Tracer ammo in pistols ?
- Thread starter scottperk
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HisSoldier
New member
The fourth of July, last year, at my brothers house out in the woods. I had 100 .45 ACP tracer loads that I'd loaded up.
We thought our backstop was good enough. The tracers (From a 1911) would bounce and jink off to the left, because of the rotation, and fly way up into the air and way up the mountainside and land in the trees. Most didn't go that far, but a few did.
There is definitely a fire hazard potential. But it is truly fun to see the flight of bullets previously unseen.
In a sense it slows them down in your mind, as you watch the progress of their flight. They are tiny missiles traveling through time and space, and woe be to whatever they hit.
We thought our backstop was good enough. The tracers (From a 1911) would bounce and jink off to the left, because of the rotation, and fly way up into the air and way up the mountainside and land in the trees. Most didn't go that far, but a few did.
There is definitely a fire hazard potential. But it is truly fun to see the flight of bullets previously unseen.
In a sense it slows them down in your mind, as you watch the progress of their flight. They are tiny missiles traveling through time and space, and woe be to whatever they hit.
Firepower!
New member
I have used them extensively in TT
We use them during training to illustrate (in real time) the time/trajectory factor involved with handgun shooting. Your mind plays tricks on you- you hear/feel recoil, then "BLING!" (especially on metal targets) and your brain kinda omits what musta happened inbetween because it can't see or hear the bullet's flight path. Most shooters are amazed at how long it takes a typical handgun projectile to reach a target 25 yards away, and how much of an arc it takes on the way there. It's a lot more like lobbing arrows then firing a laser beam, that's for sure.
my understanding is there is some phosphorous that gets heated
or ignited by friction in the barrel and I was not sure whether
there was enough barrel contact in a pistol to get the tracer
bullets glowing brightly.
Where did you guys get your tracers ? Were the bullets significantly
lighter in weight than normal bullets?
or ignited by friction in the barrel and I was not sure whether
there was enough barrel contact in a pistol to get the tracer
bullets glowing brightly.
Where did you guys get your tracers ? Were the bullets significantly
lighter in weight than normal bullets?
Tracers dont, or at least, they arent, supposed to "light" in the barrel, but at a distance farther down range. Most of the tracers I've shot, or have seen shot didnt light up until they were about 25-50 yards from the gun.
I've shot them out of both 9mm pistols and SMG's, and at normal ranges for these type weapons, the targets were hit before they ever lit up.
I've shot them out of both 9mm pistols and SMG's, and at normal ranges for these type weapons, the targets were hit before they ever lit up.
If they did not "light up" how do you know in fact they were tracers ?
Did you ever shoot the same ammo at extended distances to see
if they were working? The reason I ask is I saw some ammo at
a gun show advertising it was tracer in 9mm for about 2 dollars
a shot and they just looked like to me they were regular
FMJ ammo with red paint on their tips. I thought I smelled
a ripoff but they might have been the real deal.
Did you ever shoot the same ammo at extended distances to see
if they were working? The reason I ask is I saw some ammo at
a gun show advertising it was tracer in 9mm for about 2 dollars
a shot and they just looked like to me they were regular
FMJ ammo with red paint on their tips. I thought I smelled
a ripoff but they might have been the real deal.
They were tracers, marked with a red tip, and did light just fine when fired downrange, just like all the others I've fired. They were just being fired at too close a distance to light when we were shooting them. If you are shooting them up close, and walk up close to the berm right after shooting them, you can often hear them cooking off in the dirt though.
Tracers, or at least military tracers are designed to light downrange, and not at the barrel. It also makes sense if you think about it. Its bad enough they are lighting 50-75 yards out, but thats still better than drawing a line straight back to the muzzle.
For other than military, or some very specialized uses, or just fun, tracers are pretty much just a waste of money, and especially the premium they seem to draw at the gun shows. I think too much of the sales pitch and perceived use is based on old war stories than real world use of them.
Tracers, or at least military tracers are designed to light downrange, and not at the barrel. It also makes sense if you think about it. Its bad enough they are lighting 50-75 yards out, but thats still better than drawing a line straight back to the muzzle.
For other than military, or some very specialized uses, or just fun, tracers are pretty much just a waste of money, and especially the premium they seem to draw at the gun shows. I think too much of the sales pitch and perceived use is based on old war stories than real world use of them.
FIRE HAZARD!!!!
But if you are ok with that, then they are fun.
Many times they do not light at short range, however, I have seen a GI film on shooting the .45, and there is a scene where the instructor is shooting tracers at silhouettes at 10yds or so, and you can clearly see the traces zipping out there. Really neat looking.
Tracers are "instructional" ammo. The slight weight difference shouldn't make any real world issues at handgun ranges.
If you want some real education, shoot shotgun tracers. Wingshooting clay birds with tracers will let you know where your shot is really going!
I'd pay a little more for tracers, but I ain't paying no $2 a round for handgun tracers, even at today's prices!
Just remember that they can and WILL start fires in anything dry. Especially grass.
But if you are ok with that, then they are fun.
Many times they do not light at short range, however, I have seen a GI film on shooting the .45, and there is a scene where the instructor is shooting tracers at silhouettes at 10yds or so, and you can clearly see the traces zipping out there. Really neat looking.
Tracers are "instructional" ammo. The slight weight difference shouldn't make any real world issues at handgun ranges.
If you want some real education, shoot shotgun tracers. Wingshooting clay birds with tracers will let you know where your shot is really going!
I'd pay a little more for tracers, but I ain't paying no $2 a round for handgun tracers, even at today's prices!
Just remember that they can and WILL start fires in anything dry. Especially grass.