[FloridaAKM]

Re: Has Anyone Reloaded Tracers?

I got a pile of 7.62 mm 145 grn tracers that I am going to load up as either .308 & 30.06 depending on the brass I have. I am told that these rounds should trace only 25% of the time. They will all be going thru my 1919A4's in the correct caliber, so the question is, has anybody tried doing this? I have a shooter grade 30.06 barrel that can't be harmed by shooting as it is not in great shape. Tracers shouldn't hurt it.

 

[brnesmk]

load

I got good results from the .308 surplus orange tracers with 42 grains of Reloader 15 powder pushing them. I got about 90% out of the lot I bought

 

[Mouse]

I got a pile of 7.62 mm 145 grn tracers that I am going to load up as either .308 & 30.06 depending on the brass I have. I am told that these rounds should trace only 25% of the time. They will all be going thru my 1919A4's in the correct caliber, so the question is, has anybody tried doing this? I have a shooter grade 30.06 barrel that can't be harmed by shooting as it is not in great shape. Tracers shouldn't hurt it.

Tracers will not hurt your barrel so feel free to shoot them from your old burner barrel or your brand new one. Either will be just fine, just be sure to have a plan to put out the fires when 25% of them light!

 

[jfbullseye]

I reload tracers all the time , for a bunch of different guns . The trick to getting them to light up is to use a very hot burning powder.

 

[wire-nut]

I have never reloaded 30 cal tracers, but tons of 50 cal tracers. With those we pierce the primer foil in the back and use the 5010 stick powder and get very good ignition. Piercing the primer does allow some moisture to possibly invade the tracer, but I dont reload for long term storage, most of what I load is to shoot in the next 6 months, so it hasnt been a problem for me. HTH Gene Erwin

 

[L999here]

...what he said...!!

I reload tracers all the time , for a bunch of different guns . The trick to getting them to light up is to use a very hot burning powder.

Yep....thats the trick...use a hotter burning powder...or also a magnum primer to get a hotter burn. Good luck.....just remember: "If you can see where the tracers are going....your target/s can see where its coming from."

 

[Shattered]

"If you can see where the tracers are going....your target/s can see where its coming from."

I haven't had a car or a refrigerator complain yet.

At least not while I was still loaded up....

 

[Lucky#13]

I haven't had a car or a refrigerator complain yet.

At least not while I was still loaded up....

A couple of years ago, lobo mentioned, in answer to a novice builder's question, that he didn't stake his bearing in or re-solder the barrel jacket to the trunnion. Soldering may be overkill indeed, and one can always keep an eye out for a loosening bearing. Pretty harmless, in the recreational shooter's environment... or so it seems. His logic, of course, was similar to the rationale you are using now. We all think we are safe.

But there is a reason that tracers are not legal here in California. Y'all think it has to do with loony lefty legislators, or perhaps the fire risk that is always a danger around this state. But you forget that we here in the Golden State are always ahead of the rest of the country, and too many episodes like the one illustrated below have occurred. We learned from such incidents and have taken appropriate measures. Those of you who think that those tracers you shoot are harmless, so long as you can put the fires out, just don't get it. You backward "49 Staters" need to learn that the wisdom L999here displays does not come from ignorance, but rather experience. I can only say that you better be mindful of your cover, should you insist on shooting tracer ammunition, which undoubtedly will reveal your position to the enemy. As lobo found, this also applies to proper assembly and maintenance of your Browning. Let me remind everybody, once more, just what a dangerous practice this can prove to be. LEARN, PEOPLE, LEARN! This can get ugly.

 

[Rory]

i reloaded a bunch of the m25 tracers as they were cheaper. however i was looking for a lower burning temp as i didn't want them to light. one of the ranges i go to has a no tracer rule.


r

 

[soulreaper]

tracers

i load the orange tracers all the time and strange enuf the are suprisingly accurate. the first batch i did was all right but a few stopages, on the next batch i used my lee factory crimp die and probably 400 rnds later not one misfire also the tracers i used traced about 50% of the time. i only use imr4895 for my garand and have had no problems but i havent had a chance to load for my 1919. just trial and error. also i load some blue tip incendiarys and some green and white tiped frangable, if you want i can go out to my shed and grab my load data for the tracers just pm me

 

[Chad G]

i reloaded a bunch of the m25 tracers as they were cheaper. however i was looking for a lower burning temp as i didn't want them to light. one of the ranges i go to has a no tracer rule.


r

Ya know its funny you mention slow burning powder, we loaded some (using ZIP)for the M1 and they didn't light, we had shot probably 100 or so and even Chronographed a bunch between 2300-2700MV, but as soon we linked the 30-06 for the BMG everyone of them traced, same load same crimp we could not figure it out it was cool to see but we watched where everyone of them went to since it was dry season. And this was fast burning ball powder.

 

[Rory]

the bmg have a slightly tighter bore?

 

[storage_man]

Tracers can be dangerous:

A few years ago I purchased several cans of Talon Re-manufactured tracers. What I found out was that these rounds were never Crimped. You could grab a round and squeeze it together with your fingers and the projectile would fall into the case. I never had a squib, but my gun would stop firing because it didn't have enough recoil to cycle the next round.

So I re-crimped about 2k of these rounds. Some friends of mine wanted to go shooting and I said thats good I will try my re crimped tracer rounds. Now I only linked up 10 rounds - just to try them. When we got to a desert area where we could shoot, I loaded up the MG40 with the 10 rounds. I cocked it and pulled the trigger and all rounds fired (Good for me) but as I watched a piece of one of the projectiles go high in the air and land in a BUSH that immediately started BURNING ! I said crap - WE NEED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT !. Luckly we were able to extinguish the fire and all was well.

So my motto is now - DO not fire Tracers unless you have a FIRE Dept standing by.

 

[10th Mountain]

Reloading M62 Tracers

datasheet here http://www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/rifle/762mm_ammo.html


I buy mine from Wideners but they're all sold out. Because the base of the bullet to the cannelure is longer in these rounds than standard M59 ball, seating at the cannulure will result in a compressed load some powders at max charge. I down load to 41grains of H4895 or IMR4895 with the 147 grain tracer. I have loaded thousands of these and have had consistent ignition. Make sure you get yourself a lee factory crimp die and crimp every one.

10th