tover26 18 Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 I've read where people tried to shoot 12 gauge shotgun ammo from a signal flare gun. This seems it would be an obvious thing to NOT do. What about the other way around? Do 12 gauge signal flares work well when shot from a shotgun? Have any of you tried this out? Obviously these wouldn't fit in a loading tube for a pump or a mag for a saiga, but if you manually inserted it, and then carefully removed the hull, it seems like it might work. Please make no mistake... I'm NOT thinking about doing this with my S12... but would consider it in the Mossberg 500. Just seems dumb to haul a flare gun around if I'm already hauling a shotgun. So, in my ignorance, I'm wondering if 12 gauge flares are the same as a 12 gauge shotgun. Here's an example of a 12 gauge signal flare round... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
protected static 19 Posted October 1, 2009 Report Share Posted October 1, 2009 I've read where people tried to shoot 12 gauge shotgun ammo from a signal flare gun. This seems it would be an obvious thing to NOT do. What about the other way around? Do 12 gauge signal flares work well when shot from a shotgun? Have any of you tried this out? Obviously these wouldn't fit in a loading tube for a pump or a mag for a saiga, but if you manually inserted it, and then carefully removed the hull, it seems like it might work. Please make no mistake... I'm NOT thinking about doing this with my S12... but would consider it in the Mossberg 500. Just seems dumb to haul a flare gun around if I'm already hauling a shotgun. So, in my ignorance, I'm wondering if 12 gauge flares are the same as a 12 gauge shotgun. Here's an example of a 12 gauge signal flare round... My understanding is that you're fine, as long as you aren't firing with a choke. You don't want that 2000-degrees Fahrenheit chunk of burning magnesium and aluminum getting caught in your barrel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Havoc308 3 Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 go ahead and shoot-em. Most won't feed properly due to length from a tube fed gun, so you have to single load them. Be prepared to put out serious fires if you decide to "test" them other than over water. Don't ask me how I know that...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thehopping1 105 Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 This is a very cool idea. Make sure you post videos if you try it out. I might give it a try too, but it will be hard to find a place around me that wont catch fire. Stupid desert. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
protected static 19 Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 Oh yeah - if you're going to discharge 'em over water, make sure you're using the white illumination/signal ones, and not the red distress signal ones. The Coasties and other assorted LEO types frown on false distress reports. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sparky63 46 Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 go ahead and shoot-em. Most won't feed properly due to length from a tube fed gun, so you have to single load them. Be prepared to put out serious fires if you decide to "test" them other than over water. Don't ask me how I know that...... we use them to start controlled fires,we do use the flare pistol though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tover26 18 Posted October 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 Awesome. Thanks for the replies. I hadn't thought about the color coding so thanks for the heads up there. I've got a shoot coming up soon and will try a flare shot at that later in Nov. Till then, I don't have much opportunity to do it. DC area is a bit heavily watched so flares arcing up into the sky, either white or red, would probably draw some attention about why I'm shooting flares out of a shotgun, no matter what area I might be in. For the sheer curiousity of it, do any of you know where you can buy flares made to chamber in shotguns? I mean, with the dragon tongue and all the exotic/specialty stuff out there, it's a bit surprising to me that no one made a 12 gauge shotgun flare round. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thehopping1 105 Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 it's a bit surprising to me that no one made a 12 gauge shotgun flare round. One that will feed through a tube would be nice. I'll have to check this out over the weekend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
protected static 19 Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 it's a bit surprising to me that no one made a 12 gauge shotgun flare round. One that will feed through a tube would be nice. I'll have to check this out over the weekend. Evidently, the military has some. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VanKiller 322 Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 Just for some general info......a lot of the marine flares are loaded with black powder as the launching charge. this will make for some serious cleaning issues. But on the other hand it would be a good time to use the 12 ga. golf ball launcher........with black powder loads.... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bvamp 604 Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 oh come on Tom, you need to film a 20 round dump out of the beast with BP loads in semi dark light...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
protected static 19 Posted October 2, 2009 Report Share Posted October 2, 2009 Just for some general info......a lot of the marine flares are loaded with black powder as the launching charge. this will make for some serious cleaning issues. But on the other hand it would be a good time to use the 12 ga. golf ball launcher........with black powder loads.... Orion (who pretty much owns the US market) uses black powder as accelerant in the combustible part of the flare itself, but not for propellant. If the flare ignites while traveling down your barrel (which it probably does, since it's only intended to be launched from a 2" or so barrel) you'd see black powder fouling from that. Oh yeah, I also found some civilian 12ga. shotgun-hulled flares for scaring bears. They're on the spendy side, if that price is for a 5-shell box... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
havok 21 Posted October 3, 2009 Report Share Posted October 3, 2009 For the sheer curiousity of it, do any of you know where you can buy flares made to chamber in shotguns? I mean, with the dragon tongue and all the exotic/specialty stuff out there, it's a bit surprising to me that no one made a 12 gauge shotgun flare round. Walmart sells them around here in PA. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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