Webley & Scott Flare Pistol

[Ravenhook]

I bought a Webley & Scott Flare Pistol for 20...yup 20 yesterday, marked 1917, anyone know where I could get any inert cartridges please, guessing theyre 1 1/4 inch bore...I havent stripped it for cleaning yet ,its really gummed up with thick black grease.
I will post some shots of it as soon as.
Thanks.

 

[spotter]

Blimey thats one bargain buy,,was it a private sale

 

[Ravenhook]

My local military book shop, the Brothers who own this tiny gold mine of a shop wanted rid of it as they got clobbered some time back for having a Bren spares kit and barrel which was active with they're dubiously deactivated Bren....shopped by a vindictive ex wife I believe, they narrowly missed a prison term.
This is the link for the full story...
http://archive.wiltshiregazetteandherald.co.uk/2000/12/7/230096.html

 

[TimG]

I assume you've got this on a FAC?

Tim.G.

 

[Ravenhook]

Old Spec

 

[waffenamt]

Wow!,bargain!

any pictures coming soon?

waff

 

[TonyE]

It will either be 1 inch calibre (most likley) or 1 1/2 inch.

You will be hard pressed to find any WWI period flare cartridges, but the same type of cardboard cased rounds were used well into the 1960s before being replaced with the light alloy cartridge cases used today.

Flare cartridges are not really in my collecting sphere, although I do have a 1 inch proof round for these pistols loaded with lead shot, like a rather large shotgun cartridge.

Regards
TonyE

 

[DAZ REICH]

Hi raven i used to have an all brass webley and scott deact flare pistol many years ago with a brass bell end on it .
The only flare cartridge (british) i have is the following two piccies.
Daz

 

[DAZ REICH]

The side view

 

[Ravenhook]

Blimey Daz, that is one mother of a cartridge for a flare.
Hopefully some pics soon Waff...busted end on my usb link..will try and get one today.

 

[Ravenhook]

Nice Eh,

 

[Ravenhook]

 

[waffenamt]

wow,thats a nice looking piece for the money.

good on ya!

waff

 

[Rrickoshae]

here's a few 1" WW2 & post war 1.5". The closing disc for the modern unmarked 1" reads RED Pains Wessex Ltd, High Post Salisbury, Wilts, England. The only thing missing is 'if found, please return to..'

 

[roller63]

You have some very nice original items in your collection, it's nice to see things that have not been messed with. Do you have any grenades ? Tony.

 

[Ravenhook]

Yes Tony I have one mills bomb, the casing is originalbut missing the centre tube andbase plug...the previous owner "broke" it up to make more money from the seperate parts.
Rrickoshae, those are nice examples...Paynes eh!..they make fireworks..I remember the advertising slogan for Standard Fireworks back in the 60's which is ironicaly appropriate.."light up the sky with standard fireworks".
Cheers
Duncan

 

[303Gunner]

It will either be 1 inch calibre (most likley) or 1 1/2 inch.

Regards
TonyE

While that is the nominal description, the actual bores are larger. The Signal pistols were developed from sporting guns from the late 19th century and are based on the 1 Gauge (or 1 Bore) and 4 Gauge (or also 4 Bore) shotguns. The 1 Gauge measures 1.67", while the 4 gauge measures 1.052". You will also see reference to the 1" Flare pistol as a 26mm or 26.5mm. The Brass case featured by DAZ REICH is likely a Shot shell for a 4 Bore Punt gun rather than a flare case.

 

[303Gunner]

One of the No1 Mk3* Signal Pistols I have is Australian, made in 1942 by Colonial Sugar Refineries in Sydney.

 

[303Gunner]

Of the Flare Cartridges pictured by Rrickoshae, one of them is the odd man out. In the top row, centre is one marked "SPRA". This is not a flare, but a propelling charge for a line-throwing device called the "Schermuly Pistol Rocket Apparatus", used as safety equipment in Maritime applications. Based on the Signal Pistol frame, it features an extension tube to house 100ft of twine rope. Pictured below is the 1" version, you can see the similarities to a signal pistol:

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

Webley & Scott flare pistol

This one came through as a surrender in late 2009. I borrowed it for taking these photos (in my own time with my own camera), to preserve it for posterity before it gets crushed or melted. As it was already in our system I could not buy it from the lady who surrendered it and work would not allow me to buy it. Apparently such weapons as this are sometimes offered to the Leeds Armoury museum but often they fail to reply to the organisation that offers it. A piece of history that I would have loved to own.