Where can I buy M196 or M856 tracers?  A search did not come up with anything.

Quoted: Where can I buy M196 or M856 tracers?  A search did not come up with anything.

Try these, but note that most are remanufactured:

Ammoman
Ammunition Store
Cabela's
JG Sales
Keystone
KY Imports
Sportsmans Guide

Just be careful with them.  I found out the hard way that you dont space your tracers just to save ammo.

I filled a mag with 20 tracers just because i wanted a light show.... by #12 the barrel had gotten so hot and expanded so much that it caught #13 in the barrel and wedged in there quite solidly.  Had to wait an hour for it to cool before i could tap it out with a rod..... oops.... noob mistake... lesson learned

spacer your tracer

Quoted: Just be careful with them.  I found out the hard way that you dont space your tracers just to save ammo. I filled a mag with 20 tracers just because i wanted a light show.... by #12 the barrel had gotten so hot and expanded so much that it caught #13 in the barrel and wedged in there quite solidly.  Had to wait an hour for it to cool before i could tap it out with a rod..... oops.... noob mistake... lesson learned spacer your tracer

so every... 3 rounds?  5 rounds?

I've done repeated 30rd mag dumps and not had this problem.  The biggest thing I worry about is making sure that I don't catch anything on fire downrange.  They are fun to play with but make sure you don't catch stuff on fire with them.

Quoted: Just be careful with them.  I found out the hard way that you dont space your tracers just to save ammo. I filled a mag with 20 tracers just because i wanted a light show.... by #12 the barrel had gotten so hot and expanded so much that it caught #13 in the barrel and wedged in there quite solidly.  Had to wait an hour for it to cool before i could tap it out with a rod..... oops.... noob mistake... lesson learned spacer your tracer

HA HA HA HA HA,  you funny.    Tracer make barrel so hot.    Only part of tracer that touch barrel is the bullet' jacket, so I quess the same thing would have to happen with dumping a mag of regualr ammo?

I have fired 20 many times as fast as I could pull trigger from a 20" 1x7 COLT barrel.

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Quoted: I've done repeated 30rd mag dumps and not had this problem.  The biggest thing I worry about is making sure that I don't catch anything on fire downrange.  They are fun to play with but make sure you don't catch stuff on fire with them.

+1


Had smoldering brush here

ok, laugh if you will, but than what do you think caused my problem?

I got a hard recoil, the bolt stuck open about 1" and I used the FA to return it back to normal.  A good bit of smoke out the end of the barrel and back out the chamber, and a tracer bullet lodged firmly about 1/3 way down the 16" barrel.  Think I just got a crap round, or something else?

Quoted: HA HA HA HA HA,  you funny.    Tracer make barrel so hot.    Only part of tracer that touch barrel is the bullet' jacket, so I quess the same thing would have to happen with dumping a mag of regualr ammo? I have fired 20 many times as fast as I could pull trigger from a 20" 1x7 COLT barrel.

 Why do idiots like you think this site is a place to make people feel stupid?  Is someone wrong for thinking that a bullet that shoots flames out the back might heat the barrel differently?  I know tracers usually light after they are out of the barrel, but maybe his were the type that didn't.  Even if not, you are still a wannabe arrogant f--k.

thanks for the defense, but i'd rather this not become a flame war.

i do still want to learn what might have caused the problem I experienced.  It WAS a pretty serious safety issue, and I'd like to learn how to prevent it in the future.

so every... 3 rounds? 5 rounds?

I go with a tracer round at # 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 29 & 30

Doesnt really matter though, just depends on how much $ you want to drop on tracers, I guess.

It is nice to have a couple at the bottom of a mag to let you know when you mag is dry.

Quoted: so every... 3 rounds? 5 rounds? I go with a tracer round at # 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 29 & 30 Doesnt really matter though, just depends on how much $ you want to drop on tracers, I guess. It is nice to have a couple at the bottom of a mag to let you know when you mag is dry.

And advertise that same fact to any one you happen to be shooting at or his friends in the vicinty? Tracers are a two way visual aid.

In the amount of time it takes one to realize that there were two or three tracers on the way (assuming one is calm and collected enough to count them), the brain and trigger finger should already know that ones weapon isn't making loud noises anymore and that the bolt is back, a very reliable sign one is out of ammo.

Using tracers to figure out where one is shooting means one is probably in need more range time.  Since tracers do have a slightly different trajectory, using them could mean the difference of having an effective round on target or not.  IMHO, using tracers is like firing warning shots, leaving one with less real ammo for the situation at hand.

In respone to the problem posed by USAF_Hop_N_Pop:
As pointed out by "brillo", most of these rounds are remanufactured and that can mean:
1) the tracer projectile was stressed when it was pulled, compromising integrity of the tracer component, allowing it to flash instead of burn progressively.
2) a different powder was used and that resulted in early ignition of the tracer compound.
3) a round ended up in the squib range, without enough powder to clear the barrel, but enough to ignite the tracer compound.
4) the jacket was compromised when pulled and allowed gas blowby, leaving the jacket in the barrel.
5) any combination of the above.
That's all I can think of at this time.