Maybe it is just me, but I don't see how tracers are that effective in a semi-auto state. I think it more of a coolness factor than anything. If it were full auto, and you were using the tracers to stay on target, that is one thing, but semi-auto fire is too slow to use a tracer for what it was designed for.

Just my two cents.

 

Maybe it is just me, but I don't see how tracers are that effective in a semi-auto state. I think it more of a coolness factor than anything. If it were full auto, and you were using the tracers to stay on target, that is one thing, but semi-auto fire is too slow to use a tracer for what it was designed for.

Just my two cents.

Plus, they work both ways. Not a good thing as far as I can see.

 

Well I dont' think tracers are needed for civilian use in a semi auto AR15.

But to answer the OP's questions.

The reason that military M4's have a 1:7 twist is to stabilize the longer tracer bullets. They may not stabilize out of a 1:9 twist.

Tracers will wear out a barrel faster than standard FMJ rounds, but I doubt you will shoot enough of them for it to matter in a chrome lined bore.

If you do want to use tracers, rather than load them up 1 in 5 in your mags, why not load them as the 25th round in a 30 round mag. That way you know when you see a tracer that you are running low and should think about changing mags soon.

 

US made tracers do not ignite in the barrel - which gives away position.

Forget 1:5 load ration go 3 on the bottom so that way you know it is is time reload when the mags gets low
but be careful - especially in dry areas since these WILL start fires ...

But a 1/9 barrel twist should work.. but not as well as a 1/7... your not shooting for accuracy anyway if your using tracers on rapid semi-auto

 

We use them at work and honestly on semi (how we shoot our M4s 90% of the time) it's more for marking targets than anything else. Inside 100-200m, they're hard to see since there's only one and you're not firing bursts. Much easier to spot using an M249.

 

I guess the answers were given

No it wont wear the barrel faster
It wont stabalize in long distance shooting (probably)
Its not of much use in a semi unless you have your rifle sighted in incorrectly and have to use them to see where your hitting.

 

They will stabilize. Tracer burnout's around 900m if I remember correctly (something smacked into the head of any M249 gunner, and I was one occasionally).

However, on semi, unless you're loading five or six in a row, you won't really see much unless you're shooting at longer ranges and actually give the tracer time to ignite. I've done night shoots (With NVGs) for qualifications and shooting tracers at around 25m we got a flicker, at most. In total darkness. Some would burn in the backstop for a bit which was funny to watch.

 

They still load them two on top and three on bottom in mags for some security duties in the MC which would be firing semi-auto. The idea is two rounds to get on target and three to let you know you are about to have to reload.

 

It never made sense to me though. I would have rather just had ball in an A2 or A4.

 

Not an answer for the OP, but my question to those of you that have shot tracer ammunition is, do all US mil-spec (M856, M25, M27, M62, M196 etc) tracers light off around 100 m? I see the "Wikipedia" entry referring to "bright", "subdued" and "dim" tracers, but I don't see any data as to whether all of the above types are bright or subdued.
Thanks for your assistance.

 

Not an answer for the OP, but my question to those of you that have shot tracer ammunition is, do all US mil-spec (M856, M25, M27, M62, M196 etc) tracers light off around 100 m? I see the "Wikipedia" entry referring to "bright", "subdued" and "dim" tracers, but I don't see any data as to whether all of the above types are bright or subdued.
Thanks for your assistance.

The Federal tracer that I have M856, lights up at 50-75 yards

 

XM856 will spin stabilize out of most 1:9 twist rate barrels, not all, but most. It also does not ignite within the barrel, but rather upon exiting the bore, usually becoming visible at 100-meters or so. Its worth and practicality from semi auto ARs is debatable, but you should have little difficulty picking them up visually in low light.

 

The Federal tracer that I have M856, lights up at 50-75 yards

Okay, thanks. The M586 is what I was going to load up, so I'll be able to live with that.