I think the tracer smoke is too heavy and set with persistence too high....

[SlipKnt]

Tracers from heavy machine guns used by infantry are visible to many hundred of meters as "fireflies" even in daylight. They leave very little smoke trail because that would be a very bad thing for infantry.

As a grunt and having been a M249 SAW gunner once upon a time in my life.  Training at the range, I used tracers.  In combat, I remove them.  No way I wanted to be seen (traced back to point of origin). 

[Mister Fork]

As a grunt and having been a M249 SAW gunner once upon a time in my life.  Training at the range, I used tracers.  In combat, I remove them.  No way I wanted to be seen (traced back to point of origin). 

+1 Wonderful LMG. We (in Canada) had the 'C-9' fitted with the 3.4x ELCAN C79 telescopic sight - she's a beaut and a beast. What I found to be a PITA was that in addition to being assigned a M249, we also had our regular issue C-7 (M-16) - had to huck that, couple of boxes of ammo in my ruck, and then 150-200 rounds for the M-16. Ugh. Thank-god I was a big lad back then (was maybe also why they assigned one to me regularly). 

I didn't think to check the boxes and remove the tracer rounds. Then again, I never fired one at an actual enemy force to be concerned about someone (snipers) tracing my shooting position. That, is a good idea.

[JunkyII]

I was never worried about the tracers giving away my position, I was more focused on accurate fire keeping their head down so I could manuever.

[10thmd]

As a grunt and having been a M249 SAW gunner once upon a time in my life.  Training at the range, I used tracers.  In combat, I remove them.  No way I wanted to be seen (traced back to point of origin).

As a grunt and having been a M249 SAW gunner once upon a time in my life.  Training at the range, I used tracers.  In combat, I kept using them.I mean the dust kicked up whenever I opened up with Clarice already had a big here I am factor. Even had a belt I had made of nothing but tracers. It was hilarious when I shot that one off.

 

[Shuffler]

In a P 38 with guns all on the nose in front of the pilot it can obscure your view. That is why I do not use it.

[JunkyII]

As a grunt and having been a M249 SAW gunner once upon a time in my life.  Training at the range, I used tracers.  In combat, I kept using them.I mean the dust kicked up whenever I opened up with Clarice already had a big here I am factor. Even had a belt I had made of nothing but tracers. It was hilarious when I shot that one off.

As a Team Leader I had a magazine of tracer rounds to point out targets...Joe can't see crap behind his gun.

[bozon]

Nice, but to all of the above people, did your tracers leave a visible smoke trail? Mine did not - 5.56, 7.62 certainly did not, 0.5 I think not, but dont remember as clearly. It was 20 years ago.

[Creton]

With tracers on, it is easier to "walk" your rounds into the target.
I believe that the human mind is capable of compensating for drop and deflection for bullet drop and predicting the trajectory with tracers off. It does take some time for you to get proficient in shooting with tracers off, but a person will eventually get it figured out.

[The Fugitive]

As a grunt and having been a M249 SAW gunner once upon a time in my life.  Training at the range, I used tracers.  In combat, I kept using them.I mean the dust kicked up whenever I opened up with Clarice already had a big here I am factor. Even had a belt I had made of nothing but tracers. It was hilarious when I shot that one off.

And how much smoke followed the rounds to the target? Or was the only smoke the smoke that you got from the round going off?

Thats what I think Dobs is talking about here, not the tracer it self. What we have is a long tail attached to the tracer rounds dragging out behind the round and if the smoke was a different color would look like StarWars lazer fire.

I'd like to see the "tail" shortened up alot. It would still give me the tracers to "walk" my rounds in, but wouldn't obscure the target I was trying to hit.

[colmbo]

Conversely we also don't have contrails at higher altitudes. Again, visibility of contrails dependant exactly the same as tracers.

Tracers leave a trail of smoke, contrails are condensation.  Not the same.

[JunkyII]

No there is no smoke trail that follows a tracers

[SlipKnt]

Nice, but to all of the above people, did your tracers leave a visible smoke trail? Mine did not - 5.56, 7.62 certainly did not, 0.5 I think not, but dont remember as clearly. It was 20 years ago.

True.  5.56 and 7.62 don't leave smoke trails. 

I don't remember if the 50 cal did or not.

[Dobs]

And how much smoke followed the rounds to the target? Or was the only smoke the smoke that you got from the round going off?

Thats what I think Dobs is talking about here, not the tracer it self. What we have is a long tail attached to the tracer rounds dragging out behind the round and if the smoke was a different color would look like StarWars lazer fire.

I'd like to see the "tail" shortened up alot. It would still give me the tracers to "walk" my rounds in, but wouldn't obscure the target I was trying to hit.

Fugitive nailed it....6 months into the game, I'm not good enough to NOT use tracers.  But the smoke trail is too long (persistent was what I said.....but long works ) and too "heavy"/visible.  Was my only point....The picture shows it behind dawger..

[10thmd]

5.56 and 7.62 tracers leave no smoke trail that is visible at ground lvl for sure.

[JunkyII]

Pretty good example of tracers...I know up in the heavens they might have a trail behind them but at 5-10K feet ASL which is probably the height these guys are at there isn't any...except in probably very rare weather occasions

BTW the low pitched gun firing more thumps then smacks is the M2...but don't confuse it with the M240B and SAW which are also both firing.