No Takers on the Tracer rounds????

[45romeo]

Anybody ever load tracers for 22-250? Where can one get reliable tracer bullets and what type of powder and primer to use? Thanks for the help.

45Romeo

[Sevens]

I'm only guessing here, but I think your best bet would be to find some surplus tracer ammo in 5.56 and pull the bullets and use them in your own .22-250 rounds. I've not ever seen tracer bullets for sale.

Again, I'm not any kind of an expert... but it seems to me that tracer rounds are basically white-hot burning phosphorus at the base of the bullet. So first question I'd ask is, "Is this something I want going down the barrel of my rifle?" Could be that they are completely safe in firearms, but I don't know. I would imagine you could start some kind of brush fire with them if you shot it in the wrong place. And you probably wouldn't be able to see them very well during the day... and you'd have to live quite a long way from anywhere to do a bunch of rifle shooting in the middle of the darkness.

[closetgunnut]

Pats reloading has .223 tracers for sale.
http://www.patsreloading.com/patsrel/prices.htm

From his site: (scroll about half way down the page)

All the 223-30 Cal tracer bullets are without cut/pull marks!!!!!

223= M196 -55 grain Tracer, Red Tip, 500-$21.95, 1000=$35.00, 5000 in ammo can $149.00, SPECIAL 7800- $199.00, 30m plus=24.95m #1 Grade No cut/pull marks, these are from ammo made in 60's-70's with white cover on bottom, These tips are cheap because all of them will not light. Use a Hot stick powder

223=M856 -62 grain Tracer, Orange Tip, 500=$85.00, 1000=$160.00, cup closure on base, #1 Grade, no cut/pull marks


I don't load for .223 yet but I never had a problem with the stuff I bought from him. He's back-logged thought. I ordered 4000 150gr .30 cal Mil-pulldowns to feed a couple of Garands last month and he said it would be at least month to get them.

BTW I think the tracers are FMJ bullets. If I'm wrong I hope someone will chime in.

Hope that helps!

Closet

[4sarge]

Widener's has them. http://www.wideners.com/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=1196&dir=278|281|296

UFTM196 22 CAL 55GR RED TRACER Regular Price - $70.00 PER 1200

A word about M196 tracer bullets. The tracers work best if loaded with hot burning powders at high velocity and with a strong factory crimp (Lee FCD recommended) However, even with all that, the burn rate of these tracers still around 75%. Some people report 98%, some report 50%. It is the best you can do for 22 cal tracer bullets.

I would like to try them in .223, but what exactly is a "hot" powder?

[TEDDY]

the 223 I pulled had stick powder the regular ammo had ball.yes they are full jacket.and no I would not use them especialy in a sporting rifle and they WILL start fires.I fired 45 ball tracer and almost burned the nabor hood out.some fast work with brooms and shovels.

[SL1]

He shot his tracers into the air
Where they fell, he did not care

Until the smoke began to rise
And flames leaped into the skies

Then fire was coming; we had to run
We could not believe what he had done

The wilds we loved to roam and hunt
Were burned away by a stupid stunt!

[Silentarmy]

if you fire a tracer in the air and it is still burning when it comes down, I will give you a dollar!

[4sarge]

Sometimes I wonder if they aren't safer by virtue of you can see where they are going after they deflect. One certainly must be careful around dry fodder though.

[somerled]

The groundhogs will be able to spot incoming fire. They are large enough to tote rifles and shoot back around here.

[SL1]

Silentarmy,

You wrote "if you fire a tracer in the air and it is still burning when it comes down, I will give you a dollar!"

Please read post by "Teddy" in this thread.

Please send dollar to NRA.

SL1

[oldbillthundercheif]

Some tracers burn for quite a while:
http://www.videosift.com/video/Man-U...-His-Cigarette