Things to consider when shooting tracers?

S

SC4006

New member
I just received some "TrajeTech 7.62x54r tracer" rounds today that I ordered, came by UPS, the company with brown trucks loaded with packages of happiness :D. (Well, usually that's the case). Anyways, it appears as though the manufacturer took some surplus steel cased rounds, pulled the bullet, and seated in a tracer round. I don't really care though, it's not like I'm going to be using these in any matches, I bought them for the fun of it.

So before I shoot them I want to make sure I'm doing it as safely as possible. I know you absolutely cannot shoot tracers when the ground is dry, and that I should shoot them when the ground is damp or covered in snow in the winter. Other than that, is there anything else I should be aware of when shooting tracers besides the usual safety rules when shooting?
 
If you're not shooting into dry grass, you don't have a lot to worry about. Or, if you're in open country and shoot at enough of an up-angle, they'll burn out when well above the ground and not be hot enough to start any fire when they come down.
 
Ok thanks, yeah I didn't think there could be too much to worry about when shooting them, just wanted to make sure.
 
Sometimes the trace pellet, while ablaze, will fall out the back of the bullet, describing a gentle, burning, arc into the grass.
 
Assume anything you hit or pass through is flammable.
Incredible cool at night, but often you can see little flecks of phosphorous falling out of the back, and hitting the ground, or whatever flammable material may be under the bullet path.
 
overpenetration may be an issue.
I was shooting some old 30-06 tracers a month or so back when everythign was still green. nothing was igniting(too old and degraded) so I decided to see what the penetration/ expansion was on them. so I did what I always do when performing such tests, I lined up a 14" firewood round behind a 32oz water bottle(full) and fired. the bullet went through the bottle, into the log and out the other side before igniting and spinning around like a jumping jack firecracker only to land somewhere behind my wood pile out of sight and out of reach.

there wasn't any expansion at all and obviously I was stunned by the penetration, that is the first non magnum rifle cartridge besides black tip to completely penetrate both the water bottle and the log. don't shoot tracers at targets you don't want damaged and don't shoot at steel closer than 100 yards.
 
Interesting I never would have expected a tracer to do those sort of things, I think even though I'll be shooting at around 200 yards I won't shoot at my AR500 target, just to be safe.
 
There is an indoor range in Dallas that caught fire due to the use of tracer rounds. I was talking to the RO at the range I use and mentioned how stupid it was to use tracers indoors with ground up rubber as a bullet stop. I said I couldn't believe that the range allowed him to use the tracers and he said they sold them to him.
Go figure.
 
Also be aware of the fact that tracers are a little lighter than ball, so you get a slightly different trajectory as the trace compound burns.

And a ricochet tracer can start a fire too! Two rounds of .308 tracer at 150yds ignited a sagebrush bush, after bouncing off an unseen rock in a dirt bank, behind the target. I personally witnessed that.

when tracers are used in combat, there is more than just one reason its called a firefight.
 
Hi, tahunua001,

Any FMJ high power bullet (.30-'06, 7.62 NATO, 8mm Mauser) will penetrate well over 14" of wood. You just never noticed until you used tracer.

Jim
 
SC4006 said:
Interesting I never would have expected a tracer to do those sort of things, I think even though I'll be shooting at around 200 yards I won't shoot at my AR500 target, just to be safe.
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You'll be fine shooting AR500 at 200 yards with that thing.

*As long as they aren't steel core.
 
Any FMJ high power bullet (.30-'06, 7.62 NATO, 8mm Mauser) will penetrate well over 14" of wood. You just never noticed until you used tracer.
Click to expand...
so far this is the first FMJ that has done so. I've done this with both 30-06 and 303 brit and none of them manage to punch through the round after passing through the water bottle first.
 
To elaborate on what Herr Walther said if you can see where the tracers are going, your enemy can see where there coming from.
Click to expand...

Well, good thing I won't be using these for combat purposes then. :rolleyes:
 
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