Chinese Flare Pistol - 1948

[signalman]

This is a Chinese Flare Pistol. It is Dated 1948. I picked up two slightly different versions from a Korean Veteran. It has the low serial number 87

[signalman]

This is the other Chinese flare pistol, note that it was made with no front sight. It is dated 1949 and has the low serial number of 6

[Dr.E13]

Hi Signalman,

What kind of price do these go for? Why aren't they more available?

Never imported??


Regards,

Dr.E13

[signalman]

One sold recently at auction if I remember correctly. I do not know the price that was bid.

[Blade]

these are copies of the soviet OSP30, i dont have any info on how many or why they were made but i can tell these were hand made, someone took a block of brass, cutted it to a rough shape and then hand filled it to this shape. they probably picked brass because its softer metal and can be filed faster and it doesent wear out the files as much. still a nice peace and exelent craftmenship

[ron3350]

Interesting photos of post war Chinese pistols. First time I have seen these so thanks for posting. Ron.

[signalman]

It is post WWII, not post Korean War. My two that I bought in St. Louis in the 1980's were brought back by a Korean vet according to the previous owner. I had no reason to doubt him.

Also, They have an arsenal or manufactures marking. I am not familiar with Chinese arsenals, etc. I believe if not a normal factory, it must be a small cottage factory. They are extremely well made, but obviously hand finished. Much like the Chinese copies of the Browning 1900 and C-96 pistols

[hotto]

Signal pistol of the revolutionary troops


This signal pistol is a very much simplified replica of the 1930 Soviet model. It was made by hand in the final stages of the Chinese Civil War for the Communist troops in small workshops because the revolutionary forces did not have the capability to make such weapons industrially to produce in series. The housing of this signal gun was made of cast bronze, the barrel and the system parts were made of not particularly high-quality steel. At the beginning of the Korean War, the extant signal pistols of this type were delivered to the North Korean army, where they were retired in the late fifties.

[signalman]

This is great information, may I ask your source ?