Infrared tracer composition and tracer projectile

A small caliber tracer projectile which, when fired from a small caliber cartridge produces a near infrared trace visible with Generation III night vision goggles and suppressed visible light predetermined by the selected cross-sectional configuration of the tracer pellet comprising:

• a projectile body having a leading end, a trailing end, and a substantially cylindrical receptacle centrally disposed within the interior of said projectile body intermediate to said leading end and open to said trailing end, said receptacle loaded with a substantially cylindrical tracer pellet comprising a tracer composition adjoined with a tracer ignition composition;
• said tracer composition comprising magnesium in an amount ranging between about 48% and about 64% by weight, polytetrafluoroethylene in an amount ranging between about 29% and about 50% by weight, acrylic rubber in an amount ranging between about 2% and about 7% by weight and a burn rate stabilizer in an amount ranging between about 0.5% and about 3% by weight;
• said ignition composition positioned within said receptacle intermediate to said trailing end and said tracer composition for facilitating ignition of said tracer composition;
• said ignition composition comprising about 42.5% by weight of boron, about 55% by weight of potassium perchlorate, and about 5% by weight of vinylidene fluoride/hexfluropropylene;
• said tracer composition positioned inside of said receptacle and capable of emitting visible and infrared light upon ignition at wavelengths ranging between about 0.35 microns to about 1.2 microns with a peak intensity between about 1 micron and about 1.15 micron;
• and
• said tracer pellet having a cross-sectional diameter of about 3/32 inches to about ⅛ inches, whereby the light omitted by the tracer burn is controlled to the desired infrared light output by the predetermined cross-sectional configuration of the pellet.