12g. flare gun?

[lunicy]

I want to make a 12g flare gun (like the one on boats). The ones that look like a pistol, and shoot 12g flares.

My question is what is the legality. What stops the BATF from calling it a short barrel shotgun and throwing me in jail forever?

Mods, If this should be in a different catagory, feel free to move.

[bohokii]

because they are short chambered and even if you put an aguila in them they will be destroyed

there is the case of the adaper for a 26mm flare gun it may survive a minishell

they generally have a if there is a legal use they let unlawful capabilities slide

[3006guns]

Just whacking a shotgun down to the size desired would DEFINATELY cause you legal heartburn. You might, however, contact ATF and question them on the idea of a permanent chamber insert to reduce the chamber length. I would imagine you would have to get their permission in written form and might even have to get it inspected in order to have a serial number issued/confirmed. Now you could manufacture shortened 12 ga. shells, etc. etc.

Lots easier to just buy a flare pistol.

[geargnasher]

I reprime whacked-down 12 ga shells and shoot rubber boolits and all kinds of fun stuff with just the primer and maybe wad in a 12-ga insert in my H&K 26mm flare pistol! Great fun for shop use against little varmints.

Gear

[jdgabbard]

I would imagine you would have to get their permission in written form and might even have to get it inspected in order to have a serial number issued/confirmed. Now you could manufacture shortened 12 ga. shells, etc. etc.

You don't have to have a serial number assigned. I've build a multitude of firearms from scratch and parts kits. All are 100% legal, and only a select few of them have a serial. And the serial wasn't issued or confirmed. Its simply my initials and the build date.

[Avery Arms]

I reprime whacked-down 12 ga shells and shoot rubber boolits and all kinds of fun stuff with just the primer and maybe wad in a 12-ga insert in my H&K 26mm flare pistol! Great fun for shop use against little varmints.

Gear

Rubber bullets are considered anti-personnel and are restricted in the same way lead bullets are, in other words you could be charged for shooting rats with rubber balls. Wax bullets loaded into a standard .44/45 revolver are a much better option and the wax never bounces back to hit you.

lunicy,

The Orion/Cobray 12ga flare launchers uses a low pressure plastic barrel with a chamber that is too short for 2.75" shells. The short chamber is a given but before you make one with metalic barrel I would suggest writing the ATF technical branch and have them classify your design as a signal pistol or as a NFA firearm. I'm guessing they would say it's a signal pistol but their letter is valid in court unlike my opinions http://www.atf.gov/firearms/050406_firelauncher.htm

An easier plan would be building a 25mm, 26.5mm or 37mm signal launcher in which case chamber length and barrel construction would not be an issue. Remember you can only possess or use smoke, flares, tear gas, chalk rounds etc nothing actually designed for direct fire against peoples or animals. No bean bags, rubber balls, flechettes, shot, slugs, bullets darts etc.

In most states you can form 1 your flare launcher then it's a legal AOW or DD (any other weapon/destructive device) and then you can load and shoot whatever out of it provided the rounds themselves aren't DD (ie real grenades)


PP