Reloading air-pulled 5.56 tracers - what am I up against?

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Jer
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Joined:Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:28 am
Location:Buckhannon, WV
Reloading air-pulled 5.56 tracers - what am I up against?

Post by Jer » Wed Apr 17, 2013 7:08 pm

A few months ago I got a good deal on 2,000 air pulled 5.56 62 grain tracers. These came from Lake City from a reputable dealer.

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I've not done anything with them since they came in until today when I opened up the box and started inspecting them. What I found gave me some cause for concern in my reloading...

First off, while they are supposed to be 62 grain rounds - I have yet, in random sampling, to find ANY that weigh 62 grains.

The weights can vary, as shown in the photos below, from 59.8 grain to 60.9.
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The weight variances MAY be more extreme than that - I haven't individually weighed all 2,000...

When inspecting a hand full of the tracers individually, I found that some had an internal cap covering the burn chemical, and others had the cap, but it was dented, and others didn't have a cap at all (I'm guessing this is the differences in the weights.

Here is a pic of one with the "cap" that I am talking of:
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And here is a pic of one without the "cap":
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Now, my questions are several -

1) How the ever-living-hell do I make powder measures for these if there is such a variable in the weight?

2) What is the cap?

3) Is it safe to load those bullets without the cap?

4) Will the bullets without the cap work as a tracer?

5) Are there any other questions that I should be asking about these that I haven't?

*Please note, that I live in WV on a large farm and I have an area that I have shot tracers in before. I am aware of the fire hazard to them and I take appropriate precatutions.
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
--John F. Kennedy

Pete
Posts:3
Joined:Wed Jun 19, 2013 9:00 pm

Re: Reloading air-pulled 5.56 tracers - what am I up against

Post by Pete » Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:08 pm

all i know is every time i shoot tracers a fire is coming next

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