Comments by "Evan" (@MrEvanfriend) on "Igniting a Tracer Bullet" video.

  1. I used to do that all the time in Iraq. We would pop the little cap thing off the back with a knife, then stick the bullet in a sandbag or something, then pour the powder out over it and light the powder with a match. Good times.
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  2. Tony Samson No, I'm not talking about the primer. On tracer bullets, there is a hollow part containing the tracer compound which is sealed with a little cap on the base of the bullet. I don't know what the technical term is. This is the bullet I'm talking about, not the entire cartridge. For this trick, the casing, including the primer, would be discarded.
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  3. Tony Samson The propellant (the powder) was poured over the bullet and ignited, as it catches easier than the tracer compound. The burning powder in turn lights the tracer compound. There were more than enough rounds of ammunition to go around. We wouldn't have wasted ammo for fun if it was needed for combat.
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