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tracers out of a 308

ddhotbot
are tracer rounds hard on your rifle barrel? thanks
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7 comments

Date Votes
  • nmyers
    Physically, no. They are just copper jacketed lead bullets, with tracer material at the base.

    You DO have to consider the primer, as they may be corrosive. If your rifle is semi-auto, cleaning the gas system complicates the issue.

    And, of course, firing tracers (other than during steady rain) can lead to brush fires & possible incarceration for arson.

    Neal
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  • Mobuck
    The newer tracers have a delay light feature which prevents the enemy from pinpointing the source of fire (of machineguns). The bore is not exposed to the tracer mix in these. My Dad told about early tracers which lit while in the bore and were bad stuff. Whether this is true or not, that was the dogface info in WW2. I have shot handloaded tracers on several occasions w/o noticing any residue beyond normal in the bore. They are not as accurate as standard ball and most ranges ban them due to the fire hazard. I don't fire them into my railroad tie butt for that reason.
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  • machine gun moran
    Even 'delay' tracers have a compound that is ignited and burning when inside the barrel, only it is burning flamelessly until the desired distance is reached.
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  • ddhotbot
    these are off a machine gun belt with a headstamp of sl 52, so i am guessing the st louis aresenal in 1952. i just want to make sure they wont hurt my buddies savage 308 bolt gun.
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  • eastbank
    if they are 1952 dated they are 3006 and not 7.62(.308). in the m-60 in vietnam they were the cats meow at 200-300 yards, you could sure get on target quick, but at longer ranges as the trace element burned the bullet got lighter and you had to adjust as the ball ammo would strick higher as the ball was heavier. and they will start forest fires. eastbank.
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  • Mobuck
    St Louis 52 ball ammo is noncorrosive. I've shot hundreds of rounds of it and it is pretty good. That's not a sure thing the tracer is the same though.
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  • p3skyking
    Tracers are no worse on barrels than ball rounds. They are not as accurate at longer ranges due to the changing weight of the projectile in flight as the composition burns. Some states prohibit them, but not all.
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