AE XM856 5.56X45 Tracer

[GTS197]

Does anyone have any experience with this ammo? I picked up two boxes of twenty rounds, to stagger in my magazine for low light hog hunting. Curious if it does what it's supposed to, and if it's well thought of.

TIA

[15ICAM]

It works best at engagements past 150 yds. Any closer than that you may not notice the tracer at all before impact

[124C41]

Don't start any fires with those things.

[GTS197]

Good call....on both counts.

[Clyde]

I shoot that ammo once in awhile but Caminator is right, the tracer chemical doesn't start to burn noticeably until after 100 yards most of the time -- move to the 200 yard range if you want to use it. It is great for sighting in your weapon at 200.

It will light before 100, but you will only get to see it once it ricochets...it can be pretty interesting to see what a bullet does after it impacts. You hit what you think is a safe background, such as dirt...except there is a rock in the soil and your bullet grows straight up and then arcs down...or goes sideways.

Or if you want to watch your bullet spin or drift -- but that takes a 300 yard range or some healthy crosswinds.

Most ranges do not allow it to be used because of the fire hazard, which is significant.

64 grain bullet is suitable for 1:7 twist, and the round runs well in SCARs and SIG 556s. Both of those guns were designed to use such rounds.

Where these really come into play is in low-light. You can see them really well then. I shoot them up in the mountains -- find a nice long valley you are looking up through, and fire them off -- gives them time to burn out before landing -- and wait until it has rained in the area beforehand.

Stay away from Federal land, unless you like to meet Mr. Forest Ranger.

Probably would not be a great round to use if someone is shooting back at you -- you will be seen from anywhere past 150 yards...like a beacon....

[GTS197]

What's the consensus on staggering the rounds in the magazine? I remember my Army days where it was 1:4, but that was also in a belt fed. Have them loaded 1:3, mixed with M855 green tip.

[Talhoffer]

I use to load my tracers so they were the last five rounds in my mags just to let me know when the mag was about to run dry.

[15ICAM]

What's the consensus on staggering the rounds in the magazine? I remember my Army days where it was 1:4, but that was also in a belt fed. Have them loaded 1:3, mixed with M855 green tip.

I don't use them for my fun purposes but for my work rifle I will only load them as the last 2 or 3 rounds so I have a visual indication to remind me I'm almost out of ammo... I usually also have 1 mag load with nothing but in case I need to use as a visual marking device

[Clyde]

I use to load my tracers so they were the last five rounds in my mags just to let me know when the mag was about to run dry.

I do the same, but usually just the last three rounds....

I believe the military runs tracers on belt-feds every fifth round, GTS.

They are fun to shoot at night -- just make sure you aren't near any airports -- I got a chance to chat with some of our area's finest one night when we were near a rural airport. We were doing mag dumps straight up in the air and someone called the sheriff's office. The deputy was really cool about it, and just asked us to leave the area (after he ran us for wants and warrants). He asked to see the ammo and asked a few questions about it -- he said he wanted to get some for himself....

[15ICAM]

Clyde..

Mag dumps up in the air seems a bit irresponsible