Ok, a buddy of mine gave me a box of 10 tracer rounds. I'd like to shoot a few but I want to do it safely as I know they can be dangerous.
First of all what's the standard procedure as far as shooting them besides being outside..? I usually shoot out by the river in the country, is there any precautions I need to take?

Also is it ok to shoot them in my pistol? It's a Kimber Ultra CDP, sorry if these are n00b questions but I'd rather be safe then sorry.

If fire conditions are high, no tracers. Not sure on pistol rounds since I've no used them.

So maybe shoot at the opposite bank? The river is always low, there's usually several ft of bank above the water and usually fairly steep

May want to wait for a good rain too. Seriously they do pose a fire hazard even outdoors.

Cool, it's been raining seemingly everyday for a month now, we are actually above average for this time of year..

So basically the danger is inherent in almost any condition?

Yep if its raining or has rained "Recently", (Quotes means yesterday), you should be good to go.

But still be careful !

If I remember correctly it takes about a 100 yds for the phosphorus to start burning so you need a couple hundred yard shot to really see them burn. Peace

DFW Gun Range in Dallas, TX just burned to the ground because a dumb dumb was shooting tracer rounds INSIDE!!!! The moron admitted what he had done so I imagine a nice civil suit against him.
BE CAREFUL wherever you decide to shoot them please.

Tim

Cool, Ty for the advice :)

Oh, wow so they may not even be worth shooting huh?

Exactly why I started this thread, I read about this on here I think? Plus I'd herd warnings in the past so I figured I'd ask some people with more knowledge and exp then me on this subject!
Thanks for the quick replys!

Explanation- Tracer rounds have a partial hollow in the base of the bullet. This is filled with a pyrotechnic mix that ignites when the round fires- it is lit in the chamber. It is fully burning within a few feet of the muzzle- unless you have an unusual round called "dark ignition"- slow starting, fully lights up 75-100 meters downrange. Please note those are RIFLE rounds.

Basically, there is a tail of very hot flame a foot or so long behind a pistol bullet (more behind a rifle) Chemicals aded to the mix color the flame for visibility. US usually red, commies were green.

That flame will burn for hundreds of meters of travel (7.62 NATO about 900m, 5.56 about 600m) Hit something before then, it can light it up.

I have set more military ranges alight than I can count. Smokey D. Bear does not beat soldiers with the shovel. You, on the other hand.......