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British Flare

jvollenberg

Well-Known Member
Ordnance approved
Any ideas on this item? It is being sold as a flare.

Joe
 

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I think it's white flare cartridge 1in Schermuly SPRA (Schermuly pistol rocket apparatus - line thrower).

SPRA.jpg
 
Last edited:
I agree that it is a SPRA launcher cartridge but I have not seen a white? wad before. I have red and black varieties in wads.
 
The line thrower came in a case with launch cartridges as shown in tin,but if I remember correctly also with standard 1" red and white flare carts as per the one in the left of my picture. Just looks like a different closing disc as Ron says.
 
So what mean different colors (white, red, green or black) for these cartridges ?
 
Schermuly a.jpgSchermuly b.jpgSchermuly c.jpgI hope this will confuse everybody about the differences in the line-thrower cartridges.
The original cartridges seem to be cream card with a brass base and patent wad No.271390. These are 32mm long and the same length as the brass cases.
Later red tins have the red wad brass cases with 64 or 65 on the base. This seems to be the Lot number rather than the year. Your Jan 1966 label has 64 on the cartridge bases.
The load seems to be 30 gr. My P.A.C. round is 60gr so a heavier load. See my old thread and tin. It has the grey wad. Never seen a green wad.
The latest aluminium cases are in foam boxes of 5 rounds with 4 languages on the label and red wads. They are only 23.5mm long and 25gr loads.



My photos.
ICI 10-44 brass case black wad.
P.A.C. only 60gr load brass case and grey wad. Too heavy for line-throwers.
Aluminium red wad line-thrower . L 8 is lot number.
Original Schermuly line-thrower with card case.
Brass 25gr line-thrower with red wad.

I have only seen black, red and the original wads on line-thrower cartridges.
I have the line-thrower guns too in 3 calibres but did not think they were ever used as flare guns but they could fire flares too as they are converted pistols with long barrels fitted.
 
Hi Ron, I can't find reference to standard flares being in the line throwing gun case with the gun and tin of carts,but was offered some years ago. As you say its just a standard pistol with barrel extension. As for the various loadings and wads, the obvious answer to me would be the distance to throw the line, weight of line(modern cordage being much lighter and stronger), wind strength etc requiring a different load. Just my thoughts. Perhaps the pistol handbook would help?
 
Interesting thread. I've only seen red and green that I knew to be launching cartridges.

This book mentions line, antenna, flares and grappling hooks that they made. There are very few specific pics of devices. It's too much to summarize or copy on my phone but here is a pic of their display table from their "First 60 Years" celebration.

20220429_192227.jpg
20220429_193046.jpg
20220429_193425.jpg
 
Thanks Will for enlightening me! I collect flare carts and am ignorant to the other end of the apparatus. Ref the book Copdoc, is it available digitally?
Cheers Tig.
 
Thanks Will for enlightening me! I collect flare carts and am ignorant to the other end of the apparatus. Ref the book Copdoc, is it available digitally?
Cheers Tig.

I'm not sure if it's available digitally. A friend found this and thought it would make a nice birthday present several years ago.
 
I will see if I can find it on the net,nice present from a good friend! Info on companies like this are hard to find.
 
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