Another treasure (?) from the Odessa show. It's a M8 flare pistol, probably WW II vintage. I think the date of that fired flare cartridge is 1943. The pistol is mostly stampings and the butt is an aluminum casting. I think it's 37mm. It's stamped on the right side with four letters in a diamond formation; from the top, clockwise, they are E.C.V.C. Probably the maker's name, but does anyone know what it is? The first letter of the company could be either E or C.

Are modern flares available for this contraption?

Attached Images

	L1010433.JPG (91.0 KB, 136 views)
	L1010434.JPG (91.9 KB, 147 views)
	L1010435.JPG (87.4 KB, 170 views)

For you viewing pleasure: YouTube

I suspect your M8 was manufactured by the Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Company, which during WW2 was located in Detroit, Michigan.

Cyrano,
For flares to fire, you can get newly manufactured 37mm cartridges from rareammo.com. They have several colored aerial flares, some with a loud report. They used to have parachute flares, but I was told that they have a total commitment to government orders for production of those.

Also, you can get an aluminum adapter to fire 26.5mm flares. These are plentiful in the surplus market -- made in Austria or Czechoslovakia, as best as I recall. You can find them in aerial flares, aerial smoke, and parachute flares. I buy a handful when I find them at local gun shows. Typical prices are $4 to $5 each for aerial flares or smoke and $5 to $10 for the parachute flares. None have reports.

Always wear hearing protection when you fire these off -- they have quite a bang, since they are not rocket type and all the propellant stays in the casing.


Have fun!

Fred

Fred P: how's the recoil on these things? The pistol isn't particularly heavy.

Recoil is not high. Pretty much like a mid to large caliber handgun. I hold it single handed, arm fully extended above my head, pointing straight up or to a 45 degree angle, depending on where I want the flare to go. You've got a large grip to hold onto.

I also have an M9, which is only a tube (barrel) and no grip. You hold the barrel with one hand. In the rear is a flat plunger attached to the firing pin. It's designed to be hit with the palm of your other hand. A friend (reenactor), decided that this model was supposed to be fired by striking the plunger on one knee while he knelt on the other knee -- he called it a "knee mortar firing technique". He did it once -- the pain lasted a week or so.....

Fred

PS
I believe that the bosses near the muzzle are to engage a port in the fuselage of an aircraft.

Thanks, Fred. Yeah, I sorta thougth those lugs were part of a bayonet type engagement for aircraft or small boats (PTs?)

Hi wondering if you want to sell the M9 or know where I could get one Thanks