I can't find much information about this flare gun beyond that it's of French manufacture and has a percussion cap ignition system, thus dating it to probably the Nineteenth Century. The cup at the end, I gather, is used for the flaring material. But I'm at a loss to figure out how the flare would be propelled.
How do you think this flare gun works?
Over at the Neatorama site, one comment suggests that it was a handheld smoker--something to produce colored smoke that the person would wave about--but it looks too complicated for that job. It doesn't appear to launch a flare, as there's no hole when the top piece is latched shut. That latch wouldn't take much pressure, so whatever happens in that pan on the front end can't be too energetic.
ReplyDeleteI've asked the readers of my weblog what they can tell me. I'll let you know if I hear anything.
The flare isn't propelled, as was suggested, colored powder is put in the cup. It's a Navy signalman and you can read more about it here: http://www.lapistole.com/signaleurmarine.html
ReplyDeleteyou can search the terms "pistolet signaleur marine" in your favorite search engine to find more.
Thanks Bill. And thanks Greg for your response to that comment I deleted. Unfortunately, yours disappears with it.
DeleteWe can disagree with each other's ideas, but there is a line, and the comment that you deleted went way over that line.
DeleteIt still looks like a complicated way of signalling. That may be the reason that the dingus is rare.
DeleteYou're welcome mikeb.
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