Construction
A tracer projectile is constructed with a hollow base filled with a pyrotechnic flare material, often made of phosphorus or magnesium or other bright burning chemicals. In US and NATO standard ammunition, this is usually a mixture of strontium compounds (nitrate, peroxide, etc.) and a metal fuel such as magnesium. This yields a bright red light. Russian and Chinese tracer ammunition generates red or green light using barium salts. It is not true that they use only green tracers even if identified by green bullet tips. Some modern designs use compositions that produce little to no visible light and radiate mainly in infrared, being visible only on night vision equipment.
Tracers can never be a totally reliable indicator of a gunner's aim, since all tracer rounds have different aerodynamics and weight from ordinary rounds. Over long ranges, the stream of tracer rounds and the stream of ordinary rounds will diverge significantly. This is caused by a tracer bullet's mass decreasing during flight, because the tracer material in its base burns and vaporizes. Although advances in tracer design have diminished this problem, it cannot be completely eliminated.
Read more about this topic: Tracer Ammunition
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