Loading tracers

Sweet! Interesting that the trace element stayed in place nicely. I knew a band saw wouldn't be that smooth and figured a grinding wheel might get too hot. The belt sander must use a special grit .... garnet or an oxide? As you can tell I don't sand much metal LOL! I do love the cross sectioned cases though and have toyed with the idea of making some of my own.
 
sunray said:
20.0 gr of 4198 is a max load for a 63 grain bullet. Not that it makes much difference. Just load for the bullet weight. An M855 should be 62 grains. Lots of data on Hodgdon's site.
The trace element not lighting isn't unusual on pulled milsurp. Isn't about the distance or load(It's not the fire from the powder that lights 'em.) though. It's about the age of the trace element. Or if it's even still on the bullet. All the videos of trace being fired and appearing to fly all over from hitting things is not the bullet bouncing. It's the trace element coming off. Tends to do that when not being fired too.
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No. The M196 tracer bullet weighs about 62 grains, but is much, much longer than the ball bullet. (The extra length of the tracer created the 1:7 twist requirement.) Because the bullet is so long, it protrudes a long way into the case boiler room, so load data for regular bullet would be too hot.
 
I load M856s with 23.0 - 23.5 gr WC844 and had a pretty good lit up rate. WC844 is pretty much identical to H335 from what I heard and I just used H335 load data.
 
I actually had some keyholes from the M856 even with a 1:7 twist barrel, not sure why exactly.

Edit: and yeah I just went slow and kept it cool so it didn't ignight lol. I was thinking of doing some other bullet cross sections out of curiosity
 
RocketBoy said:
Would there be any advantage to poking a small hole in the retaining disk to try helping the trace compound ignite?
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No.


ShawnC6 said:
I was wondering this too... The disk is actually pretty sturdy. I can see why it'd take a lot of oomphf to get past it and ignight them.
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I have some M25 pulls (30-06 tracer) and I load them in my 300 Blackout with no problems. You need to give them at least 100 yards to start burning though. I thought I was getting poor ignition until I started shooting them at 200 yards then I was getting 100% reliable ignition.
I loaded some for my 308 and was shooting them past 1000 yards and they burned the whole way out there. Was neat seeing them ricochet off at that distance.

You don't need to load them hot and you don't need to poke a hole in the tin sealing cup. If an 18gr charge of lil'gun can light tracers designed for a 30-06 any reasonable 5.56 load should light tracers designed for 5.56.
 
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I was wondering too if it isn't the pressure ignighting whatever it is at the base of the cap inside the bullet. I don't see how any actual fire would get past it.

Kinda like a primer on the bullet
 
Tarcers can mess up your barrel... if it's a Norc. or something..OK.. ;).. naw, I like Norincos :p I wouldnt bother shooting it out of anything expensive..just my opinion. If one must, I recommend 7.62, & with cheap SKS... no worry.
 
Johnyy said:
Tarcers can mess up your barrel... if it's a Norc. or something..OK.. ;).. naw, I like Norincos :p I wouldnt bother shooting it out of anything expensive..just my opinion. If one must, I recommend 7.62, & with cheap SKS... no worry.
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How can they mess up a barrel?

It's a copper jacketed projectile, everything that burns is inside the base of the bullet and they haven't ignited by the time they leave the muzzle.
It's not the painted tip that burns.
 
My understanding is the heat of the powder burning melts the foil disc and the molten foil ignites the tracer compound out about 100 yards??? Apparently the stuff is kinda hard to ignite ...... takes a moment or two, but once it does, good luck putting it out. Like I say....... just what I believe/heard..... I have no scientific info to back it up LOL! Like others have said, the tracer compound isn't burning while in the barrel so it's not the powder igniting it.
 
Johnyy said:
Tarcers can mess up your barrel... if it's a Norc. or something..OK.. ;).. naw, I like Norincos :p I wouldnt bother shooting it out of anything expensive..just my opinion. If one must, I recommend 7.62, & with cheap SKS... no worry.
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Yes please do explain how they mess up your barrel?!

Like posted above, they do not ignite in the barrel, they don't ignite until atleast 100M out. Its just a regular FMJ with some stuff inside it

Not only that why on earth would the military use a round that would mess up your barrel lol
 
boltonscouter said:
My understanding is the heat of the powder burning melts the foil disc and the molten foil ignites the tracer compound out about 100 yards??? Apparently the stuff is kinda hard to ignite ...... takes a moment or two, but once it does, good luck putting it out. Like I say....... just what I believe/heard..... I have no scientific info to back it up LOL! Like others have said, the tracer compound isn't burning while in the barrel so it's not the powder igniting it.
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its not really foil. its a pretty solid plate of copper. check out the picture I posted. I highly doubt the powder gets hot enough to melt it away... copper melts at 1085 celcius. especially considering the amount of time there is actual flame from the powder in contact with it.

that's why I was thinking it acts as kinda a primer.
 
explorin2 said:
Because many manufacturer's provide loading data .... I had numerous reloading books by different bullet mfg's. They probably don't even give a bean it's prohibited by the explosives act for "civilians" to transport traces unless licensed (not referring to PAL license). Did you even try?

Correction: explosives reg .. not act.
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Tracers are military surplus, not commercial products. Yes commercial manufactures provide load data but I would be stunned to find published military load into like that. Not to mention Leo and military buy loaded products and don't reload to my knowledge.
 
ShawnC6 said:
its not really foil. its a pretty solid plate of copper. check out the picture I posted. I highly doubt the powder gets hot enough to melt it away... copper melts at 1085 celcius. especially considering the amount of time there is actual flame from the powder in contact with it.

that's why I was thinking it acts as kinda a primer.
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Hmmmm .......... well something must melt the away the seal at the base of the projectile .......... if not the powder burning then what? Something has to expose the tracer compound and ignite it. So you're thinking the foil cup is like a primer for the tracer compound? Hmmmm ........ I have a hard time seeing it especially if it doesn't trigger till 100 yards down range.
 
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