Loading 55 gr Tracers...??

wanted man

I've been reloading for quite some time, but have never loaded tracer rounds before.
Any tips, tricks or special considerations I should be aware of? i.e, does a certain powder seem to ignite the tracer chemicals better than others?

charliemeyer007

Never loaded ones for the 5.56, but lots of ones in 30-06 and 7.62. I think they are hard on bores and wouldn't shoot them in a nice rifle unless they were the only ammo I had.

Most of the 5 gallon bucket of pulled tracers I shot away were pre burned. Light one with a propane torch, butt the next one up to it for a jump start light, throw the first one in a bucket of water and let it swim around, repeat. Let burned out tracers dry in the hot sun for several days before loading.

Tracers can and do start fires so be careful. Winter with snow on the ground is a good time for field use.

Mobuck

The suggested powder is WC844T(T meaning burns hotter than WC844 to help light the tracer-or so they advertise). I don't know if you can get that powder anymore. I'd try IMR 4895 or maybe 3031. All the tracers I've seen or loaded were longer than lead core bullets and may require somewhat lighter powder charges than normal length bullets. I haven't loaded any 5.56 tracers but have loaded and shot quite a few .308 (sold as "dead" but maybe 5% did light) tracers for blasting steel at longer ranges.
The modern tracers don't "light" until they're quite a ways past the muzzle so it's doubtful they are any harder on the bore than anything else. Dad always warned me about the gritty residue that WW2 era tracers left in the barrel but I've not shot any pre 1965 tracers.

wanted man

Thanks guys...