As airsofters, we like to put a lot of accessories on our airsoft guns. Some are for looks, some make the rifle more ergonomic, and some can enhance our airsoft gun’s abilities. In my opinion one of the most valuable attachments you can add to your airsoft gun is a tracer unit.
Airsoft tracer units are designed to look like a suppressor that mount to the end of your barrel, and use special tracer BBs that are illuminated as they leave the barrel. This allows you to see the trajectory of your BBs in flight, and looks really cool.
The Advantages of Tracers
Having the ability to track your BBs in flight gives you a lot of advantages over other players. First and foremost, you can ensure your hop up is dialed in correctly and that your BBs are going where you want them to. This may seem simple, but it’s an issue I see all the time where players swear they’re hitting their target but are actually missing.
Tracers can also be used as a great suppression tool. By having a lot of these high speed glowing BBs flying at your opponents, it’ll make them think twice about popping their heads around the corner. I’ve heard some players argue against tracers because they can give away your position, but I don’t really agree with this premise. Yes, if you’re firing in long full auto bursts people will see where they’re coming from, but if you’re only firing a few shots at a time the light coming from your muzzle is barely visible. If you’re really concerned about muzzle signature, just turn the tracer off.
I’ve seen players use tracers in a lot of unique ways, such as a low ammo indicator by only loading the last 10 or so rounds with tracers. They can also be an incredibly useful tool when using night vision. Because you cannot get a traditional sight picture when wearing NVGs, tracers can be an easy way to see where your rounds are landing.
THIS $1000+ AIRSOFT GUN IS PURPOSE BUILT FOR NIGHT VISION [VIDEO]
Tracer Options
My tracer of choice is the AT1000 by AceTech. I like it because it runs off of AA batteries and has a long battery life, is easy to use (one button for on/off with an auto shutoff feature if you forget to switch it off) and mounts to any 14mm negative threading. They also make a smaller unit designed for pistols and SMGs called the “Lighter S” which I also recommend. I use HPA brand .30g green tracer BBs with my tracers.
While barrel mounted tracer units are my favorite option and the most common, there are other alternatives. Some brands sell midcap magazines that have a light in them which illuminates the tracer BBs inside of them. This eliminating the need for a barrel mounted system, but these magazines are rare and come at a higher cost than most midcaps available. There are also special hop up units that have a light in them to illuminate BBs, but this is a fairly new system that I have not personally tested yet.
Final Thoughts
Overall, a tracer unit is a great addition to any player’s airsoft gun. They are amazing tools for both night time and indoor games, and I would recommend them to any serious player!
