{"id":1194,"date":"2014-11-17T22:12:44","date_gmt":"2014-11-18T03:12:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/david.bookstaber.com\/Interests\/?p=1194"},"modified":"2023-12-28T16:58:57","modified_gmt":"2023-12-28T21:58:57","slug":"flash-rounds-tracers-fired-backwards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/david.bookstaber.com\/Interests\/2014\/11\/flash-rounds-tracers-fired-backwards\/","title":{"rendered":"Flash Rounds: Tracers Fired Backwards"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Tracers<\/a>A traditional tracer bullet like the M62<\/a> carries an incendiary payload in its base. We’ve done a lot of experimenting with bullets fired “backwards” (i.e., base first), and found them to be both accurate and effective, even if their blunt shape produces excessive long-range drag.<\/p>\n

\"TracerExplosion\"<\/a>So what happens when you fire a tracer base first? First of all, the tracer doesn’t ignite in flight. But if it hits something hard, like a rock or steel target, the jacket ruptures and the impact energy usually ignites the tracer compound all at once, producing a satisfying flash and puff of smoke, leading us to call them “flash rounds” or “smoke rounds.”<\/p>\n

Once again our friends at Aimed Research<\/a> provided a high-speed video<\/a> of a flash round hitting a metal target:<\/p>\n