Old Gun Addiction FLARED-UP Again:

“The difference between men and boys - is the price of their toys”

This antique FLARE Pistol is a value for money, verey functional, solid lump of metal machinery. Chamber diameter as 4 Gauge (four balls to the pound of lead) "Elephant Gun". - Lots of flair here.

Yes Your Honour - I've been 'at it' again .. I swear guv'ner I'll get myself under control asap. - But I really like Webleys .. 

This is an antique Webley & Scott Mk III* Flare or Signal Pistol, 

'One inch' bore (FOUR BORE typically 26.5mm) .. date stamped 1918.

She's a beaudy .. locks-up tight as a drum and opens wide & smooth to extract positively. 

- No slack or wiggle.

The Mk III* flared muzzle extention was meant to prevent injury from the officer/shooter's hand slipping in front of the muzzle on discharge.

These guns mostly are called BRASS framed but supposedly, they are Bronze or Gunmetal framed but the flared muzzle extension may be brass. The problem here, without being too pedantic, is that there were at least FIVE different UK makers contracted to build this ordnance (Chubb, Greener, Cogswell & Harrison, Wolseley, and Webley & Scott) and some of them could well have used alloys they had laying around in their scrap heaps. 

- There is even a Canadian version having a Zinc Frame ..

- A Pleasing and Pretty Piece I opine - but if you disagree - Please feel free to P-off .

I read that these WW I  - 4 Gauge ("Elephant Gun") 1 inch Flare Pistols were proofed with a cartridge using 1 ounce of lead shot ..

ELEY Flare Gun PROOF Cartridges:

ISAA is Inspector of Small Arms Ammunition

I see that in U S of A you can find caliber convertion inserts that would permit use of smaller 12 Gauge cartridges, or even .410 or 45 Colt rounds - but naturally this might be frowned upon in some jurisdictions such as NZ.

FTF Industries .22" L.R. R/F Converter Insert - $40.

The flare cartridges used in this pistol are the same bore size as 4 Gauge cartridges - as in black powder ELEPHANT GUNS. - Called 'One Inch' bore - they are closer to 1.1 inch.

- Can you imagine the recoil from firing a solid slug in one of these? - Large bore Black Powder Elephant Guns were dropped very quickly when effective Nitro Express cartridges were introduced ..

Some folk call this type of device a VEREY Pistol .. so named after Edward Wilson Very (1847–1910), an American naval officer who developed and popularized a single-shot breech-loading pistol that fired signal flares invented by Martha J Coston in 1859:

Here are Links to a very interesting story:

https://www.engineergirl.org/125236/Martha-Coston

http://www.civilwarsignals.org/pages/signal/signalpages/flare/coston3.html

http://www.civilwarsignals.org/pages/signal/signalpages/flare/coston.html

- Here are two more Rabbit Holes to drop into .. Captive Bolt Guns:

https://www.accles-shelvoke.com/company/about-accles-shelvoke/history

and some history of Eley ammunition manufacture:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eley_Limited

Oh yeah, - PS. - Do you know where you are - Like, where our planet Earth is? 

Try this:

https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/galaxy/en/

FIT AND PROPER?

FIREARMS LICENCES FOR NZ POLICE.

Marty K.

Rules Is Rules:

Shooting sports in New Zealand are being progressively strangled by regulation.

As sporting gun owners we all must surely know about the onerous, costly FIREARMS LICENCE requirements and REGISTRATION obligations.

You do know that the enforcers of those regulations, NZ POLICE are exempt from these laws?

But Wait - There's More ..

Are you aware of other regulations that limit and control the TRANSPORT and STORAGE of our sporting goods and ammunition?

Have you tried lawfully sending a firearm to someone lately?

Do you know what a CLASS 1 HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE is? 

Have you tried buying BLACK POWDER muzzleloading propellants recently? - It would cost more than $200 a tin BUT nobody has any for sale.

Do you know what a 'CSL' is? : - CSL a CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE LICENCE

Do you know the definition of what a 'PCBU' is? - PCBU: a PERSON CONDUCTING A BUSINESS OR UNDERTAKING

Do you have a compliance certificate, that is required for a hazardous substance location under Part 9, 10, 11, or 12 (except regulation 9.36) and is renewed at intervals not exceeding 12 months (unless that period is extended under regulation 8.2).

Are you familiar with the Health and Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017 - There are 12 complex chapters parts of these regulations (currently) .. written in remarkably obtuse language.

You can Google it .. it might take a few weeks to try reading it and to try to understand.

- Likely you have heard about the SHOOTING RANGE Regulations that are causing range shut-downs and that currently there are amendments processing through Parliament ..

- These are additional to objections about Noise Complaints etc by Councils and individuals.

I wonder if those Range Regulations are being observed by The Police College RANGE ..

Have NZ civilian Police activated a "triggering event" requiring them to comply and REGISTER ALL thousands of their rifles, high capacity magazines, pistols, grenade launchers and sub-machine guns ..?

WAKE UP

Are YOU 'FIT & PROPER' ?

FIREARMS LICENCES FOR NZ POLICE

Marty K.