New Gun Shop Myth, tracer ammo?

[El Tejon]

Yesterday I was scanning my latest issue of Small Arms Review and I noticed an article on tracer ammo. In the article they make reference to a gun shoppe myth that states that painting the tip of a bullet makes it tracer ammo. The author described it as "tracer paint".

In my many years in the gun culture I have heard all kinds of outlandish drivel, but have yet to hear this. Where is this myth coming from? Movies? Comic books? Science fiction book? A gun show dealer having fun with someone? A gun shop? Where?

 

[facedown]

Probably because the tips are often painted for identification.

 

[AJ Dual]

Yep, they think that the identification paint is phosphorus or something, and that air-friction sets it off. I've heard that one before.

If it was on the front, how would you even see it?

Everyone should know by now that tracer bullets have polished reflective bases that reflect the light of the muzzle flash back to the shooter's eyes...

 

[SDC]

I've also heard that one, and it was even reported as "fact" on Mythbusters; unless people are genuinely CURIOUS about these things, there's no reason for them to find out the truth, so they latch onto the first bit of gossip that sounds like it might be valid.

 

[LostCajun]

Painting bullet tips was/is a method to score targets used by multiple shooters (usually in anti-air exercises).
Each shooter is given ammo with different a different colored paint. When the bullet passes through the target (usually a windsock towed behind a plane), the bullet leaves a ring of color. With each shooter using a different color, it's easy to count who got more rounds on target.

Think a combination of "shoot 'n' see" or paintballs.

Not having read the original article, I have no idea whether the author, or others, intended it in this context.

Previous posters are right, though, this does not make the round into a "tracer" (providing a visible reference to assist in aiming) as the term is normally used.

LostCajun

Edit: The marking paint is not the same as the color code paint mentioned below. The marking color is put on after the rounds are manufactured and color coded.

 

[Sniper X]

The paint on the tip as has been said is only for bullet identification (military) ammo. I have a list somewhere. But as you guys know, the color is an ident only and has nothing to do with the actual working of the round, other than letting the shooter know what is going to happen when he shoots that cartridge.

 

[Sniper X]

COLOR CODING
F-7. The main reason ammunition is painted is to protect it from rust. However, the color of the protective coating and markings also makes ammunition easy to identify and provides some camouflage. Ammunition 20mm and larger is color-coded IAW MIL-STD 709C (see Tables F-2 and F-3). Figure F-5 shows typical markings for an artillery round of ammunition.

Table F-2. Ammunition Color Code, MIL-STD 709C Color1,2 Fed Std No 595 Interpretation
Yellow
33538
Identifies low-explosive items of components or indicates low explosive. Normally brown band around the item.

Brown
30117
or
30140
Identifies HE ammunition or indicates presence of HE.

Gray3,4
36231
Identifies chemical ammunition containing toxic chemical, incapacitating or riot control agent. Used as basic color.

Dark red
31136
Identifies riot control agent filler.

Dark green3
34108
Identifies toxic chemical agent filler. Used for markings and bands.

Violet
17100
Identifies incapacitating agent filler. Used for markings or bands.

Black3,5
37038
Identifies armor-defeating ammunition or indicates armor-defeating capability.

Silver/aluminum
17178
Identifies countermeasure ammunition (e.g., radar echo, leaflets).

Light green3
34558
or
34449
Identifies screening or marking smoke ammunition.

Light red
31158
Identifies incendiary ammunition or indicates highly flammable material (liquids, jellies, solids) that produce damage by fire.

White3,5,6
37875
Identifies illuminating ammunition or ammunition that produces a colored light.

Light blue
35109
Identifies practice ammunition.

Orange
32246
May be used to identify ammunition used for tracking and recovery in tests or training operations (e.g., underwater mines and torpedoes).

Bronze, gold, brass
17043
Identifies completely inert ammunition for use in activities such as assembly, testing, handling, drills, etc., not to be delivered in a delivery system.

Footnote. The following have no color-coding significance:

1. Colors specifically applied to identify the color of smoke ammunition or pyrotechnics.
2. Unpainted or natural color ammunition.
3. Gray black, green, or white on underwater ammunition.
4. Gray on air-launched missiles.
5. Black or white when used for lettering or special marking.
6. White on guided missiles, dispensers, and rocket launchers.




Table F-3. Application of Color Codes for Particular Ammunition Items, MIL-STD 709C Ammunition Colors
Body Markings 1 Bands
HE, except 20mm
Olive drab
Yellow
Yellow 2,3,4,5

HE, 20mm
Yellow
Black
None

Explosive binary munitions
Olive drab
Yellow
Broken yellow6

HEP
Olive drab
Yellow
Black

HEAT
Black
Yellow
None

Antipersonnel and antitank mines
Olive drab
Yellow
Yellow3

Incendiary
Light red
Black
None

HEI
Yellow
Black
Light red

API
Black
White
Light red

AP




With bursting charge
Black
Yellow
None

Without bursting charge
Black
White
None

Canister
Olive drab
White
None

Flechette-loaded
Olive drab
White
White7




Yellow8

Chemical




Filled with a toxic chemical binary nerve agent
Gray
Dark Green
One broken dark green9,10,11

Illuminating




Separate loading
Olive drab
White
White

Fixed or semifixed
White
Black
None

Practice




With low explosive to indicate functioning


Brown

With high explosive to indicate functioning


Yellow

Without explosive to indicate functioning


None

Screening or marking




Smoke ammunition




Filled with other than WP
Light green
Black
None

Filled with WP
Light green
Light red
Yellow9




Light red12

Inert ammunition not designed to be delivered in a delivery system
Bronze
Black
None

Chemical




Filled with a riot control agent
Gray
Red
One red9

Filled with an incapacitating agent
Gray
Violet
One violet9

Filled with a toxic chemical agent other than binary agents
Gray
Dark Green
One dark green9

Filled with a toxic chemical binary nerve agent
Gray
Dark Green
One broken dark green 9,10




Table F-3. Application of Color Codes for Particular Ammunition Items, MIL-STD 709C (Continued) Footnotes:

Color of the letters and figures normally used for the main identification.
Circumferential band of yellow diamond-shaped figures on semifixed and separate-loading improved conventional munitions.
Circumferential band of yellow triangular-shaped figures on mass scatterable mine and loaded semifixed and separate-loading ammunition.
Separate-loading ammunition for shipboard use has a circumferential yellow band besides yellow markings.
Bombs have one yellow band except thermally protected bombs, which have two yellow bands besides yellow markings.
Circumferential broken yellow band (1/2-inch segments with 1/2-inch gaps) on explosive binary munitions.
Circumferential band of white diamond-shaped figures on ammunition containing flechettes.
Yellow band put on when the ammunition contains explosives used to fracture the projectile.
Yellow band put on to indicate HE burster.
Toxic chemical agent ammunition containing a binary nerve agent filling shown by a broken dark green band (1/2-inch segments separated by 1/2-inch spaces).
Both color applications are standard. However, for land ammunition use, separate-loading ammunition is olive drab for overall body color with a white band and main identification details marked white. Fixed and semifixed ammunition is white for overall body color with main identification details in black.
Separate-loading ammunition for shipboard use has black markings and a light red band.








Figure F-5. Typical Artillery Markings

F-8. Small arms ammunition is not color-coded under MIL-STD 709C. Either the small arms projectiles or the bullet tips are painted a distinctive color so they can be identified quickly. Figures F-6 through F-8, show the color codes for types of small arms ammunition up to and including.50 caliber. For more information, see TM 9-1300-200. Significant features of the current color-coding standard are as follows:

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Here is the information SniperX tried to post, in a readable format with pictures:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/4-30-13/appf.htm

 

[EricTheBarbarian]

The main reason ammunition is painted is to protect it from rust

i would really like to see a copper jacket rust

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Sure, the paint makes it tracer ammo, but what we really need to worry about is the teflon coating that makes them zip right through barrel...er...bulletproof vests!!!

Where is this myth coming from? Movies? Comic books? Science fiction book? A gun show dealer having fun with someone? A gun shop? Where?

It's probably coming from heresay. Something that idiotic is even below par for gun shows or movies methinks. Tom shows Dick his new batch of tracer ammo and points out the colored tip. Dick tells Harry that it's tracer ammo because of the colored tips. Harry tells Sally the colored tips makes it tracer ammo. Sally is a blabbermouth. Kind of like the telephone game.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

The main reason ammunition is painted is to protect it from rust

i would really like to see a copper jacket rust

The information he posted mostly relates to artillery ammunition, which doesn't have a copper jacket.

 

[Amish_Bill]

Yeah - paint makes it burn just like a "Type-R" sticker or a coffee can tack-welded to the exhaust makes those little toy cars Go Faster!

 

[Carl N. Brown]

There is a cottage industry of taking ordinary ammo
and hand painting the tips in the color code of rare
collectible ammo. I really wonder how much of
the ammo on the market color coded as tracer,
armor piercing, etc., is just plain service ammo?

The idea that the identification paint makes the
tracer glow in flight is good for a chuckle to two.

 

[mpmarty]

bullet tip paint

making a tracer glow is in the same category as the Polish sniper in WWII.

A panzergrenadier company entered a conquered town in Poland and at the edge of town was a wooden fence with a large number of targets on it with single bullet holes in the exact center or "pinwheel" position of each target.

The officer in charge called on the mayor and inquired as to who was the sharpshooter as he was concerned for the safety of his troops. The mayor informed him the sharpshooter was the village idiot. The officer commanded the appearance of the idiot immediately. The idiot came to the wall and the officer asked him if he was the one who shot those holes and the idiot smiled and nodded his head "yes". The officer informed the idiot he wanted to see this for himself and the idiot asked for a rifle. The officer asked "aren't you going to put up a fresh target?" and the idiot replied "no, first I shoot the hole and then I paint the bullseye."

 

[zoom6zoom]

Everyone should know by now that tracer bullets have polished reflective bases that reflect the light of the muzzle flash back to the shooter's eyes..

Ya mean they don't have lasers built into each one? Gyp!

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Everyone should know by now that tracer bullets have polished reflective bases that reflect the light of the muzzle flash back to the shooter's eyes.

My son and I were firing Winclean ammo on the mountain
right at sundown: we had the sun directly to our backs
and we were seeing these brass streaks flying down to
the target. It was the sun reflecting off the base of the
bullets. Not as spectacular as real tracers, but a real
kick in the pants to see something so unexpected.

 

[TexasRifleman]

El T, Just check my sig for more info.......

 

[bogie]

I've got a thousand or so tracers that I need to load up that have NO markings on the tips...

Nice idea tho - I think I'm gonna dip 'em in something.

 

[TallPine]

the idiot replied "no, first I shoot the hole and then I paint the bullseye."

Sounds pretty smart to me ... why didn't I ever think of that

 

[target1911]

Who needs TRACERS???? I got bullets with head lights and a horn....

 

[tegemu]

There is a special type of paint, called "Ordnance Paint" that doesn't dry, so it marks the target as it passes through. This paint is used in aerial gunnery to designate where each aircraft hit on the target. However it is not "Tracer" ammo.

 

[dfaugh]

Where is this myth coming from?

Actually, alot of the misinformation of this type comes directly from ex-military guys I've talked to.

Drill sargeant says "this is tracer ammo, see how the tip is painted?" No further explanation, so soldier (who wouldn't DARE as DS a question.) So he assumes the pint has something to do with its capabilities.

As and example I just met I guy freshly returned from the ME (he wasn't there long, as he caught a bit of a phosphorous grenade in the eye(?). And he was firmly convinced that an M-4 was the ultimate combat rifle ...Why? 'cause they TOLD him so!

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Actually, alot of the misinformation of this type comes directly from ex-military guys I've talked to.

Bingo. It's the same source as the .50 caliber myths.

 

[FIFTYGUY]

AJ Dual wrote:

Everyone should know by now that tracer bullets have polished reflective bases that reflect the light of the muzzle flash back to the shooter's eyes...

And zoom6zoom added:

Ya mean they don't have lasers built into each one? Gyp!

All joking aside, these concepts have actually been tried!

For the F-117A Stealth "fighter", there was a program to arm it with a cannon (probably typical Vulcan 20mm Gatling). However, since the plane was "stealthy", there was the problem of developing "stealthy" tracers so the pilot could see where he was shooting. Besides the usual "non-visible" IR trace concept, some 20mm projectiles were tried that had corner-cube prisms in the base. A coaxial IR laser shined along the cannon's bore line, and reflected light off the projo bases straight back to the plane. For those who don't know optics, a corner-cube will reflect directly back no matter what its angular orientation.

I have the write-up in one of the International Ammunition Association journals somewhere...

mpmarty - love the story of the Polish sniper!

 

[FIFTYGUY]

Jorg wrote:

Originally Posted by EricTheBarbarian

Originally Posted by Sniper X

The main reason ammunition is painted is to protect it from rust

i would really like to see a copper jacket rust

The information he posted mostly relates to artillery ammunition, which doesn't have a copper jacket.

I myself wondered whether paint on arty projos had any purpose other that rust protection (maybe reduced friction down the bore?). After all, after shooting cannons I've often found lots of colored paint from the projos on the cleaning rags through the bore! However, it would seem the only intended purpose is rust prevention and identification.

The rotating bands on cannon ammo are usually left unpainted.

Carl N. Brown wrote:

There is a cottage industry of taking ordinary ammo
and hand painting the tips in the color code of rare
collectible ammo. I really wonder how much of
the ammo on the market color coded as tracer,
armor piercing, etc., is just plain service ammo?

I've also heard that before. Military tip paint (in small arms) is dipped, not sprayed-on. Caveat Emptor!
However, whenever I've come across ammo with the *possibility* of forged tip paint, I've bought multiple rounds and sectioned one to verify. I tend to collect cannon ammo, so there's usually no point in forging tip paint. I *did* pull a 7.62 NATO bullet from one of the loaded rounds in a lot to verify that the green tip/white band was indeed an infrared tracer, not a .30 cal frangible projo. Although when it comes linked 1-in-10 in cans labelled for Minigun use, that's going a bit far for a cheap trick.

I also sectioned a live .50 BMG Raufoss projo. That's where a bit of money could be made by forgery, since Raufoss (/Mk 211 Multipurpose) rounds go for maybe $25+ each, but "plain" .50 BMG ammo can be had for $2 a round. Since almost all .50 BMG ammo has projos that are attracted to magnets, it's tough to tell the difference without an x-ray machine. But it is a bit hairy cutting open a live projo with RDX and incendiary in it!

target1911 wrote:

Who needs TRACERS???? I got bullets with head lights and a horn....

Speaking of headlights and tracers, there were "headlight tracers" (M21 in .50 BMG) developed in WWII to produce a huge bright short-distance trace that was designed to be easily seen by the enemy they were shot at. A psychological effect was intended.