Shooting .410 shot shells in a flare gun with subcaliber insert?

[Number21]

I recently bought one of the common surplus H&K 26.5mm flare gun copies, and I also bought one of these "subcaliber inserts" that allows it to shoot .410/45 colt. http://www.kennesawcannon.com/subcaliberdevice.php

I'm impressed with the quality of the flare gun and the insert, especially considering I only paid about $120 for both. (with no dealer paperwork!)

The problem is the little latch on the end of the barrel of my flare gun prevents the subcaliber adapter from being seated all the way. Does anybody know what I can do about this? I'm wondering if maybe I can cut off the little metal latch (not sure what it's for, it doesn't hold the barrel down) or file a notch in the insert itself to make room for it.

 

[OARNGESI]

im pretty sure its illegal like that but maybe thats the 12 gauge ones

 

[Number21]

It is perfectly legal, and comes with a letter from the ATF confirming so.

 

[Quiet]

Because it is a rifled barrel insert, it is legal.

If the insert has a smoothbore barrel, then it would be illegal. Because it would be a smoothbore pistol, which is regulated as a Title 2 AOW.

No experience with the .45LC/.410 insert.

The .22LR rifled barrel flare gun insert is interesting, but impractical due to non-effective sighting system which requires point shooting at close range.

IMO...
They are all pretty much novelty items.
Good for having as a last ditch close range point shoot weapon.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Leave the latch alone.

That latch appears to be the extractor for the flare casing: when the gun opens, the extractor pushes the casing out far enough to be plucked out with the fingers. I would not cut it off.

When you close the gun to fire, the insert moves in, yes? The extractor raises the insert when open to allow the insert to be removed to be reloaded outside the gun.

 

[rcmodel]

Does anybody know what I can do about this?

Yes.

Try closing the gun.

As Carl N. Brown said, it is the extractor, and it only siicks out when the gun is opened.
It and the shell adaptor will go all the way in the chamber when the gun is closed.

rc

 

[Number21]

Hmmm....guess I needed to push down harder, it fits! Now the barrel doesn't pop open all the way though, I think the extractor thing needs some adjustment.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Number21]

Now that I got this working does anybody know if it is safe to dry fire this gun?

 

[ultradoc]

I have a 37mm flare lancher and it gets some looks. One problem. They are expensive to shoot. $10-$15 a round.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

If it a gun is not rated as dry fire by the factory, you should not dry fire on an empty chamber, but only with a snap cap. A fired cartridge no longer cushions the firing pin blow after one snap, so I would recommend a commercial .45Colt snap cap.

And it is not just broken firing pins you should worry about. I have an old Forehand&Wadsworth revolver that has an oversize firing pin hole in the frame caused by dryfiring; ever so often primer will crater into the hole and bind the action. I retired the gun out of fear of a ruptured primer someday.

 

[theCan]

Yeah but there's nothing like the "OMGIJUST****MYPANTSISTHATAGRENADELAUNCHER" power when a bad guy holds you up for your wallet.