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Roger Woods Web Page
Flare Guns vs Firearms
The question:
> What am I missing here? Why
would a flare gun be considered safer
> than a hand gun?
My Answer:
Back when I was sailing and delivering
boats, I always carried two
flare gun kits plus extra shells. Some
of the deliveries involved
sailing well offshore and I wanted
many shells in case I needed them.
Fortunately, I had only one emergency
delivering a boat offshore when
off Cape Henlopen it started taking on
water and overwhelmed the pumps
aboard. I was able to raise the
Coasties on the radio, they put a super
capacity pump aboard, and saved the
vessel. And my reputation. Damn!
Them Coasties is good!!!
I don't recall if marine flares contain magnesium. M is a really
dangerous thing to be around when it
is lit. Back when I was in
aircraft mechanic school I saw a film
that showed a magnesium fire. It
showed what would happen if someone
put water on it. Bad news. Back
then, the only way to put it out was
to cover it real deep with sand
and wait. Patiently.
When I was delivering sailboats, now
and then I would think about what
I would do if someone boarded and
tried to take control. I thought
about firing a flare at them.
I quickly set aside that idea.
Not only would I risk setting them on
fire but that the flare could
bounce off them and set the boat on
fire. Some of these boats I was
delivering were worth a quarter
million dollars or more-- this was
years ago when a million dollars was
big money to the rich-- and I do
not think the owner and the insurance
company would look kindly on me
setting it on fire and burning it to
the waterline. I kinda think they
would have refused to pay my delivery
fee.
If anyone has any doubt about how much
damage a flare fired at someone
can do if it catches them on fire, rig
up a scarecrow type thing and
fire a flare at it. Have plenty of
sand nearby with a big shovel.
You might want to call the local fire
department first and let them
know what you are thinking about
doing. If they are on the ball, they
will call the cops to visit your place
and quickly convince you that
you don't wantta do a test fire.
When my good friend gave me my rig he
offered his flare kit. I turned
him down on it.
My best idea to protect myself is to
be careful about where I go and
where I park.
Although I learned to handle many
weapons when I was in the Army-- from
the M1, carbine, .45, BAR, to light
and heavy machine guns-- that
option is not available to me since I
am prohibited by federal law from
having firearms in my possession
unless I pick up one to defend my
life. Even then, as soon as the threat
has passed I must lay down the
firearm or surrender it to the police.
So, folks, if you are thinking about
packing heat, make sure you get
some good training to use it. Years
ago, combat-type training with a
weapon and conducted by combat
veterans used to be far better than
simply going to a shooting gallery and
firing at paper targets.
Something I learned in the Army. If
you point a loaded weapon at
someone you better be prepared to pull
the trigger and kill, not wound,
them.
No ifs, ands, or buts. Stone cold--
you point it you better know you
can and will shoot to kill.
In real life, if someone is coming at
you and you decide you have to
kill them to stop them, aim for the
heart, or head if close enough.
Don't fire just once but keep firing
at the attacker until all the ammo
is expended. If it is clip fed, be
prepared to eject the empty clip,
jam in another one and keep on firing
until the attacker is on the
ground and no longer coming after you.
How many of you can do that?
The crap you see in the movies about
firing a warning shot over
someone's head is just that. Crap. If
the situation is so bad, and your
life is at risk, you better be
prepared to fire to kill. If you ain't
positive you can do that, save your
money.
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