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The flare gun is one of the most misunderstood safety devices. It can be helpful to those who are well acquainted with them but dangerous to the uninitiated. Get your burning questions about them answered to be part of the right camp.
What Is a Flare Gun?
Flare guns are signaling devices made of plastic and designed to shoot aerial flares — cartridges with colorful chemicals. They go by signal pistols, flare pistols and Very pistols, after Lieutenant Edward Very. He was an American naval officer who developed a 10-gauge, short-barreled gun whose breech could accommodate a flare. The United States Navy adopted his invention in 1882.
Although Very gets credited for being the father of modern flare guns, a woman beat him to the punch. Martha Coston patented a pyrotechnic signaling system in 1859 based on the notes of her late inventor husband, Benjamin Franklin Coston. The main difference between the Very pistol and Coston’s Pyrotechnic Night Signals was a minor adjustment to the trigger mechanism.
The widow worked on this ship-to-ship communications technology for 10 years. After perfecting it, the U.S. Navy bought the rights to her signaling system. Her creation was instrumental in helping the Union win the Civil War.
How Do Flare Guns Work?
Flare pistols work the same as ordinary handguns. Each has a trigger that releases the hammer when pulled. The hammer then uses the energy the main spring stores to send a strong force toward the firing pin, striking the flare’s back. The flare shoots off the barrel, which pivots for loading and unloading.
Here’s how to use a flare gun:
- Push the barrel away from the hammer.
- Insert a flare cartridge into the barrel.
- Close the barrel.
- Cock or pull back the hammer with your thumb.
- Aim the flare gun at the sky.
- Pull the trigger.
Some flare guns have a button on the side that you need to press and hold while cocking the hammer. This safety feature is common among older models. Check the manufacturer’s instructions to determine whether a device has a button, where to locate it, what it is for and when to use it.
As with firearms, keep your finger away from the trigger when you’re not ready to shoot to avoid wasting pyrotechnic cartridges. Always observe fire safety.
What Is a Flare Gun Used for?
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Sending distress signals is the primary use of flare guns. You fire one to make your presence known to anyone nearby and to broadcast that you need help at sea or on land. Handheld flares can more accurately alert others to your exact location, but aerial flares are more efficient at revealing your general whereabouts to prospective rescuers at greater distances. Although flare pistols don’t fire live ammunition, you can use them for self-defense and ward off threats.
Flare cartridges contain strontium nitrate, producing a bright red or red-orange spectacle lasting for a few seconds. An aerial flare’s range depends on the device. For example, the Orion Safety Alerter Basic can send a distress signal up to an altitude of 500 feet. Parachute flares stay airborne longer and are visible at any time of the day.
Flare guns save lives. Watercraft and aircraft usually have them to give accident survivors a way to communicate with first responders and good Samaritans in an emergency, and speed up search and rescue. The authorities may require you to bring a flare pistol and a minimum number of flares before you embark on your adventure.
A signal pistol works wonders only when used correctly. Launching two flares in a row is better than one because it allows helpers to determine their origin. That said, you should conserve your rounds.
As with road flares, nail your timing when firing your first flare. Wait until you see or hear a rescue craft nearby, or until someone in the area can see your distress signal. Mismanaging your supply will reduce your chances of survival during an emergency, and mishandling a flare gun may do more harm than good. Moreover, the average pyrotechnic flare shelf life is 36 to 42 months from the date of manufacture. The chemicals in older products are weaker and unlikely to work as intended.
Additional Frequently Asked Questions
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Here are the answers to other common questions about flare guns so you can stay safe and informed.
Do Flare Guns Work in the Rain?
Signal pistols can operate underwater, and flare rounds can be water-resistant. However, water will negatively affect the reliability of these emergency devices. Their containers are usually waterproof because flare guns may misfire when soaked.
Do Flare Guns Set Things on Fire?
Flares are incendiary. These flying torches can ignite dry foliage upon landing if you discharge them onto the ground or horizontally. They’re so effective that firefighters utilize them to start backfires without an explosion.
State governments may classify these pyrotechnic products as explosives. Regulators have rules for properly disposing of these hazardous substances.
Is a Flare Gun Good for Self-Defense?
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Flare pistols can inflict severe injury and be lethal. Their muzzle velocities are generally too low to penetrate the human body, though. Firing a burning projectile may burn or set your target ablaze, but your aggressor can also deflect the flare unharmed.
Compared to traditional firearms, flare guns only shoot one at a time, and they can be inaccurate and unpredictable. An assailant who understands how they work knows you’ll be defenseless if you miss your shot. Knives and pepper sprays may offer better protection against lethal threats.
Then again, pulling the trigger on a launcher that can blast a glowing ball of flame and create a loud noise may deter wild animals. Using it to protect yourself against large predators, such as a Grizzly bear, can spare you from sustaining a life-threatening injury in a remote location.
Although a signal pistol is unlikely to immobilize your attacker, you must still use it cautiously. Observe gun safety when handling it to avoid inadvertently causing burn damage to anyone or starting a costly fire.
Can You Shoot Bullets With Flare Guns?
Signal pistols can taper enough to prevent typical 12-gauge shotgun shells from being chambered. However, such a design hasn’t stopped some people from trying to fit real ammo in. A few vloggers were able to shoot rubber ball shells. Launching an unintended projectile from a flare pistol may be unsafe and illegal.
Modifications can turn flare guns into improvised firearms. Some individuals replace the plastic barrel with a metal pipe to chamber a shotgun shell. Others insert a smaller-bore barrel into the existing one to handle a firearm cartridge.
Modified flare guns may be more dangerous to the shooter than to the target. There’s no telling whether the replacement or additional components are sturdy enough to handle real ammunition, so the risk of a modified flare gun misfiring is high.
Is a Flare Gun Illegal?
The legality of flare pistols can vary by jurisdiction, but the law generally allows them under certain circumstances. The authorities want the public to learn how to use these emergency devices.
However, misusing these safety tools — like firing one to cause a false alarm — may make you a felon. This conviction may involve jail time and a hefty fine, and it may deprive you of buying and possessing flares in the future.
Modifying signal pistols to fire conventional bullets may or may not be illegal. You may even carry one in states that consider it a firearm for lawful use. However, using a flare gun to commit a crime is illegal, and having it on hand when committing a crime may increase your sentence.
Flare guns become firearms when they become capable of firing beyond the pyrotechnic shells or cartridges designed for use with them. By definition, the National Firearms Act regulates modified flare guns.
Can Anyone Buy a Flare Gun?
In the U.S., flare pistols are generally available for sale to anyone 18 or older. However, some jurisdictions are enacting laws to more strictly regulate the sale and distribution of flare guns.
For instance, Albany County raised the minimum age to purchase a flare gun to 21 in October 2025. The executive order aims to protect the public from the dangers of emergency signaling devices when misused, acknowledging their potential to cause bodily harm, property damage and become firearms.
Subsequently, county legislators introduced a bill that aims to restrict who can purchase flare guns, reinforcing the county executive’s decision. It would treat the sale of a flare gun to anyone below the age limit as a misdemeanor, imposing a $500 penalty for a first-time violation and $1,000 for subsequent offenses.
These legal measures are a response to the Albany police’s report, highlighting that 13 incidents involving flare guns occurred from July 1, 2024, to July 7, 2025. Over half of them involved minors.
Are There Alternatives to a Flare Gun?
Electronic flares are popular alternatives to flare guns. They use ultrabright LEDs that flash SOS in Morse code, which is three short signals, three long ones and three short signals again. E-flares are battery-operated and can send distress signals for hours, increasing the chances of being noticed in emergencies.
Unlike pyrotechnic flares, electronic ones have no toxic chemicals. They don’t cause marine pollution and are safer to discard. E-flares also don’t pose a fire hazard. Advanced models feature infrared LEDs that are more visible to night-vision goggles. Some can even digitally alert digital mapping systems.
Despite all the desirable capabilities of nonpyrotechnic distress signaling devices, they can’t replace flare guns in some situations. Some parties are uncomfortable using them exclusively offshore. Nevertheless, the U.S. Coast Guard has adopted standards to ensure the e-flares on the market are visible for many nautical miles.
Respect the Etiquette About Flare Guns
As with other safety devices, flare pistols can backfire. They can bail you out when you’re in a bind, but misusing them can turn your life upside down. Always handle flare guns responsibly.
Editor’s Note: The article was originally posted on November 8, 2023, and was updated on January 30, 2026, to provide readers with more updated information.
