From what I understand a flare will generally bounce off the chest of a
person. Not a good weapon. You can purchase an insert that will
accomodate a .410 shell to be used in a 25mm flaregun, but not the
cheezy plastic flare guns.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Steve Schwartz" wrote in message ...
I have a little flare pistol on my boat (in New York State, Lake Ontario). I believe this is required by US Coast Guard. I was told by West Marine that we cannot take these to Canada as they are "weapons." Is this true? Can this pistol be used as a weapon? Can it shoot regular shot gun shells? Are the flare shells lethal? Is it a danger to anyone? Does anyone know anything about this? I'd appreciate any info?

--
Steve

"Doug Dotson" wrote in message ...
From what I understand a flare will generally bounce off the chest of a
person. Not a good weapon. You can purchase an insert that will
accomodate a .410 shell to be used in a 25mm flaregun, but not the
cheezy plastic flare guns.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Steve Schwartz" wrote in message
news:yL ...
I have a little flare pistol on my boat (in New York State, Lake
Ontario). I believe this is required by US Coast Guard. I was told by
West Marine that we cannot take these to Canada as they are "weapons."
Is this true? Can this pistol be used as a weapon? Can it shoot
regular shot gun shells? Are the flare shells lethal? Is it a danger
to anyone? Does anyone know anything about this? I'd appreciate any
info?

--
Steve

--

BF:

Huh?

If you want my opinion, a flare from a 12 guage Orion wouldn't stop
anybody. Even fired in the boat (no gasoline), it wouldn't do much as
you could quickly put it out. Now, the 25 mm flares, i dunno.
It would be very easy to make a 12 guage flare gun that could fire 410
shells. I know little about firearms but I imagine a real 12 guage
shell would jerk a lightweight flare gun out of your hands even if it
didnt blow up.

Agreed, but I'm not sure that even a .410 shell fired out of an
Orion plastic gun would be safe. All the adapters I saw used
..410 shells and fit into a 25mm gun.



"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
"Doug Dotson" wrote in message
...
From what I understand a flare will generally bounce off the chest of a
person. Not a good weapon. You can purchase an insert that will
accomodate a .410 shell to be used in a 25mm flaregun, but not the
cheezy plastic flare guns.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Steve Schwartz" wrote in message
news:yL ...
I have a little flare pistol on my boat (in New York State, Lake
Ontario). I believe this is required by US Coast Guard. I was told by
West Marine that we cannot take these to Canada as they are "weapons."
Is this true? Can this pistol be used as a weapon? Can it shoot
regular shot gun shells? Are the flare shells lethal? Is it a danger
to anyone? Does anyone know anything about this? I'd appreciate any
info?

--
Steve

--

BF:

Huh?

If you want my opinion, a flare from a 12 guage Orion wouldn't stop
anybody. Even fired in the boat (no gasoline), it wouldn't do much as
you could quickly put it out. Now, the 25 mm flares, i dunno.
It would be very easy to make a 12 guage flare gun that could fire 410
shells. I know little about firearms but I imagine a real 12 guage
shell would jerk a lightweight flare gun out of your hands even if it
didnt blow up.

"Doug Dotson" wrote in message ...
Agreed, but I'm not sure that even a .410 shell fired out of an
Orion plastic gun would be safe. All the adapters I saw used
.410 shells and fit into a 25mm gun.



"Parallax" wrote in message
om...
"Doug Dotson" wrote in message
...
From what I understand a flare will generally bounce off the chest of a
person. Not a good weapon. You can purchase an insert that will
accomodate a .410 shell to be used in a 25mm flaregun, but not the
cheezy plastic flare guns.

Doug
s/v Callista


I even have doubts about the orange plastic guns holding up for more
than about 6 flares but you have to try them out because Orion has had
so many bad ones that wont fire. The only way you could use one of
htese as a weapon would be if your enemy obliged you by dousing
himself with gasoline. Other than that, your best bet would be to
just throw the gun at him.
"Steve Schwartz" wrote in message
news:yL ...
I have a little flare pistol on my boat (in New York State, Lake
Ontario). I believe this is required by US Coast Guard. I was told by
West Marine that we cannot take these to Canada as they are "weapons."
Is this true? Can this pistol be used as a weapon? Can it shoot
regular shot gun shells? Are the flare shells lethal? Is it a danger
to anyone? Does anyone know anything about this? I'd appreciate any
info?

--
Steve

--

BF:

Huh?

If you want my opinion, a flare from a 12 guage Orion wouldn't stop
anybody. Even fired in the boat (no gasoline), it wouldn't do much as
you could quickly put it out. Now, the 25 mm flares, i dunno.
It would be very easy to make a 12 guage flare gun that could fire 410
shells. I know little about firearms but I imagine a real 12 guage
shell would jerk a lightweight flare gun out of your hands even if it
didnt blow up.

I spent 14 yrs cruising central and South America and always had a flare gun
setting were I could get to it fast. When this was first suggested to me I was
in Mexico and took a flare gun ashore and aimed it at a big barrel cactus. It
blew a hole half way through it. A flare gun might not be the best but in most
countries it is legal and you can put it were you can get it in a hurry. I
would hate to be shot with one. The other options are not as good as this one
in my opinion.



I have a little flare pistol on my boat (in New York State, Lake
Ontario). I believe this is required by US Coast Guard. I was told by
West Marine that we cannot take these to Canada as they are "weapons."
Is this true? Can this pistol be used as a weapon? Can it shoot
regular shot gun shells? Are the flare shells lethal? Is it a danger
to anyone? Does anyone know anything about this? I'd appreciate any
info?

--
Steve

--

BF:

Huh?

If you want my opinion, a flare from a 12 guage Orion wouldn't stop
anybody. Even fired in the boat (no gasoline), it wouldn't do much as
you could quickly put it out. Now, the 25 mm flares, i dunno.
It would be very easy to make a 12 guage flare gun that could fire 410
shells. I know little about firearms but I imagine a real 12 guage
shell would jerk a lightweight flare gun out of your hands even if it
didnt blow up.