I have an Army ? Need you 11B

**transam98** · 01-09-2009, 09:48 AM

Ok a buddy and I are debating on whether it will hurt the M4 to shoot 10 tracer rounds in a row. Right now he was his mags filled with 10 ball, 10 tracer, 10 ball. I was like you should switch that up and put 3 balls to 1 tracer so your barrel doesnt get to hot. He was like no it will not hurt the barrel to run 10 tracers in a row. So my ? is will hurt to run 10 tracers in a row?

**67CamaroRSSS** · 01-09-2009, 10:05 AM

As long as you're not doing it continuously (mag after mag after mag) I shouldn't think so. I don't think the phosphorus lights up till it hits the air (I may be wrong though). I remember back in basic they did a night fire demonstration using all tracers to show how interlocking lanes of fire worked.

But then again, you use a tracer and they can see where it came from....

My experiences were from 35 years ago. I'm sure others will chime in.

**transam98** · 01-09-2009, 10:07 AM

I have all my mags filled with the first round to go in the chamber is a tracer cause if I have to fire a warning shoot I want them to be able to see it.

**1MileCrash** · 01-09-2009, 11:25 AM

i've never heard of anyone putting all tracer rounds in a mag. 3...whatever rounds to 1 tracer is the ratio that i have heard as the most common and therefor more than likely the most reliable and safe.

**ArcticZ06** · 01-09-2009, 11:25 AM

Im thinking the phosphorous doesnt touch the barrel so it should be okay.

**SeVeReDiStOrTiOn** · 01-09-2009, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by transam98

I have all my mags filled with the first round to go in the chamber is a tracer cause if I have to fire a warning shoot I want them to be able to see it.

Yea they'll see it...and your position.

**juiced99ws6** · 01-09-2009, 03:03 PM

the 3 ball to one tracer is so in a fire fight of any distance and especially at night you know where your rounds are going. To put 10 ball, 10 tracer, and then 10 ball will not hurt your M4 but is just dumb. There is no reason to do it that way since there is absolutely no benefit to it but there is a benefit if its 3:1.

**transam98** · 01-09-2009, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by SeVeReDiStOrTiOn

Yea they'll see it...and your position.

We are not snipers over here, they know our position as soon as we roll out of the gate in a M1151.

The only reason he does this is cause he is to lazy to break up his ammo and sort it out to a 3/1 ratio. He just speed loads 10 roads and the speed loads another 10.

**Sarge** · 01-09-2009, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS

As long as you're not doing it continuously (mag after mag after mag) I shouldn't think so. I don't think the phosphorus lights up till it hits the air (I may be wrong though). I remember back in basic they did a night fire demonstration using all tracers to show how interlocking lanes of fire worked.

But then again, you use a tracer and they can see where it came from....

My experiences were from 35 years ago. I'm sure others will chime in.

I was in so long ago we hollered and threw rocks and shit at the bad guys. Then we got on our woolly mammoths and rode off.

**Paul Huryk** · 01-11-2009, 05:25 AM

Machine guns ran the 1 tracer, 1 AP, 1 ball sequence for a very long time. The barrels were overheated from continuous firing, not using tracers.

**nitrox28** · 01-11-2009, 05:40 AM

At the Knob Creek Machinegun Shoot, they regularly do that. Hell, for $500 you can shoot a mini-gun with 1000 rounds of tracer ammo. 10 tracer rounds won't hurt his weapon at all. It's one of the dumbest things I've heard of, but the weapon will be fine. Why would he do that? I sure as hell wouldn't want someone I was shooting at to know where the bullets were coming from! The very last round (first round loaded) in all of my mags is a tracer round so I know I'm empty when I see it. Aside from that, I wouldn't want to give away my position. It's not like I'm going to be engaged in a 100 yard firefight in my neighborhood anytime soon.

**nitrox28** · 01-11-2009, 05:43 AM

Originally Posted by Paul Huryk

Machine guns ran the 1 tracer, 1 AP, 1 ball sequence for a very long time. The barrels were overheated from continuous firing, not using tracers.

Ever shoot 30 rounds of 5.56 or 7.62 and touch the barrel?

When I bought my first AR-15 many years ago, I burned through 2 mags as fast as I could. Before I reloaded, I rested the gun against my car. It completely melted the bumper cover.

Lesson learned.

**infantryws6** · 01-11-2009, 07:07 AM

It isn't going to do any damage, unless he only fires tracers.

**side2000** · 01-11-2009, 08:13 AM

everything hurts the m4. . . . .

**Spaz** · 01-11-2009, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by transam98

Ok a buddy and I are debating on whether it will hurt the M4 to shoot 10 tracer rounds in a row. Right now he was his mags filled with 10 ball, 10 tracer, 10 ball. I was like you should switch that up and put 3 balls to 1 tracer so your barrel doesnt get to hot. He was like no it will not hurt the barrel to run 10 tracers in a row. So my ? is will hurt to run 10 tracers in a row?

why would you want to do that though??? are you trying to make it look like a lazer...

**JoshieDoom** · 01-11-2009, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by side2000

everything hurts the m4. . . . .

No shit.. gas impingement is worthless.

**67CamaroRSSS** · 01-11-2009, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by nitrox28

Ever shoot 30 rounds of 5.56 or 7.62 and touch the barrel?

When I bought my first AR-15 many years ago, I burned through 2 mags as fast as I could. Before I reloaded, I rested the gun against my car. It completely melted the bumper cover.

Lesson learned.

450+ rounds fired on auto in a minute thru a M16A1 will cause the gas tube to glow bright red and will cause a cook off. Ask me how I know this.....

**pjeff7** · 01-11-2009, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by side2000

everything hurts the m4. . . . .

lol nice

For what its worth, some of our guys (including our 1SG) have an entire mag of tracers. With the idea of using them to mark a target or direct fires. Havnt heard if they hurt the m4. my 2 cents

**suede** · 01-11-2009, 02:29 PM

you can run them just as you would any round, the heat of your barrel is dependent on how fast your are throwing them down range, but most times ppl will go with 1 tracer, 2 bal, and repeat instead of 10 then 10 and 10

**Z28Thunder** · 01-11-2009, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by 67CamaroRSSS

As long as you're not doing it continuously (mag after mag after mag) I shouldn't think so. I don't think the phosphorus lights up till it hits the air (I may be wrong though). I remember back in basic they did a night fire demonstration using all tracers to show how interlocking lanes of fire worked.

But then again, you use a tracer and they can see where it came from....

My experiences were from 35 years ago. I'm sure others will chime in.

Back when I went thru Marine Boot they trained night fire. Every platoon preformed the interlocking fields of fire. 1 tracer for 2 rounds. We had the M16-A2 which had 3 round burst no full auto. And as others have said it is the number of rounds put down range that will heat the gun. While performing MP duties we would go to the range weekly to get rid of the old rounds in storgae. MP's had M16-A1's. You would walk on the range and they would hand everyone 2 to 3 ammo boxes to get rid of. At first it was cool but in the end got old. Heck I had 35/40 mags for the M16 just so I could load as many rounds as possbile before realoading a mag.