Will tracers foul a barrel?

[OWGEM]

I purchased some .223 tracer ammo sometime back. Have not used it until recently as it has been too dry. Now that it is wet and I can shoot it I am wondering will it foul my rifle barrel faster than normal ammo? Any idea?

 

[red_zr24x4]

Tracer's do not ignite until they clear the barrel. People who say that tracers will burn up your barrel, eat out the rifling etc are full of poop.
Are they dirtier? Depends on what powder they were loaded with. Factory loaded tracers probably are not any dirtier than any other factory ammo.

 

[OWGEM]

Thanks red, sounds reasonable! Tracers are fun!

 

[chuckp]

Tracer's do not ignite until they clear the barrel. People who say that tracers will burn up your barrel, eat out the rifling etc are full of poop.
Are they dirtier? Depends on what powder they were loaded with. Factory loaded tracers probably are not any dirtier than any other factory ammo.

Where do they get ignited then, if not in the barrel? From the friction with the air outside the barrel or the fire outside of the barrel?

They do not burn at full strength for a bit of distance though. The powder in the case usually burns a bit hotter than normal powder to reliably light the tracers. With the hotter burning powder it can be a bit harder on the barrel.


chuck

 

[in625shooter]

Where do they get ignited then, if not in the barrel? From the friction with the air outside the barrel or the fire outside of the barrel?

They do not burn at full strength for a bit of distance though. The powder in the case usually burns a bit hotter than normal powder to reliably light the tracers. With the hotter burning powder it can be a bit harder on the barrel.


chuck

From a former USAF Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM) Instructor. It depends on the type of tracer. The powder rate has nothing to do with "igniting" the tracer. The coating phosphorus or magnesium on the bullet is ignited by friction of the air against the bullet during flight! Some ignite as they are coming out of the barrel. Others (like what are issued troops for warfare, not training but warfare) do not ignite until they are approx 10 yards outside the barrel. They have a burn out rate of around 600 yards or so. Tracers do run hotter in a barrel rthan traditional barrels. Fire 20 tracers and 20 regular ball ammo form 2 seperate AR 15's and see which one is hotter!

Also Allied tracers are Red or Orange in color and Soviet Block countries are Green (usually) in color.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Here is just one link, Tracer damage to barrels - AR15.COM

Think about it, If tracers burn so hot from the phosphorous, at some point machine gunners would have burning phosphorous blowing in their faces from any barrels with some use to them.

in625shooter, they do not light from the air, the tracer compound is in the back of the bullet, a hotter burning powder is used to light tracers.
I've loaded .30 cal tracers using BLC2 and 99% do not ignite. Factory tracers heat up a barrel more because they use a hotter burning powder than standard FMJ ammo.

 

[chuckp]

From a former USAF Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM) Instructor. It depends on the type of tracer. The powder rate has nothing to do with "igniting" the tracer. The coating phosphorus or magnesium on the bullet is ignited by friction of the air against the bullet during flight! Some ignite as they are coming out of the barrel. Others (like what are issued troops for warfare, not training but warfare) do not ignite until they are approx 10 yards outside the barrel. They have a burn out rate of around 600 yards or so. Tracers do run hotter in a barrel rthan traditional barrels. Fire 20 tracers and 20 regular ball ammo form 2 seperate AR 15's and see which one is hotter!

Also Allied tracers are Red or Orange in color and Soviet Block countries are Green (usually) in color.

Type of tracer????? Please explain? Are there variants that I am missing? From what I have seen ignition compound is in the base of projectile not a coating on the bullet.

Chuckp

 

[__Doc_]

From what I understand modern tracers dont do a whole lot. Ive shot from 223, 22lr, 9mm and 40s&w and ive not seen any difference aside from a blinding light and pretty colors.
I cant speak for surplus or older tracers

 

[churchmouse]

We shoot them in our AR's and .308 (way more fun) with no issue.

 

[colts1982]

i was a infantryman in the army and i fired thousands of tracer rounds out of my saw...god i miss that saw...but it never had any adverse effects of my or any other barrel your good to go

 

[OWGEM]

Thanks guys, I'm going to shoot them! Yeah! :