Help with 30-06 tracer question

[jhawes]

Went to the range today expecting to see fireworks. Alas, all i saw were shots hitting the berms at 200 yards.
As I assume these are WW2 or 50's dated ammo, questions are:

Has age caused the tracers not to light up?

If not, do tracers have a certain distance they have to go before they to light up?

I was shooting at 100 and 200 yds. No issues with the bullets flying thru a p17, but no light show

 

[misterplinker1]

You could pull a bullet then pull the cap over the tracer compound and burn it with a torch. See if it burns. Wear dark glasses. They should burn very bright.

 

[Joe Amorosi]

According to the U.S. Army Technical data sheet for small arms ammunition. the M25 Tracer cartridge

"In flight the bullet exhibits a trace of full luminosity from a point not greater than 75 yards from the muzzle of the weapon to a point not less than 900 yards from the muzzle"
From my own experience, it takes at least a hundred yards before they light up

 

[ArmedGinger]

Orange tips are generally the longer burning tracers if I'm not mistaken. Try shooting them out past 300 yards and see if they light. That being said, tracers do have a shelf life of about 25 years give or take if stored properly. After that they just become more expensive plinking ammo.

 

[Deathrawt]

I've had some that would work and some that didn't. I do think that there is a life expectancy on them for sure
A few years back i got some 303 british tracer bullets and I loaded some up in PPU brass but have not had a chance to try them out
It will be interesting to see if they work or not as they were stored in a box loose and not sealed up in a case

 

[98ssuck]

I saw tracers shot over mountains on a dark clear night. Not the smartest idea. But this was an extremely remote place. Took several hundred yards to see them light off. In daylight at 200 yards good luck seeing anything. Maybe with an automatic under those conditions.

 

[RRH.01]

Tracer compound is hygroscopic, I wonder if you could pull them and try to dry them out in a toaster oven on the lowest temp for a bit

 

[I Dont Care About You]

Has age caused the tracers not to light up?

If not, do tracers have a certain distance they have to go before they to light up?

Yes and yes

I had a bunch of old tracer that wouldn't light. Not expired tracers should light within 50 yards or so. If they don't light 200 yds out then they aren't going to light.