Armory Sponsor
Posted: 3/15/2010 12:48:53 PM EDT
|
I have a chance to buy some tracer bullets in 30 caliber. Anyone ever load tracers before? If so, do you load them like you would a normal bullet, or do you have to use different powders? Please advise.
Thank you. |
|
You need to use a different hot burning powder to light the incendiary. I have had really good luck with H335 and pretty good luck with H322. They are a lot of fun but I always shoot them just after a rain or when it's snowing to keep the fire haz down.
*edit* You should also crimp as well .... I recommend using the Lee Factory Crimp die for these. The longer you hold these babies in the better they light. Even that little bit of extra hold helps. Sarg |
|
Loading them in 30-06, I've got almost 100% ignition of the tracer using IMR4895 powder which I shoot in an M1 Garand. It depends on the condition of the tracers you buy as to whether the tracer compound has deteriorated as to how well they light. The tracers I load for 30-06 are the 145 grain M25 orange tipped tracers. In 30-06 I suggest starting at 45 grains and a maximum of 47 grains of IMR 4895. The loads for 150fmj seem to be ok with the M25 tracers. Now I haven't loaded any .308 tracers. In .223 loading tracers, the 54 grain red tipped tracer can be loaded to near 55 gr fmj data. I reduce my 55 fmj load by 1/2-1 grain for the 54 red tipped tracer. Now the 62 gr, M856 orange tipped .223/5.56 tracer is a very long bullet and takes up a lot of case volume and 62 grain FMJ data should be reduced by 1.7 to a full 2 grains less than the M855 62 FMJ. Seems Army data suggests that they use both IMR 4895 and WC 846 military powder in 30-06 and .308 for their tracers.
Be extremely careful as tracers can and easily will start grass and forest fires. A lot of gun ranges and some states ban shooting tracers because of fire dangers. As with all loading, start low and work up powder charges. |
|
Quoted:
Loading them in 30-06, I've got almost 100% ignition of the tracer using IMR4895 powder which I shoot in an M1 Garand. It depends on the condition of the tracers you buy as to whether the tracer compound has deteriorated as to how well they light. The tracers I load for 30-06 are the 145 grain M25 orange tipped tracers. In 30-06 I suggest starting at 45 grains and a maximum of 47 grains of IMR 4895. The loads for 150fmj seem to be ok with the M25 tracers. Now I haven't loaded any .308 tracers. In .223 loading tracers, the 54 grain red tipped tracer can be loaded to near 55 gr fmj data. I reduce my 55 fmj load by 1/2-1 grain for the 54 red tipped tracer. Now the 62 gr, M856 orange tipped .223/5.56 tracer is a very long bullet and takes up a lot of case volume and 62 grain FMJ data should be reduced by 1.7 to a full 2 grains less than the M855 62 FMJ. Seems Army data suggests that they use both IMR 4895 and WC 846 military powder in 30-06 and .308 for their tracers. Be extremely careful as tracers can and easily will start grass and forest fires. A lot of gun ranges and some states ban shooting tracers because of fire dangers. As with all loading, start low and work up powder charges. I noticed the 62gr tracer bullets were very long researching yesterday. We shot some factory over the weekend, and they were a lot of fun. What crimp are you using? Roll crimp like military or a taper crimp? |
| I looked in Barnes' Cartridges of The World and in the back they list the same powder charge (double based spherical) for both 7.62mm ball (M80)and tracer (M62). I loaded 44.2 grains of W748 with the tracers, the same as I do for 150 grain FMJ, and they worked fine. |
|
i scored a jug of 7383 powder just for this reason
IMR7383 This is a slow burning stick powder originally used for the Cal. .50 M48 Spotter/Tracer round. It is a very bulky powder, that has about the same propellant energy as IMR4831 by volume, but weighs less than the same volume of IMR4831. You can work up loads using IMR4831 data, reduced 15% by weight. It works great in my .25-06. |
Armory Sponsor