50% will light or a good batch most all will light up. The red tipped tracers will light up and stay lit for 400-600 yards or so. They burn hot and will start dry grass and leaves on fire. Don't shoot in dry conditions. The fascinating thing about tracers is watching them ricochet. Most shooters don't realize that non-tracer bullets do the same thing and can bounce in any direction. What I've read about tracer bullets is that they are not corrosive BUT they can leave deposits in your barrel that will attract moisture. Just clean your barrel as usual after shooting them.
 
It is a nice to have, but I do not recommend that you shoot them too often. The phosphorus could be corrosive, but if you clean it out properly after a shooting session it should not be a problem.
 
thanks for the replies guys... also anyone know what powder they used at the factory, & what is the closest commercial canister powder to that...

I'm assuming "some" of them that didn't light off, were due to the powder not being just right, hot enough, or too slow, or too fast burning, ball instead of extruded, ETC.
 
"...what powder they used at the factory..." Isn't something any manufacturer publishes. They load to get a specific velocity and can be using different powders to do it.
"...between 52 & 55 grains..." Likely out of M196 ammo. Nominally 55 grains. Load 'em using regular 55 grain data.
The trace element(which isn't very big in a 55 grain .223 bullet) isn't ignited by the powder. Absolutely do not play with trace in extremely dry conditions. Lot of ranges don't allow 'em for their incendiary habits.
 
if it's not ignited by the powder... what sets them burning??? just assumed the fire the back side of the bullet is exposed to "lites" up the bullet's core, as it's leaving the chamber
 
I have shot them and yes they do start fires. I have a bag of about 2k that I bought a few years ago for cheap. They worked at about 90% with the ones I tested. Mine are the 62g steel core orange tipped. Pretty long for a .22 bullet.
 
these supposedly come out of LC armory, as this guy said he had connections there... again, I suspect they were pulled, but really know nothing about them, other than what I was told by the guy selling them... they have a whitish back of the bullet... I've not looked them over that close, I don't know if that is some sort of wad to hold the "powder" inside, or if it was packed in there, & that is the color???
 
BTW... these did not have a colored tip, & weren't cheap ( but is anything anymore??? ) he was charging $40.00 per 100... I didn't pay that, as we were horse trading, & watching each others tables, so I probably don't have more than $3 - $5.00 per 100 my cost...
 
What you are describing is a M196 "Red Tip" tracer and they are likely pulled as most tracers on the market are.

The tracers I have are the M856 "Orange tip".

The cap on the base is normal. You will see some that the cap is missing as well.
 
I have tracer and armor piercing 30 caliber bullets; I have no interest in shooting and or loading them. I wanted the powder and cases. Then there are crimp loads; again, no interest.

F. Guffey
 
I thought they might be fun to shoot out of a revolver... I have a custom 22 Center Fire that is about like a 22 Mag case lathe turned with a primer, & a 22 Hornet revolver... thought both might be interesting with tracer ammo... I think I could seat both in those cases... the 22 CF would have to be deep seated, but I shoot 55 grain 223 bullets in my Hornet, as it has a custom barrel made out of a chunk of 1 in 9 twist... & the cylinder is long enough
 
I acquired a box of .22 long rifle tracers about 30 years ago made in France. I tried them several times and never could see them.
 
What's pretty is shooting tracers out across an open area when there is snow on the ground and at night. A light show!!
 
I have a baggie full in both 223 and .30 cal as given to me by a friend. Some day I will load them and shoot at my brothers farm (during the spring wet season). I'm sure they aren't allowed at the range.
 
Most "current use" tracers don't light for a specific distance from the muzzle. Helps prevent the enemy from pinpointing the source. Theoretically shouldn't leave ANY corrosive or damaging residue in the bore.
Loading data? Keep in mind these bullets have a much longer bore contact surface than full lead core so it's a good idea to make slight reductions in charge.
 
Ours will boot you out if you shoot them.

Maybe middle of Arizona or Utah is ok (sandy, not brushy!)
 
I used to load a single tracer round in my second to last round of each magazine. The reasoning behind it was a visual cue that the next shot would be my last for that mag. Its kind of silly now that I think of it since I got 13 rounds in my Sig P228. Imagine a fire fight going that many rounds (for non-LEO). Under stressful situations, I'm sure it would be easy to lose count of the rounds fired though. :p
 
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