Xsbank
Guru
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2013
- Messages
- 3,791
- Location
- Canada
- Vessel Name
- Gwaii Haanas
- Vessel Make
- Custom Aluminum 52
Interesting Halloween evening with flares. We shot some off in the afternoon, the pistol seemed to work. I saved some (2005) flares for The Admiral to shoot tonight. It has a kind of 'magazine' that is on a flimsy piece of plastic and holds 6 cartridges. I had wanted her to shoot some to get some experience with them. I showed her how to load and hold the gun, how to hold it over her head to aim, cock and fire the thing, which she did. There was a very loud bang and the first flare didn't leave the barrel, it burned very red over her head! I reached up and slapped it out of her hand into the water where it promptly sank, taking the rest of the flares with it! Not only are expired flares unpredictable, if that had been an emergency, I was prepared to shoot expired flares and all of our flares would have been lost. I am now very skeptical about using a cheap plastic flare gun.
Thankfully, The Admiral wasn't hurt, just a bit smelly from the flare smoke.
So after ranting today about how making flares with an expiration date was a government plot to benefit some company that gave them party contributions, I have changed my tune. Bloody dangerous things that should be treated with the utmost respect and the expiration date really means something.
All of mine expire this December, so I'm off to buy new ones.
Thankfully, The Admiral wasn't hurt, just a bit smelly from the flare smoke.
So after ranting today about how making flares with an expiration date was a government plot to benefit some company that gave them party contributions, I have changed my tune. Bloody dangerous things that should be treated with the utmost respect and the expiration date really means something.
All of mine expire this December, so I'm off to buy new ones.