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Posted: 6/27/2006 11:42:40 PM EDT
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Hey guys, I bought some red tracers and had a great time shooting them. I heard that there are also green tracers available. Is this true? If so, where do I buy them? Also, what does a green tipped round mean? Steel penetrator/special ammo? Thanks! |
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Green tracers are usually found among communist bloc state tracer ammo. In VietNam, the US used red tracers and the NVA, green. Different chemical composition. I believe the green tracers have some copper in the mix (copper burns green) US tracers contain some red phosphorous. green tip ammo is an identifier color code for M-855(SS-109) 62 grain 5.56mm ammo in the US M-16A2 rifle and is also used by some NATO countries. The color coding is there so that the ammo is not inadverdently issued to troops armed with older M-16s that have the 1:12" twist barrels designed for the 55 grain M-193. Older M-16s will not shoot the "A2" ammo accurately. (I know some Air Force personnel are still issued M-16A1s and even slick sided M-16s with no forward assist even to this day) In the UK, the 62 gr ammo tends not to be green tipped because when the UK switched in the mid-1980s, they switched from 7.62x51 NATO in the FAL (SLR) to their current bullpup in 5.56 and hence, no confusion existed between types of 5.56 rifles. (In fact the British had to power down their version of ammo slightly to optimize functioning in their L-85 bullpup, which is not the world's strongest action) M-855/SS-109 ammo can also be black tipped M-855 ammo is not "special" ammo. It does have a steel "penetrator" but the ammo is considered to be standard ball ammo and not AP. It is also EXEMPT from the definition of AP ammo by the BATFE. |
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For some reason some folks on the boards will tell you that M193 has the same effect as the M-855 on a rolled steel plate. I have no idea where they are coming from but I know, for an absolute fact, that the M855 will sometimes go through a .5" (I think) plate. The M-193 will create a divot but wont go through. I can post pics if interested |
Double DANG HUH????  M855/SS109 does noticeably less damage to steel targets. Anything that will withstand an M193 strike will easily stand up to M855. Perhaps the sparks from the penetrator shattering scare the range guys? I too shoot M855 on my gongs all the time because M193 pock the target face a little deeper from the Higher velocity. |
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Wow. I've never seen that kind of result. I shoot ARMORGARD 3/8" plates, and then some hardened steel plates that aren't quite as hard as the ARMOR. M193 is noticeably more hard on both kinds of plates that I run. The increased wear on the plates from M193 isn't significant enough to shoot ONLY M855 on them, but it's there. |
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I agree with markm. I have some AR-500 plates that are about 7 years old. Most of the damage done to them is from M193, and the hardend steel plates that I got from markm also take more damage from M193 not the M855. I believe it mostly has to do from velocity. My .300 Win Mag shooting 190gr does very little damage also to either type of plate. He is right to that they spark sometimes, it is fast so sometimes hard to see. |
What kind of steel depends on who and where you get them from. There are many grades of steel. AR-500 being the best for shooting. Mine are still in great shape after 7 or so years and being hit by anything from .22 up to .300 Win Mag and from ranges from 25 up to 700 yards. Good steel is the best way to go. |
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Not all Com-bloc tracer is green, even though the color code on the tip is green. A lot of it is also red trace like most countries use. A lot of different colors have been tried over the years by various countries; red, white, blue, green, yellow, orange, IR visible only, ranging tracers that change from green to red at a specified range, bright trace, dim trace, etc... but most countries have settled on red as being the overall best as far as visibility is concerned. Back in 1991, the US made 7.62x51mm tracer that traced green, for use during the Gulf War. The idea was to capitalize on the "green tracer is com-bloc only" theory and confuse the Iraqis into thinking that they were being fired upon by their own forces. I don't know if it was successful, but I have seen the rounds and the box they came in. Tip color was brown by the way. As for finding green tracers, look at the onine auction sites. There are usually a few places advertising the green trace along with other colors. Devil Dog |
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