How does a tracer bullet work

[Jean-Loup]

How do US WW2 tracer bullets funcuion? How can I recognise a spent tracer bullet if I find one with my metal detector? Were they generaly only used in machine guns? I am asking all this to help me decipher what happened on certain battlefields I explore.

JL

[Theodor]

As far as I know, the tracers had a small sink on the back side, filledwith some dry texture, which lights when ignited /and the ignition was by the same explosion that propelled the round. It is not dangerous, unless you try to scratch/remove/fire it.

Well, this is what I know on the subject, lets hope someone with a better idea about these things comes around

[upbeek]

tracers

great tghread ill be interested to find out aboyut this too,chay

[JasonS]

Theodor had it right. Check out the link for more info.

JasonS

http://www.newscientist.com/lastword....jsp?id=lw1024

[Chris Boonzaier]

They hire unemployed ants from 3rd world countries, who run behind the bullets waving little pocket flashlights...

[mudsharkangler]

Tracers

Actually, the back end of the bullets is left oped, so that a tracer mix can be "pressed" into that space in increasing pressure increments for each increment. usually there are multiple pressings. The tracer does not "burn" in the barrel...that would not be good at all! They are designed to light well outside of the barrel so as to not give a way the shooters position. They are lighter than a standard bullet, since the normal filling (lead, steel, tunsten..) is replaced by the tracer mix. Hope this helps.

Brian Kowalski

[Greeves]

They hire unemployed ants from 3rd world countries, who run behind the bullets waving little pocket flashlights...

That's only in the budget-cut ridden Canadian Forces - that is...when they actually have rounds for the weapons...

[ramon]

I thought it would be interesting to see cut away views of Tracers.


Here are cutaways of 3 of the 4 main type tracers used by the US.

M1 Tracer is used for the observation of bullets in flight from Browning machine guns. It has been largely replaced with the M17 .50 BMG in combat. The tracebegins at 250 feet from the muzzel and extends out to some 1600-1800 yards. The base was opened exposing the the tracer and igniter compostion material. the bullet will have a red painted tip.

M10 Tracer has dim trace for the first 225 yards and then burns brightly for the next 1600 yards. The bullet will have an orange painted tip.

M17 Tracer has a bright tracer for some 2500 yards. The bullet will be painted maroon for production prior 1952 while the bullets produced after 1952 will be painted brown.

The ignitor material is composed of barium peroxide and magnesium.
The tracer material is composed of strontium peroxide, magnesium, and other materials

The cutaway drawings below will show the construction of these bullets.

The key to the nomenclature of the parts shown is:

A Ignitor composition
B Sub ignitor composition
C Tracer composition
F Jacket of gilding metal
H Lead with antimony slug
I Jacket of gilding metal with clad steel

[Jean-Loup]

OK, thanks guys. So if I found a tracer while metal detecting, it should look like a normal bullet, exept that it would be half empty when I looked in the back? Is that correct for WW2 rounds?

JL

[ramon]

Yes, the round would appear to have a void behind the slug. This would also be true for present day tracer rounds as their construction has not essentially changed over the years.

[CurtD]

Won't this cause the tracer to weigh less and hence have different ballistics than a regular bullet?

[ramon]

The powder charge is adjusted accordingly. The tracer bullet weighs in at approximately 680 grains. Velocity will be somewhere in the area of 2700 feet per second.

[Graeme G]

The powder charge is adjusted accordingly. The tracer bullet weighs in at approximately 500 grains. Velocity will be somewhere in the area of 2700 feet per second.

Having fired many tracer rounds they do have a tendancy to go high.

[ramon]

Thanks Graeme G.

I apologize, I took it as implicit that the lighter projectile would have a tendency to shoot higher. I should have been more explicit.

Ramon

[TMurray]

when were tracer rounds developed and first used? WWI? or pre WWII?