SHOT Day 4 - Glow Ammo

[Justin]

I'm late getting this writeup online, but I was lucky enough to speak with Brian Hallam of Hallam Inc. about their new product called Glow Ammo.

The TL;DNR version is this: Glow Ammo are adhesive "stickers" that you put on the base of a bullet before you run them through your reloading press. When you go to the range and shoot them, the Glow Ammo illuminates like a tracer so you can see where your rounds are impacting.

They don't burn like a tracer, so there's no heat or possibility of starting a fire.

It's an extremely interesting concept, and Brian was nice enough to provide me with some product samples to try out. I'll be loading those up and giving them a test in the near future.

In the meantime, check out their videos over at YouTube here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/GLOWAMMO

 

[brandon_mcg]

very nice. thanks for the youtube link and for the info. might have to look into these.

 

[Fisherdave10]

If they work and are at a reasonable cost, that would be AWESOME!

Be sure to keep us updated.

 

[Justin]

The price point is supposed to be around $45 for a set of 255.

Not the kind of thing you're going to use for all of your blasting ammo, but a good tool to help diagnose shooting problems and refining technique.

 

[Grunt Medic TXARNG]

And another unfortunate acronym comes into being - Trajectory Identification Technologym or TIT

Almost as good as when the Army was going to rename the Advanced NCO Course (ANCOC) to the Maneuver Advanced NCO Course (MANCOC)

 

[Rancho Relaxo]

Looks cool, I wonder if they'd work well for long-ish range rifle stuff.

 

[bindingposts]

Too expensive

 

[CowardlyHero]

I don't think it would work that well in a rifle. Not the tracer part, but would effect the flight of the bullet for anything other then a plinking round. Having to peel off the sticker and put it on, without some way to make sure your put it in the center every time, is going to effect accuracy over longer distances(or come off). Others will chime in with better opinions, but give them a year (and good sales) and they likely will come out with a good rifle version(or a better way of applying it).

 

[Hypnogator]

Too expensive

Priced tracers lately?

Looks interesting for those of us who are interested. Wonder if placing the sticker off-center on the base of the bullet would cause it to veer measurably.

The comments on acronyms take me back to the time in CID Command when we were discussing advanced homicide investigation techniques. I proposed creating a Special Homicide Investigation Team, and placing me as Special Agent-in-Charge. Always wanted to sign my reports as the S.A.C. of S.H.I.T. Strange, that never passed, although I was often referred to by that title.

 

[Justin]

Looks interesting for those of us who are interested. Wonder if placing the sticker off-center on the base of the bullet would cause it to veer measurably.

According to the owner, the stickers each weigh in at about a grain.

 

[NickEllis]

Cool vids.

 

[Ironman]

I can forsee a large ammunition manf buying this company and using this "cold tracer" tech to build new bullets with tracer bottoms. Something we could see on a winchester box at walmart some years down the road.

 

[usmarine0352_2005]

.

It would be cool to see a big brand manufacturer make them, since a lot of people don't load their own rounds.




If people could just go to the store and buy the ammo with it off the shelf that would be much easier and they would sell more.

.

 

[Cosmoline]

VERY cool idea! I'm not sure how much it would impact rifle reload accuracy, but it wouldn't be too difficult to include a mounting tool to keep it centered.

 

[Derek Zeanah]

It would be cool to see a big brand manufacturer make them, since a lot of people don't load their own rounds.

As we were leaving I saw a big, round, inflatable sign that advertised someone was making ammo along this concept in collusion with Cellyume (the lightstick people, even though I likely misspelled their name.) Don't remember the ammo manufacturer, though.

 

[glowammo]

Justin... It was great meeting you at SHOT, we are looking forward to a great year rolling out the Glow Ammo Trajectory Identification Kits. You are exactly right, Glow Ammo gives you the ability to safely see your bullets with zero fire hazard, so it is perfectly safe outside and at the indoor range. Glow Ammo is also only visible from the shooters perspective so it doesn't give your position away to an adversary. We are very excited about the difference this will make for shooters of all levels.

There is more info at GlowAmmo.com, but the site has not been transferred over to a "Purchase Available" site yet...

However, we have partnered with several fine retailers to make Glow Ammo available as much as possible. MidwayUSA is just one company making the kits available to reloaders, and here is the link Glow Ammo at MidwayUSA.

Thanks again, and looking forward to hearing how you like those kits.

Glow Ammo

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Interesting vid. From the looks of it, like standard tracer ammo, Glow Ammo doesn't seem to always work. The last 2 shots in the final shooting sequence did not appear to glow.

 

[General Geoff]

DNS, that might have more to do with camera framerate than failure of the product. It's sheer luck to capture a bullet in flight to a target that close, with a camera that's only recording at 30 frames per second.

 

[raz-0]

Do they work without the giant spotlight immediately behind you?

 

[SpentCasing]

Do they work without the giant spotlight immediately behind you?

From the Midway link under Special Notes.

Glow Ammo works best in low light conditions (Indoor ranges, Outside at dawn, dusk or night, It is difficult to see in broad daylight).

Considering the sun is a "giant spotlight" I'm gonna say no.

 

[o Unforgiven o]

I remember this, he started a thread a while back which most did'nt take seriously. I don't reload but it seems like it's reasonably priced @18 cents a sticker just to have some fun with.

Justin, what size stickers did he give you?

 

[glowammo]

Hey guys to clear things up a bit...

Glow Ammo is best used from dusk to dawn, and anytime indoors (lights on or off) basically lower light situations. There is no need in any "spotlight" or anything like that.

Also, Geoff is dead on regarding the frame rate occasionally giving a "gap" in the trace. Glow Ammo enhanced ammo traces from muzzle to impact.

Thanks, and have a great day!!

 

[phoglund]

Looks like a good product and an interesting technology. I wonder about its self defense applications. Most self defense scenarios are in low light. Seeing where your shots are going might allow corrections, increasing hit probability. Having the trace only visible to the shooter increases its tactical viability.

I'd think the military would have some interest in this sort of technology for covert units where location of small units would suffer from being compromised by current tracer technology.

It would be interesting to know a few more details about the technology. Assuming the trace material is initiated by powder ignition and kept in place by the initial pressure of the gases against the material, does the part of the sticker that isn't directly behind the bullet fall away? How far does the trace material burn and how far is it visible?

Paul

P.S. Brian, thanks for commenting on your product. Its always great to hear directly from a product manufacturer/vendor.

 

[LCPor9mm]

Ads for T.I.T.

There seems to be a lot of room for clever product ads...some of which might have to be "late night".
Anyway cool video, if I loaded my own handgun rounds I'd buy them.

 

[glowammo]

The Identifier is placed on the base of the bullet just before the bullet is pressed into your brass. The material is attached via a highly developed and specialized adhesive to the bullet.

The Identifier remains on the bullet all the way through impact, and nothing leaves the round in the barrel or in flight.

The duration of the trace is longer than the flight of any handgun round, so the only thing that would stop you from seeing it is line of sight to the base of the projectile.

Thanks again guys, I hope you like the product. Glow Ammo at MidwayUSA.com