So i have never had a reliability problem or anything with my stag arms ar15 just curious as of why when i shoot it it trails like a tracer? I shot a three gun last year and was questioned about it you cant see it through the scope but when to the side you see a "smoke" trail. Tried differwnt powders primers bullets all do it. I never never noticed it until i switched out gas blocks for a low profile so was curious if it was like overgassed or something?
Ar15 overgassed?
- Thread starter billymx48
- Start date
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Is it through a spotting scope to the side you can see it? That is the shock cone most likely. Also the air gets compressed enough that it can cause visible distortion. If you poke around enough you can find some YouTube videos where you can see the effect when people are shooting at things like 400yd targets where the camera is zoomed in 20x or so where you can see the "trail" from the bullet because it is so magnified.
The bullet has left the muzzle long before the bolt starts to move. So overgassing should not affect the bullet at all. It'll affect extraction/ejection.
Does it look like an optical effect kind of like a mirage or is it clearly smoke like in nature? The first is quite normal, the second is problematic.
I believe I've had similar experiences. Sometimes I get an actual puff in mid air. Sometimes a vapor trail. I suspect it's lead leaking out. You can sometimes see it on paper. It's also possible for bullets to completely disintegrate mid flight.
Check out the pictures in this thread
https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=42&t=444026
I've heard reasons given of too fast of a twist, a compromised crown. I also think the rifling profile figures in to it as well as the lead/throat. Some rifling profiles cut in to the bullet more. The polygonal varieties do not. Another theory I had was that if reloading, it's possible to compromise the base of the bullet while seating (flaring or chamfering would alleviate this in theory).
ETA: Did you remove or change the muzzle device?
Does it look like an optical effect kind of like a mirage or is it clearly smoke like in nature? The first is quite normal, the second is problematic.
I believe I've had similar experiences. Sometimes I get an actual puff in mid air. Sometimes a vapor trail. I suspect it's lead leaking out. You can sometimes see it on paper. It's also possible for bullets to completely disintegrate mid flight.
Check out the pictures in this thread
https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=42&t=444026
I've heard reasons given of too fast of a twist, a compromised crown. I also think the rifling profile figures in to it as well as the lead/throat. Some rifling profiles cut in to the bullet more. The polygonal varieties do not. Another theory I had was that if reloading, it's possible to compromise the base of the bullet while seating (flaring or chamfering would alleviate this in theory).
ETA: Did you remove or change the muzzle device?
clandestine
AR-15 Savant
I dont think its overgassing.
Was the gas block re-pinned? Set Screw or clamp on instead?
Gas blocks can stress the barrel which can cause off things to happen. So can muzzle devices that are overtorqued or are not true to the bore.
Was the gas block re-pinned? Set Screw or clamp on instead?
Gas blocks can stress the barrel which can cause off things to happen. So can muzzle devices that are overtorqued or are not true to the bore.
clandestine
AR-15 Savant
The gas block was set screw in orginal form and second one is the same thing. Muzzle device was torqued with crowfoot wrench and snap on torque wrench juat calibrated in april. Barrel twist is 1-9 and ahooting 50 grain bullets. I will try some factory ammo maybe tomorrow. Thanks for the info ill let yall know.
I'm the not insane buddy who witnessed it and then shot his rifle while he witnessed it. It is the only rifle that I have ever noticed do that in my years of shooting. We were shooting 100 yards and you could see the "trail"...almost like a vapor trail or something and it was bright out. His rifle shoots very well other than leaving a "ghost trail" lol. I'll have to make a video of it next time. Maybe tomorrow billymx48? 
Most likely vapor trail... the projectile does displace/disrupt a lot of air in flight and if you are watching carefully enough, you can see it. It is very apparent to me when I shoot subsonics. I can see exactly where the boolit is gonna hit before it hits, through the optics, by watching the vapor trail.... with a supersonic, you probably won't see it as the shooter, but spectators may well...
eta.. as mentioned 'overgassing' would not create this condition, it would merely affect extraction/ejection in most cases and if you have no issues there, it's not likely that the gas block changeout had any negative effects.
eta.. as mentioned 'overgassing' would not create this condition, it would merely affect extraction/ejection in most cases and if you have no issues there, it's not likely that the gas block changeout had any negative effects.
Hawkeye
The Leatherstocking
- Jan 29, 2009
- 3,971
I'm the not insane buddy who witnessed it and then shot his rifle while he witnessed it. It is the only rifle that I have ever noticed do that in my years of shooting. We were shooting 100 yards and you could see the "trail"...almost like a vapor trail or something and it was bright out. His rifle shoots very well other than leaving a "ghost trail" lol. I'll have to make a video of it next time. Maybe tomorrow billymx48?
Were you guys shooting at an indoor range when this happened?
I've seen this in the past at indoor ranges even with pistol caliber bullets - if the vent systems are turned off or down, or there are a lot of people shooting, or whatever, the air can get really dirty and fogged up with gunsmoke and stuff, and then when the bullets travel through it it makes it much easier to see the pressure wave that they create in the air.
- Jul 29, 2014
- 49,982
I think Sticky might've hit on something there. Are these hand loads, loaded a bit on the lighter side(for 3gun?).
