Flare gun for SD?!

[RyanM]

It does look like a flare gun with some kind of crazy homemade shell can kill. Whether the perp still has a hand is unknown.

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/april2004/research/2004_02_research02.htm

Figure 11 shows a wound caused by a flare gun that fired a homemade 12-gauge shotgun cartridge filled with screws, nuts, and other small metal objects.

Don't look unless you want to see a guy with a big hole in his head.

 

[c_yeager]

You can kill someone with a teddy bear, that doesnt make it a particlarly good weapon. I suppose that a 12guage flare could kill a person if you were shot at contact distance in the eye socket, but I would honestly bet even money that you would just get a glass eye out the deal, maybe if someone got shot in the mouth and managed to swallow the damn thing.

Its been said already but I think it's worth repeating. Plastic 12 guage flare pistol + shotshell = plastic hand.

 

[Dionysusigma]

Somebody's been playing too much TimeSplitters.

 

[Beachcomber]

Flare gun CAN fire .38 cal ammunition

Take a look at the link below to see how easy it is to convert a flare gun and make it fire .38 caliber ammunition. It's amazing what you can buy if you're willing to spend the money!

http://www.captainforhire.com/equalizer/index.html


Stay Safe!

 

[RyanM]

Take a look at the link below to see how easy it is to convert a flare gun and make it fire .38 caliber ammunition. It's amazing what you can buy if you're willing to spend the money!

Huh. I was thinking something like that would be possible, with a commercially manufactured barrel and a bit of glue or something. Didn't know anyone actually made one for commercial sale. Something like that could have real application if you're sailing somewhere where firerams proper are verboten. Although in some countries, the barrel is the firearm, unlike in the USA where the receiver/frame is the firearm, so you essentially "manufacture" a firearm by combining the adapter with the flare gun.

 

[mtonetwo]

IIRC, somebody makes a ss 12 ga. insert.

that drops in to a steel 25 mm flare gun to then shoot standard 12 ga. shotshells. Marine/boat search may find one somewhere.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

Danger Will Robinson! Danger!

The ATF has examined all of these "conversions" for flare guns, and came to two conclusions:

1) They're very illegal by US law
2) You'll lose your hand.

Here's their report, thanks to mp510 for posting it on another thread:

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/050406_firelauncher.htm

I'll stick to firing real ammo in my real guns, thanksmuch.

-MV

 

[Beachcomber]

Thanks for the good follow-up

The ATF has examined all of these "conversions" for flare guns, and came to two conclusions:

1) They're very illegal by US law
2) You'll lose your hand.

On a brighter note... after the whiz-bang cracks a cap from the flare gun the LEO's job should be simple... all he has to do is look for the person with a bloody hand/stump that has plastic embedded in it and then lock him up for firing an illegal weapon.


Stay Safe!

 

[Mike_in_OC]

Soak person in gas first then fire...

 

[DRMMR02]

What do you think the psychological effect of getting hit with a flare would be on the BG?

 

[ribbonstone]

Old style "very" pistols (those 25-26mm shells) are certainly low powered...don't know the MV but suspect it's in the Daisy BB gun range.

So I had to take apart a live round (current make...olin...Al. case stuff). Has a powder chamber machined in the projectile...and it's "blooped" out by 12gr. of black powder (looks like FFg). Is the only time I've ever seen BP being used non-compressed.

haven't taken apart a 12ga. round...doesn't smell like BP.

Not real sure I'd care to catch one of those...or the little 2" 12ga. flare...bare handed, but fired at 5yards they bounce off thin plywood (1/8" panneling). The big metal cases shells burn hot and long,,,would be distracting to have one bouncing around insed your car and proably set fire to the seats.

The old USN 10ga. flare pistol gnerally comes loose when someone fires a real shell in one (these were metal, not plastic)...pretty much one shot and it's ruined (may blow up...but I've seen a few that were still in one pice, just wobbly and cracked).
------
Now those hand held tube rocket launched parachute flares. Close, they are going slow...but out about 10-15yards, they seem to be going full speed. These are moving a lot faster... a metal tubed fin stablized rocket in a plastic launch tube, spring striker/percusion ignition.

 

[SIRVEYR666]

Dammit Mike_in_OC, you took my post.