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Posted: 3/28/2008 7:10:51 PM EDT
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I'm trying to decide what reloading components to get for my Bohica upper, and I came across a few websites that have API rounds. I'm just curious as to how easy it is to catch leaves/grass (trees?) on fire with these? I suppose most ranges don't like them either. Also, what kind of penetration could I expect from them? I figure they'll be going around 2300-2500 fps when they hit the targets behind my house. I'm betting my 1/2" AR500 plates would be toast. Will the Incindiary flash go off on any type of hard surface (cheapo 1/4" steel). I had a discomforting tracer fire incident recently so I'm really not looking for another way to singe the hair off my legs, but API sure sounds fun  My friends and I actually used these bullets as targets once for my .308 precision rig, nice flash and smoke, but they were elevated in purpose-built stand away from the ground so I don't know if they'd start stuff on fire or not. OOOR, would I just be better off getting some standard Ball or solid AP? |
| I have had a barbwire fence set them off. If you are shooting paper with a dirt berm for a back stop you might be alright. I only shoot them during the winter and early spring when it is really wet. Then during summer months I only use AP of ball ammo. I would rather be to safe than sorry. |
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A dirt berm will set them off so keep them away from any dry brush if you don't want to set something on fire. I doubt your wife would be happy to find out that you set a fire and it spread to your house or burnt down other peoples houses. Better safe then sorry, if it's dry out use a bullet that won't start a fire. 
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| API will penetrate a 1 inch thick steel plate at 100 yards like a hot knife thru butter. At 500 yards, it will penetrate the same 1 inch steel plate, but the penetrator will lodge about 2/3 of the way thru. I keep my target plates about 4 feet above the ground and never had a problem with starting a fire. But I am also was very carefull about the conditions I shoot in. (I have private ground and specially built the target area for shooting the 50 bmg) |
| At yesterday's shoot there were dozens of APIT rounds fired into cars, steel i-beams, and the dirt embankment. Only fire started was electrical in nature, and spread to the rest of the vehicle after an APIT popped off somewhere inside the dashboard. Conditions were very dry as well... Overall, it's my impression from very limited use that API is less likely than tracer to start fires, and it really needs to hit a good fuel source for it to happen. Then again, you never know. Get a good backstop that can be easily accessed, and keep a couple fire extinguishers handy. |
Amax/Barnes... $35 per 20 for BULLETS? I don't think so. No doubt they're high quality etc... I just don't have that kind of money. Me reloading .50 is actually more for the price of the ammo. I get once-fired LC brass for .65 each(125 assuming I can average 4 loads from each), 500 pulled bullets for $150, 500 primers for $130, and 20 lb of powder for $150 (all prices approximations from memory). Total is like $515ish before shipping (probably pretty nuts, primer hazmat, 20lb powder etc..). A little over a dollar a round, probably closer to 1.50-1.75 just for 'plinker' ammo, which is all I plan to do. More of a fun thing than a serious long range match sub-MOA thing.. I'd be happy with 2 MOA honestly. I'm also shooting behind the house (200 yd 'range' back here into a dirt/clay berm), so range rules aren't much of a problem. However, I would have to buy them in bulk to make the haz-mat fee worth it, and really don't need 500 API rounds lol.. so I think I'm just going to go with standard ball and maybe pick up 10 or 20 at a gunshow or something. Anyway, thanks for the replies guys
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LedZepplin: Sounds like for your application API would be fine so long as you know your backstop. API just flashes when it hits a hard target like steel, rocks, etc. It doesn't keep burning, just flashes for much less than a second at point of impact. So long as you don't overshoot the backstop and you have the backstop and immediate area around the impact clear of flammables, you should be just fine. Tracers are much more dangerous as they continue to burn for several seconds after being fired and burn really hot, and not all at once. For an economical plinking round, API is good, just be concious of fire hazard and prepared to deal with the consequences. Personally, I prefer to use M2AP which is just a bit more expensive. It also has a steel core but no pyrotechnics. It has to be REALLY dry to set a fire with M2AP. Every try to start a fire with flint and steel? A good inexpensive round for pretty good accuracy (say 1.0-1.25 MOA) is the South African Ball from www.polygunbag.com. I believe these to be the best surplus bullet available and since they aren't pulled and were all from the same factory, they're in great shape and consistent. About $0.50 each but no hazmat. Happy shooting, -David Edgewood, NM |
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Just one more question here... Will 'soft' targets set these off? Prairiedogs, coyotes etc..?   I'm pretty sure my backstop will work for as little as I'm going to shoot these. If not my friend's building a private range on his property and he won't mind if I shoot there. |
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API = Armour Piercing Incindiary The definition of incindiary is "Cabaple of causing fires" , thats what they are intended to do and they do a very good job of it . The will pop on just about any hard surface, I have seen them skipp off the ground and then pop hundreds of yards away when they hit something solid. The paticular shoot in fla the other fellow mentioned seems to have a fire everytime I have attended a shoot. They dont allow tracers but they do allow incindiary ammo and there has been a fire everytime I have attended(read wasted a 12hour round trip drive) . Makes no since to me that they ban tracers(rightly so) but still allow ammo purpose built and intended to set fires. I know a single layer of 26 ga roofing tin will pop off an API from my 50 |
The cause of the fires has mostly been non-incendiary, non-tracer ammunition. We had a small fire last year, at a time when we were positive that no one on the entire line had any tracer or API ammunition. This past shoot we had a lawnmower catch fire-it's just caused by bullet impact and/or sparking touching off the oil and/or gasoline still in the motor. Not too long ago I had to put out a fire at 400 yards apparently caused by a hot bullet landing in dry grass-again, no one on the line had any incendiary/tracer loads. The primary danger with tracers isn't that the targets will be set on fire, but rather that one might get dropped over the berm or downrange, and start fires out where it's not immediately visible or apparent. |
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