M62 Tracer
Definition
NATO-standard 7.62x51mm tracer projectile; red-tip identification; 142 gr projectile with pyrotechnic base cavity; used in NATO machine-gun belts at 4:1 ball-to-tracer ratio; red-painted tip and burnt tracer cavity are diagnostic in recovered form.
- Caliber
- 7.62x51mm NATO
- Tip color
- Red
- Weight
- 142 grains
- Belt ratio
- 4:1 ball-to-tracer in NATO belts
Common questions
How is an M62 tracer distinguished from a standard ball round at a scene?+
On an unfired round the red-painted tip is the main visual cue. On a recovered or fired projectile, the burnt-out pyrotechnic base cavity is diagnostic even after the paint has scorched away.
Why does the tracer matter for reconstructing a burst from a belt-fed weapon?+
Because the standard NATO belt uses a fixed 4:1 ball-to-tracer ratio, finding one M62 case or projectile among fired casings can help estimate roughly how many total rounds were fired from that weapon in the burst.
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