Whats the deal with Tracer ammunition?

[Turkeyslayer 1300]

I recently found several tracer rounds mixed in with assorted .303 rounds and am wondering if it is illegal.Also is it safe to shoot in rifles as i know there were some .303 rounds made specifically for machine guns that operate at higher pressures.

 

[Claven2]

It's not at all illegal, though certain ranges might prohibit tracer ammo due to a percieved fire risk.

 

[Claven2]

As for machine gun vs. Enfield firing, what is the headstamp? Rifle ammo is usually maked 7 or 7z, while the machine gun ammo is usually marked 8 or 8z. I've never heard of anyone having problems shooting 8 or 8z ammo in a normal rifle, though POI might change.

 

[stencollector]

It's not at all illegal, though certain ranges might prohibit tracer ammo due to a percieved fire risk.

Not sure if "perceived" is the right word. Just about anyone in the military can tell you about removing tracer from 4B1T during dry seasons after starting grass fires while shooting. Of course, these were being fired from GPMGs, where the rate of fire ( and therefore the risk of incidence) were much higher than out of a bolt action rifle.

 

[Tyler]

Just about anyone in the military can tell you about removing tracer from 4B1T during dry seasons after starting grass fires while shooting.

My hands still hurt when I think about all the times I had to do that....

As long as the ground is wet then there shouldn't be a problem. It will normally take a few days of rain to properly soak the ground after a dry spell, so spring, fall, and winter are your best bets to shoot tracers.

 

[Claven2]

Or on a range that isn't grassy

 

[Tyler]

Or on a range that isn't grassy

You've never seen a tracer riccochet off a berm and fly off into the woods?

 

[shortandlong]

tylers right ! better to wait for a rain

 

[BBq_Woa!]

I want to ONLY shoot tracer ammo so every shot seems like a blaster bolt from star wars.

-Derek

 

[death-junky]

I want to ONLY shoot tracer ammo so every shot seems like a blaster bolt from star wars.

-Derek

LOL nice one hahaha
i wish I could find some tracers they are pritty sweet! I have only seen them once and it was a hoot watching em go!
ttyal
Riley

 

[John Sukey]

Little difference between 7z and 8z

The main difference is in the bullet.
7z uses a flat base
8z is a boat tail
If the barrel is almost new both will shoot the same, but the boat tail will have greater range.
In rifle barrels that have had a lot of cordite shot through through them we have the problem of throat erosion (not a prob with a flat based bullet.) as far as accuracy

Thats why 8z was designated for machine guns since barrel changing is something one can do in the field.

 

[sunray]

"...a tracer riccochet off a berm..." That's just the trace element, not the bullet. The range grass would have to be very dry for the trace element to start a fire.

 

[K98ACTION]

Tracer

"...a tracer riccochet off a berm..." That's just the trace element, not the bullet. The range grass would have to be very dry for the trace element to start a fire.

Thanks,, sunray is right. When you shoot a tracer at the berm and sometimes you will see the tracer (what appears to be the tracer bullet) sort of bounce up into the air.. That is only the element which got wasted from impact. If you notice the light when you watch it, it is actually travalling pretty slow when it does that. The metal part of the bullet is buried in the berm.

you think tracer starts fires, try those shake en bake artillery fire missions. Shake en Bake was our term for HE followed by WP.. When the fires started sometimes we could put them out with some more HE.... BLAST sometimes is enough. But when that didn't work out on the range we went. pretty wierd driving out on a live fire range, (check fire was in place) seeing all the dudes everywhere sticking out of the ground. Picking up the schrapnel pieces and thinking what they would do went they hit the body...

 

[smellie]

Defence Industries (DI Z) tracers are marked on the bullet point with paint.

Properly speaking, calibre .303 tracer should be marked on the BASE of the casing. Stuff from the period of the Great War will be marked VIIG; this was changed in 1926 or 1927 and production from then onward should be marked GII, GIII, something like that, adding a Z if the propellant is NC powder, leaving no propellant marking if Cordite is used. Also, primer lacquer used on Tracers was different colour.

It's not unusual to come across Tracers, but watch out for Incendiaries, marked with a B code (from "Buckingham" originally), which just might be grabbed and you could be charged, depending on who the LEO in your area might be. It's all so silly!

Tracers are just plain fun, but should be used with discretion and the barrel MUST be cleaned IMMEDIATELY following use of even a single Tracer. They leave corrosive crud in the bore..... and new barrels are getting just plain difficult to find, not to mention expensive!

 

[John Sukey]

Anybody watch "firestorm in the desert"? Put out by Dillon.
Minigun on a quad 50 mount with a 1000 round magazine! Seemed like a solid stream of tracer, but it was only every 5th round! EVERYBODY was using tracer in the night shoot. When you can fire a quad 50 with tracer until the barrels glow, YOU ARE RICH!