So... My flare kit came to the end. And last few months of 06 season I was kayaking around with few expired flares. They worked since we tested them having a lot of spares between my kayaking friends and me. I used pocket rockets and can't seem to find them locally anymore and I don't really want to pay Hazmat shipping charges that are twice the amnount of product value. No problem will come about them eventually. This is about 12 gauge more popular signaling device.

SO my original gun that I bought for singaling was a 12 gauge model which came with few flares that looked like a 2.5 inch 12 gauge shells. Shells perfectly feeded into my Remington 870 shotgun so I didn't even bother bringing Orion pistol. My shotgun served dual purpose and everything was great until this year. I was up in a harbor area and went to the store yesterday to realize that 12 gauge flares are not available anymore in original shell configuration. They are about 4 inches long still with what looks like 12 gauge end (no stamp) as they should fit into flare pistols made after 1981 by Orion. New flares should go up higher and last longer. I looked at the flare and it looks like maybe it can be trimmed to 3 inches magnum shell but since evertyhign is plastic now (old ones had metal ends) I don't know about fit or ejection. Now quite willing to risk playing with it in NYC apt It looks like it will feed into over/under or side/side one but I only have a pump action.

So that's just an update folks if you were carrying them 12 gauge old flares you may not be able to get them anymore. Until of course someone figures out if trimming works. So anyway on the boat or in your car it really doesn't matter how much space things take since you have pleanty of stroage space but when hiking/hunting/kayaking it makes a small space/weight difference.

Old kit:



New kit:

Guess I should have bought more of the 12ga flares in Alaska last year, they were in just about every store.

I asked Mr. Google about 12 gauge flares, and found a lot that look as if they will work in a standard shotgun, but then you have that shipping cost...

I'm not sure I'm brave enough to try those extra long ones out of a shotgun, and I sure wouldn't want to try to mod these.

You might want to try the next Gun Show when it comes to town. Do they have those in New York?
In Utah we have one every two or three months and it is a great place to pick up items that are hard to find at the local outdoor shop. The one I attended a few months ago had several brands of 12g flares designed for a shotgun.
-John

I think I would try one, as long as it was someone elses gun. But modifying one, I don't think so Tim...

I hear that they just arrest everybody entering or leaving.

Thanks for the info!! At least my Navy MK 5 (Mod Bo) will be able to handle the new shells.

IIRC: Don't leave your fired flare shell in your shotgun. Eject it right away. My guess is they expand and soften when fired. If left to cool they are difficult to remove.

-john