Retired engineer/machine builder here. Just got a Polish 26.5mm flare gun. Making an adapter insert to shoot .45 colt in it. Already make the PVC filler reducing sleeves 26.5mm OD x .625 ID. Ordered steel tube stock .625 OD x .385 ID for the barrel. Plan to drill it out to .437 and then ream the ID smooth bore. Need advice on the reamer to use. Thinking .451 or .4515 as I reload both lead RNFP bullets and Berry's plated .452" bullets.
Smooth bore ID for .45 Colt Flare Gun adapter.
- Thread starter WLeoB
- Start date
Scooter22
Member
I don't know but your talking about making a non gun into a gun. Probably not legle. Plus smoothbore. I believe that isn,t legle. Then I don,t know about chamber pressure and if the lockup will hold. I wouldn't do it.
One can not legally build or possess a smooth bore barrel under 18 inches without registering it as either a short barreled shotgun or as an AOW if the overall length of said firearm is also under 26 inches in overall length. You would have to make a rifled insert for it to be legal.
Plus as others have stated, even though 45ACP has a lower chamber pressure versus other pistol calibers, I would still be worried about a flare gun being string enough.
Plus as others have stated, even though 45ACP has a lower chamber pressure versus other pistol calibers, I would still be worried about a flare gun being string enough.
1. Safety. I seriously doubt that flare pressure is anywhere near .45Colt pressure.
2. Legality.
2. Legality.
A. Making a gun. You can make a firearm (including a handgun) for your own use as long as the resulting firearm is legal and it is legal for you to possess it.
B. NFA Items. If you make an item that falls under NFA regulation, you will need to take care of any paperwork/approvals/tax fees BEFORE you start the project to avoid committing a federal felony. Smoothbore pistols fall under NFA regulation.
B. NFA Items. If you make an item that falls under NFA regulation, you will need to take care of any paperwork/approvals/tax fees BEFORE you start the project to avoid committing a federal felony. Smoothbore pistols fall under NFA regulation.
There is an exception to that rule and relates to firearms such as Mossberg Shockwave (.410 & 20 ga). Smooth bore 14" barrels, pistol grip with AOL>26". I did convert both gauges to BATFE short-barrel shotgun registry, although an AOW registry would have been cheaper ($5 v. $200 each).
I wonder if a flare gun could be made from either of these hosts? Have .410 and 20 ga. flares available.
1. First, thanks for all of the confirming comments.
2. Yes, I knew that anybody can make almost any firearm, save the obvious NFA exceptions, for their own use. Have already made a crutch-stocked 12 gauge with a 3/4" pipe barrel (20") with a hand grip, inside a 1" pipe. The rear of the 1" pipe, with the firing pin, has a section of lead. That's so it weighs 8 pounds for mild recoil.
3. There are at least 3 manufacturers of adapters/inserts for those 26.5mm flare guns. The most popular are for .45 Colt., .410 & 12 gauge flares. I think the original factory package included those very inserts. People are selling the flare guns and factory inserts separately. One can buy them separately and then create a .45 colt firearm for their own use.
4. Left out many details when I questioned the recommended "smooth bore" ID. I want to be able to hit something and not throw tumbling lead. That ID would be reamed before:
a) I use my 10 ton hydraulic press to push a rifling button down the ID to achieve the desired 1:16 twist., &
b) Ream the chamber to .480 &
c) Heat, quench and then temper the 5/8" OD "barrel" Already planning one with a 3/4" OD barrel if the proof tests at my son's 3 acre woods show any problem with pressure.
5. Pressure. The walls of my SS Charter Arms Bulldog, in .45 Colt are as thin as .0685". My 5/8" OD steel, when reamed for the cartridge (.480) will leave a .0725 wall that will be pressed inside of additional support.
6. Would still appreciate any comments on the .451 or .4515 ID and my planned proof tests. Steps of 4, 6, & 8 grains of Red Dot or 700x pushing a Berry's plated .452, 250 grain bullet.
Peace, WLeoB
2. Yes, I knew that anybody can make almost any firearm, save the obvious NFA exceptions, for their own use. Have already made a crutch-stocked 12 gauge with a 3/4" pipe barrel (20") with a hand grip, inside a 1" pipe. The rear of the 1" pipe, with the firing pin, has a section of lead. That's so it weighs 8 pounds for mild recoil.
3. There are at least 3 manufacturers of adapters/inserts for those 26.5mm flare guns. The most popular are for .45 Colt., .410 & 12 gauge flares. I think the original factory package included those very inserts. People are selling the flare guns and factory inserts separately. One can buy them separately and then create a .45 colt firearm for their own use.
4. Left out many details when I questioned the recommended "smooth bore" ID. I want to be able to hit something and not throw tumbling lead. That ID would be reamed before:
a) I use my 10 ton hydraulic press to push a rifling button down the ID to achieve the desired 1:16 twist., &
b) Ream the chamber to .480 &
c) Heat, quench and then temper the 5/8" OD "barrel" Already planning one with a 3/4" OD barrel if the proof tests at my son's 3 acre woods show any problem with pressure.
5. Pressure. The walls of my SS Charter Arms Bulldog, in .45 Colt are as thin as .0685". My 5/8" OD steel, when reamed for the cartridge (.480) will leave a .0725 wall that will be pressed inside of additional support.
6. Would still appreciate any comments on the .451 or .4515 ID and my planned proof tests. Steps of 4, 6, & 8 grains of Red Dot or 700x pushing a Berry's plated .452, 250 grain bullet.
Peace, WLeoB
Jim Watson
Member
Ah, HA! A new version of the Philippine Guerrilla Gun.
I THINK that makes it legal.
If .4515" is good enough for Fred Kart, it is good enough for me.
I am a bit leery of home grown proof testing with arbitrary overloads.
Maybe Slamfire can comment.
Too bad we don't know the chamber pressure of a flare, it would be helpful to compare case head thrust, 26.5mm vs .45.
Correct-a-mundo! The Shockwaves are really just a "firearm" defined by Gun Control Act of the '30's since they do not fit into the standard shotgun-rifle-pistol BATFE descriptors. I was getting a little loose-and-easy with the facts over breakfast coffee. However, birds-beak grip is akin to a smooth bore pirate side arm.
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Carl N. Brown
Member
My uncle told me my dad brought back a flare gun from WWII (Pacific Theatre) but it failed shooting shotgun shells.
I have seen vidiots on UToob schutzing less-lethal rubber ball loads from an orange plastic flare gun. When they switched to Aguila MiniShells the top 3/4 of the chamber disappeared and the shot showed no penetration. They were firing with a lanyard about 10 yards long.
My gut tells me a metal flare gun is designed to take the pressures of a flare cartridge and probably nothing greater.
There's a fake movie trailer for a movie entitled DON'T! that I feel applies to firing anything other than flares from a flare gun.
My uncle gave me the impression my dad was embarrassed and saddened by testing his flare gun to unintended destruction.
I have seen vidiots on UToob schutzing less-lethal rubber ball loads from an orange plastic flare gun. When they switched to Aguila MiniShells the top 3/4 of the chamber disappeared and the shot showed no penetration. They were firing with a lanyard about 10 yards long.
My gut tells me a metal flare gun is designed to take the pressures of a flare cartridge and probably nothing greater.
There's a fake movie trailer for a movie entitled DON'T! that I feel applies to firing anything other than flares from a flare gun.
My uncle gave me the impression my dad was embarrassed and saddened by testing his flare gun to unintended destruction.
