Flare gun pistols?

psychobilly · March 2, 2013, 04:15 PM

Hi Guys, Not sure what caterory to put this in but: I've heard/read the idea of buying "inserts" for old(WW2 I think) 25.6mm flare guns in 410ga/45LC and
22LR.Any thoughts/facts or experience with this.A friend at the marine supply
store said that 12ga flare guns went flying off his shelves when the gun up-
roar started,but the only way he would try it would be with the flare gun tied
to a big tree and a long string to pull the trigger. I'm sure our members have
thoughts,opinions & most of all experience on this.

Thanks all, Psychobilly

g.willikers · March 2, 2013, 06:39 PM

Isn't a flare gun, used with a regular flare round, a good enough short range weapon as-is?
Preferably outdoors, though.

Stukaman · March 2, 2013, 08:20 PM

All the flares I've seen anymore are much longer than could be put in a regular shotgun.

kozak6 · March 3, 2013, 06:35 AM

The inserts need to be rifled or else you end up with an AOW.

LarryFlew · March 4, 2013, 06:09 PM

12 gauge inserts for the old Czech flare guns are full length and rifled. Only ones I have actually seen.

kozak6 · March 5, 2013, 06:21 AM

The economics don't really work out, either. A sturdy metal flare pistol and and an insert gets you into Hi Point range. Or, you might as well save a little more and get a milsurp or police trade in.

Sport45 · March 5, 2013, 08:13 AM

Quote:

All the flares I've seen anymore are much longer than could be put in a regular shotgun.

A flare will stick in the choke of a cheap 12ga (full choke) shotgun.

We used to use them to light flare stacks. You'd have to saw the barrel off short of the choke to get them to work. Oddly enough, they were more accurate out of the little plastic flare pistol.

BoogieMan · March 5, 2013, 09:09 AM

I have several new style flare guns, when the flare kit goes out of date its cheaper to buy the kit than replace the individual flares. I would never consider putting the lightest of shotgun loads in them. I have never pulled a flare apart, but i dont think they have a charge in them just a primer.
The old mil-surp flare guns I have seen would probably handle a light charge load. They have also been more expensive than many low end pistols.
As a bit of a side note. I heard of someone

trying to shoot a seagull at about 5 yards with one. Apparently they are only accurate enough to hit the sky.

alaskabushman · March 5, 2013, 10:15 PM

12 Ga flares are very corrosive so avoid shooting them out of your shotgun unless its an actual emergency. Living on an island as I do and since the Coast Guard requires all watercraft to carry flares, I have handled quite a few. I usually just buy the bright orange plastic Orion flare pistol kits. I know the Kennesaw Cannon Co. sells flare inserts for the 25.6 mm flare guns and I have always been curious to see how they worked. I have been thinking myself about buying a 12 ga insert and cutting it down to fit into a standard 12 Ga flare gun. if its in .22 I doubt you would have any problems, even with a plastic gun, since the insert is metal. Accuracy will be terrible I am sure, but thats not the point. For me, the point is a virtually disposable handgun that I can pop halibut with or take trapping. If it gets dropped overboard or lost...oh well.

Stukaman · March 5, 2013, 10:27 PM

Flares used to e little stubby thing like those Aquila mini shells now they are much longer perhaps to prevent use in a shotgun?

alaskabushman · March 5, 2013, 11:01 PM

The Orion flares I buy are the short little ones, I have never seen any longer than a shotshell.

armsmaster270 · March 6, 2013, 03:55 AM

Olin makes a flare longer than2 1/2". I have a 26.5" all steel flare gun with a 6" barrel, meteortype 26.5 rounds are 3 1/4"long. Smoke are 5 1/4"long and the 12ga conversion barrel is aluminum alloy bored 12ga 4 3/4" with a step in it to prevent putting a 2 3/4" shell in it, but a colibri mini 12ga shell will fit I will let you hold it to test fire it with live 12ga ammo
.

March 2, 2013, 04:15 PM	#1
psychobilly Member Join Date: July 5, 2006 Location: central Cal. Posts: 20	Flare gun pistols? Hi Guys, Not sure what caterory to put this in but: I've heard/read the idea of buying "inserts" for old(WW2 I think) 25.6mm flare guns in 410ga/45LC and 22LR.Any thoughts/facts or experience with this.A friend at the marine supply store said that 12ga flare guns went flying off his shelves when the gun up- roar started,but the only way he would try it would be with the flare gun tied to a big tree and a long string to pull the trigger. I'm sure our members have thoughts,opinions & most of all experience on this. Thanks all, Psychobilly

March 2, 2013, 06:39 PM	#2
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 2,514	Isn't a flare gun, used with a regular flare round, a good enough short range weapon as-is? Preferably outdoors, though. __________________ Lock the doors, they're coming in the windows.

March 2, 2013, 08:20 PM	#3
Stukaman Member Join Date: October 17, 2010 Posts: 78	Flare gun pistols? All the flares I've seen anymore are much longer than could be put in a regular shotgun.

March 5, 2013, 09:09 AM	#8
BoogieMan Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2012 Location: South Jersey Posts: 946	I have several new style flare guns, when the flare kit goes out of date its cheaper to buy the kit than replace the individual flares. I would never consider putting the lightest of shotgun loads in them. I have never pulled a flare apart, but i dont think they have a charge in them just a primer. The old mil-surp flare guns I have seen would probably handle a light charge load. They have also been more expensive than many low end pistols. As a bit of a side note. I heard of someone trying to shoot a seagull at about 5 yards with one. Apparently they are only accurate enough to hit the sky. __________________ Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it. Milton Freidman

March 5, 2013, 10:27 PM	#10
Stukaman Member Join Date: October 17, 2010 Posts: 78	Flare gun pistols? Flares used to e little stubby thing like those Aquila mini shells now they are much longer perhaps to prevent use in a shotgun?

March 3, 2013, 06:35 AM	#4
kozak6 Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 2,274	The inserts need to be rifled or else you end up with an AOW.

March 4, 2013, 06:09 PM	#5
LarryFlew Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2009 Location: Minnesota CZ fan Posts: 815	12 gauge inserts for the old Czech flare guns are full length and rifled. Only ones I have actually seen.

March 5, 2013, 06:21 AM	#6
kozak6 Senior Member Join Date: June 17, 2005 Location: AZ Posts: 2,274	The economics don't really work out, either. A sturdy metal flare pistol and and an insert gets you into Hi Point range. Or, you might as well save a little more and get a milsurp or police trade in.

March 5, 2013, 10:15 PM	#9
alaskabushman Member Join Date: January 3, 2013 Posts: 45	12 Ga flares are very corrosive so avoid shooting them out of your shotgun unless its an actual emergency. Living on an island as I do and since the Coast Guard requires all watercraft to carry flares, I have handled quite a few. I usually just buy the bright orange plastic Orion flare pistol kits. I know the Kennesaw Cannon Co. sells flare inserts for the 25.6 mm flare guns and I have always been curious to see how they worked. I have been thinking myself about buying a 12 ga insert and cutting it down to fit into a standard 12 Ga flare gun. if its in .22 I doubt you would have any problems, even with a plastic gun, since the insert is metal. Accuracy will be terrible I am sure, but thats not the point. For me, the point is a virtually disposable handgun that I can pop halibut with or take trapping. If it gets dropped overboard or lost...oh well.

March 5, 2013, 11:01 PM	#11
alaskabushman Member Join Date: January 3, 2013 Posts: 45	The Orion flares I buy are the short little ones, I have never seen any longer than a shotshell.

March 6, 2013, 03:55 AM	#12
armsmaster270 Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2008 Location: California Posts: 1,750	Olin makes a flare longer than2 1/2". I have a 26.5" all steel flare gun with a 6" barrel, meteortype 26.5 rounds are 3 1/4"long. Smoke are 5 1/4"long and the 12ga conversion barrel is aluminum alloy bored 12ga 4 3/4" with a step in it to prevent putting a 2 3/4" shell in it, but a colibri mini 12ga shell will fit I will let you hold it to test fire it with live 12ga ammo . __________________ http://www.armsmaster.net-a.googlepages.com http://s239.photobucket.com/albums/f...aster270/Guns/ Retired LE, M.P., Sr. M.P. Investigator F.B.I. Trained Rangemaster/Firearms Instructor & Armorer, Presently Forensic Document Examiner for D.H.S. Last edited by armsmaster270; March 6, 2013 at 04:00 AM.