Airsoft Tracer Units: How Do They Work? Should you buy one?

If you are new to airsoft, then you probably have a few questions regarding tracers. The most obvious one is: what is an airsoft tracer? Well, a tracer is a device that makes your airsoft BBs look like real tracer ammunition. If you’ve seen action movies or war footage, then you’ve probably noticed that some guns fire a type of round that is visible as it travels through the air. That effect can also be achieved on airsoft guns, rifles or pistols, where the BBs can be made to glow as they leave the barrel of the replica. This makes following the flight trajectory extremely easy and it can be used to put out more accurate fire downrange.

An airsoft tracer works by flashing a UV (ultraviolet) light on BBs that have a phosphorous coating, making them glow in low light conditions. As the BB passes through the tracer unit a set of UV LEDs light up, charging the phosphor and making the BB glow.

Now that you have a rough understanding of how a tracer unit works, it’s time for a more in-depth look at the types of airsoft tracers. I will also be covering the advantages and disadvantages of using a tracer and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about this cool piece of equipment.

Why Use an Airsoft Tracer Unit?

Besides the obvious cool factor of making your BBs look like laser beams, tracers units are actually surprisingly useful on the airsoft field. They are very popular, especially with people who play a lot of indoor CQB (Close Quarters Battle) because these games generally take place in places with low light conditions, where it is difficult to see where the BBs are flying. Tracers are also sometimes used in mil-sim (military simulation) games, for nighttime operations as it can add to the immersion, making players feel like they are taking part in a real firefight. Other than looking awesome, here are some other reasons to use an airsoft tracer:

Improved accuracy. Let me be clear, using a tracer unit on your airsoft rifle will not make it more accurate. It will however allow you to be more accurate while you are not aiming down your sights/optics. It will also help with shooting while on the move as you can simply watch the BB trajectory and adjust your aim.
Fear factor. Tracers are great for suppressing fire. When enemy players see the glowing BBs flying overhead, they are less likely to peak from cover. This will allow both you and your teammates to advance or retreat in relative safety.

Less cheating. Because tracer BBs are much more visible than regular BBs, it becomes much easier to see when you’ve actually hit an enemy. He is more likely to acknowledge getting hit if he sees glowing BBs bouncing off his kit.
Pointing out enemy positions. It is easy to call out enemy positions when you are firing glowing BBs at them. This will let your teammates know where they should focus their attention and from where they might get hit.
Knowing when your magazine runs out. If you are using only one color tracer BB, this won’t work. However, if you take the time to load different color BBs at the bottom of each magazine, as soon as you see your shots changing color, you know you will need to change mags.

Pro Tip: Consider buying both red and green tracer BBs for your airsoft gun. If you are using mid-cap magazines (which you should), the first five BBs that you are loading in each magazine should be red. Then fill up the mag with green BBs. When firing your first shots will be green. As soon as you see red BBs, you know that you need to change your magazine so you won’t dry-fire your gun. The downside of doing this is that your enemies might also notice this and figure out when you are reloading, giving them an opportunity to rush your position.

Drawbacks of Using An Airsoft Tracer Unit

The main disadvantage of using a tracer unit is that you can’t really fire your gun without giving away your position. If you plan on being sneaky and shooting people from unexpected locations, firing highly visible BBs at them is probably a bad idea. To get around this, you might consider carrying a few magazines filled with regular BBs and using these when you want to stay hidden.

Giving away your position. If you’ve seen how a tracer unit works, you probably know there is an obvious line that points straight to the shooter. If there are a lot of players that are using a tracer, then this isn’t such a big issue, but if you are the only one, you can expect to draw a lot of enemy fire.

Increased running costs. Because tracer BBs are more expensive than regular BBs, you can expect your ammo costs to be significantly higher. From what I’ve seen online, tracer BBs can sometimes cost twice as much as normal pellets.
Price. Depending on the model you go for, tracer units can be expensive – $60 to $150. If you’re not committed to playing airsoft long term, I wouldn’t invest that much into a gadget. You would be better served in spending a little extra on eye protection equipment.
Additional maintenance. Again, depending on the unit you chose, you might be required to perform regular maintenance to keep it working. Tracers that work in your hop-up might need readjustment or rewiring your gun.

Increasing the weight of your replica. While I agree that accessorizing your airsoft gun is cool, attaching too much stuff on it will make it weigh considerably more. Using a heavy gun will cause fatigue (especially in long matches) and you will have a harder time maneuvering your gun around obstacles. Tracer units also add to the overall weight of the equipment you are carrying, as you might need to keep spare batteries in your pockets or harness.

Types of Airsoft Tracers

There are three types of airsoft tracers: tracers that look like a suppressor, hop up tracers and magazine tracers. Each of these has its own operating mode and also comes with advantages and disadvantages. I will discuss each, in order of popularity.

Suppressor Tracer Units

By far the most commonly used type of tracer, this device is designed to replicate the look of a suppressor. It can be attached to almost any airsoft gun, as it is just a matter of screwing it to the end of the barrel. Don’t let the name fool you, these units don’t affect how much sound your airsoft replica makes, but they are very effective in lighting up the BBs as they pass through.

These units are battery powered, using either swappable batteries or fixed ones that require charging. Inside most of these tracers you will find some sort of motion sensor that detects when a BB is passing through. When the sensor is triggered, it will power up a series of UV LEDs that charge the phosphorus coating on the BBs, making them glow.

If you’re not sure what brand to go for, ACETECH tracers (affiliate link) are some of the best. They have a wide variety of models available at different price points. Models like the Bifrost and the Blaster are very popular because they offer some cool effects and even work well with normal white BBs. The Bifrost makes the BBs track into a rainbow-colored beam, while the Blaster is known for its “flame mode” that tries to replicate the flash of a real gunshot.

Pros:

Easy to install, provided you have the right threading on the end of your airsoft gun. If you don’t, you can purchase adapters that can achieve the right fit.
Easy to take off. If the battery has run out or you find that you simply don’t need the tracer in the scenario you are playing, you can just unscrew the unit and store it in your backpack.
Can be used on multiple guns. As long as you have some barrel adapters, you can use the same unit on whatever replica you might feel like using. This doesn’t work for the other variants of tracer units.

Cons:

Making your replica front heavy. Because they attach to the end of the barrel, the balance of your gun will be a bit off. Having more weight up front makes it more difficult to switch targets quickly and accurately.
Making your replica longer. While this might not be an issue while playing outdoors, as soon as you move to an environment that has shorter engagement distances, you will notice it is harder to maneuver the gun around obstacles. For guns that are shorter, this might not be too bad, but for larger rifles, it will become an issue.

Increased chances of damaging your tracer unit. Speaking from experience, the front of your replica has a rough life. The barrel and any attachments it might have are very likely to be banged around on walls, trees, any piece of cover really. As the length of your gun increases, the chances of hitting the tracer unit on something and damaging it are higher.

Hop Up Tracer Units

As the name suggests, these devices “live” inside the hop up of your replica and they work by shining a bright UV light on the phosphorus coated BBs as they pass through the hop up assembly. This activates the coating and makes the BBs shine as they fly towards the target.

Most hop up tracers units consist of LEDs which are always on. When you are starting the game, you just flick on a switch and the light will consistently light up the BBs that are being fed in the hop chamber. As soon as the game is done, you just turn off the LEDs. Some units can be wired to the trigger, which will cause the light to come on whenever the trigger is pulled.

Pros:

Doesn’t add significant weight to your replica. Other than the battery that powers the unit, the other components are rather light. This also means that your gun’s balance won’t be affected as is the case with suppressor tracer units.
Doesn’t affect the length of your gun. Keeping your gun as short as possible is considered an advantage by most players as it makes maneuvering the replica easier in tight spaces.

Great battery life (depending on the battery of course). In theory you could power the unit from the same battery that powers your replica.
Most units have a “chamber lock” feature that prevents BBs from falling out of the hop chamber when you are changing magazines. This is especially advantageous if you are running expensive tracer BBs, thus keeping running costs down.
Less complex than suppressor units as there is no motion sensor installed.

Cons:

Complicated to install, unless you are confident in taking apart your gun and have some technical skills. If not, installation should be done by an airsoft technician and this adds to the costs.
You may not find a suitable unit for the more exotic airsoft replicas.

Depending on the model, the light might only shine on one side of the BB, which isn’t as effective as a suppressor unit which shines light all around the pellet.

Magazine Tracer Units

These work by placing the UV LEDs inside the magazine of your replica. When you’re about to start playing, you just turn on the lights and the BBs inside the magazine will have their special coating activated. As you might expect, these magazine tracer units are powered by batteries, which you will need to replace or recharge regularly.

Pros

They require no installation, you just put in the batteries and BBs and you’re good to go.
Good battery life as the LEDs are very power efficient.

Cons

More expensive than regular mid capacity magazines.
The magazines are heavier because of the batteries. If you plan on carrying more magazines the extra weight will soon add up.
The capacity of the magazines might be lower than your standard mid-caps because the batteries and LEDs take up space inside.

Increased running costs because you will need to buy batteries for each magazine.
Can have durability issues. If you’re the type of player that likes fast reloads and just dropping the empty magazines on the ground, maybe these aren’t for you. Slamming magazine tracers might cause them to break.

Frequently Asked Questions About Airsoft Tracer Units

Do you need tracer BBs for a tracer unit to work?

Yes, you need to buy tracer BBs if you want your shots to glow in the dark. Tracer BBs look just like regular BBs in normal light. The major difference is the phosphorous coating that reacts to being exposed to ultraviolet light, making the BBs light up. Another difference is the price, as tracer BBs usually cost a bit more.

Are tracer BBs biodegradable?

You can buy both biodegradable and non-biodegradable BBs from most airsoft stores. It’s always a good idea to check the rules of the airsoft venue if you are allowed to use non-bio BBs.

Can’t a flashlight replace a tracer unit?

Not quite. While a flashlight can work as a cheap alternative, it is not as effective as a real tracer unit. Lots of players use a flashlight in low light conditions as it works well with white BBs. However, as soon as the BB leaves the flashlight’s effective range, it’s no longer as visible as it would be in the case of a tracer unit.

Do tracers work during the day?

Yes, they do, but their effect is quite limited. The BBs will still show a glow, but it won’t be noticeable in bright environments. If you’re thinking of running a tracer unit during day games, I would advise you to just save some money and fire regular BBs.