I have a number of pulled tracers I want to load for my AR10 and I have trouble getting them to light off. I'm running a slightly mild load of WC846 (2700 or so). I don't have and can't find WC846T (T is for tracer) which I'm told burns hotter than regular WC846. So I am looking for help for an appropriate powder for 147 gr 308 loads in a gas impingement gun with a powder considered to burn on the hot side. I think that sounds counter-intuitive but it is what it is. Thanks in advance for any ideas, Harry.

Can't say about AR loads specifically, but I've used 844 (non T) for tracer loads in Garands (and other rifles), both 30-06 and 308. Have had very few that didn't light. Bullets were pull down milsurps.

I heard that if you scratch the bullet base they light better

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
I heard that if you scratch the bullet base they light better

Might work. The bases have soft thin plugs, almost like gas checks. A tiny pinhole would probably work as well.

Just be careful where you light 'em off. When they burn most of the tracer material, they are very light and ricochet like crazy.

Thank you all for the tips (no pun intended). These have been in storage for a while in air conditioned space and may be slightly degraded.

We shoot these in a lightly populated county in South Texas. And we're very diligent about ground conditions, moisture, back stops and what all. We have an artificial hill from which we can be seen from some surrounding ranches when we fire at night. It does wonders for diverting professional smugglers to other routes, at least for a short while.

I'm going to up the loads and turn down the gas port and see. I'll try the base trick too; that sounds promising. I have a bunch of WC844 too but I'm not aware that it burns hotter 846. I don't know what they did to 846T but it seems it has has a higher flame temp.

You realize that they aren't supposed to start burning until after 100 yards so the enemy won't see where they are coming from.
I had the same problem and I took an awl and punched a hole in the copper base plug. It is very thin. That made them work better.
And they will definitely start fires; I have seen many grass fires on all the tank ranges I was privileged to fire on whilst in a few tank units. Fall Gunnery season is coming soon.....

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
You realize that they aren't supposed to start burning until after 100 yards so the enemy won't see where they are coming from.
I had the same problem and I took an awl and punched a hole in the copper base plug. It is very thin. That made them work better.
And they will definitely start fires; I have seen many grass fires on all the tank ranges I was privileged to fire on whilst in a few tank units. Fall Gunnery season is coming soon.....

Some!
Not all are delayed.

All of ours that I ever fired and saw fired, were delayed. That is probably a million of them. 7.62 and .50cal.
Having them start burning right at the muzzle is a bad thing. the enemy can see exactly where you are.

Mine are all delayed. Most of my shooting is 400-600 yards with them. I had 95% or better when I got them but that was from a bolt gun at full loads. They have set around for 5-6 years since then and now I'm trying to be nice to my AR. The recent loads that wouldn't light were actually loaded for my Garand chambered in 308. It's a Nation Match rifle built for Service Rifle back in the day and I try to be kind to it. I had them loaded just enough to cycle. I am assuming that if they don't light in it I'll have the same issue in the AR.

H4895 is the go to powder for lighting tracers.

Thank you M16! That's exactly the info I was hoping to hear. I was thinking it would probably be one of the stick powders.

Follow up: I haven't had a chance to load more 308 with H4895 but I did load a batch (20 to be exact) in 300 Blackout with 17 grains of W296 and all but one lit off. That small charge did what 44.5 grains of WC846 didn't. I guess it generates a good bit of heat fast. Running at only 1900 fps or so, it gives good hang time.