[Jaws2002]

Originally Posted by Tempered
modern tracers do not smoke because the bullet actually glows from heat and chemical reaction, not from burning a combustible material.

What? Are you just making this stuf up?

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,...) 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.

NATO 5.56mm tracer construction:








NATO 7.62mm tracer:





Old US .30 cal (.30-06) tracer:







50 BMG tracer:




Russian 7.62x54R tracers:




25mm AP sabot tracer:




As you can see they all have a pocket for pyrotechnic flare powder. That flare is what you see in flight.