FP 45 Liberator

[ChuteTheMall]

http://home.pacbell.net/rlhag65/images/fullv.jpg

The correct name for the Liberator Pistol is the "Flare Projector" Caliber .45 (FP-45). During 1942 over a six month period one million pistols were produced. Actual production of the pistol was about 11 weeks. Using that figure, 300 people produced a pistol with 23 parts every 6.6 seconds, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 11 weeks. This is probably the only pistol that could be made faster than it could be loaded. Loading takes about 10 seconds.

Many stories have been told about how this pistol was distributed and used. Some are true but most have no basis. The story about how they were dropped into occupied France by the tens of thousands has not been documented. They were used in France but in very limited numbers. Most of the pistols were used in the Philippines and China. Another story is that the pistols were made for the OSS. The OSS had no knowledge of this pistol until after development and production was completed. They were developed for and made by the U.S. Army, who later gave them to the OSS.

[mikedb]

I read somewhere (Illustrated Book of Guns-Miller?)that they were to be used to get a real gun from an unsuspecting enemy soldiers.

[fastvfr]

What other use could there be for that thing?

[ChuteTheMall]

Originally posted by fastvfr
What other use could there be for that thing?

One Shot Stop purists? ;)

[VinVega]

Ever see the price of one of those these days? Definitely no longer a SNS.

[chiefscott1701]

I saw one in a gun history book I bought. Looked really cool--would love to own one as a curiousity. But have you seen the prices? I agree--not a SNS anymore...

[engineer151515]

Experimental Two Shot version


Twice the fun! ;g

http://img85.exs.cx/img85/1867/twoshotliberator3us.jpg

[engineer151515]

Originally posted by ChuteTheMall
.... They were developed for and made by the U.S. Army, who later gave them to the OSS.

Now THAT is worthy of a big THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!


not

;P

[CanadianGlockFan]

It's certainly an interesting piece of history, but I really doubt I would want to fire one; we've got one in our forensic collection, and the spot-welds holding it together look none too strong ;Q OTOH, the Vietnam War version they made for partisans (the "Deer Gun") looks a little more solid, with a barrel that unscrews to load and a die-cast frame.
http://www.nfa.ca/nfafiles/cfjarchive/firearms/ciadeergun.jpg

[chiefscott1701]

Is that 2 shot version for real? Where did you find the photo? How many were made?

Here's another one I found on GunsAmerica. The Liberator Shotgun:

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976529904.htm

http://images.gunsamerica.com/upload/976529904-1.jpg

A very seldom seen US made WW2 12 ga. shotgun that was airdropped to Guerilla and Resistance fighters. Manufactured and marked by Richardson Industries. Related to the "Liberator" .45 caliber single shot pistols made by Guide Lamp Division of GM. A round is loaded into the breech of the barrel. The trigger holds the barrel onto the stock. To fire it the trigger is depressed and the barrel is moved forward, then pulled back sharply to make the round hit a fixed firing pin in the stock/receiver. Marked "US Property". The only other I have seen was unmarked. Looks unfired; stock is cracked at a knot.

[chiefscott1701]

Here's a liberator being sold on gunbroker as we speak. It's up to almost $1000:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=28554998

http://www.pawntalk.com/ebay/liberator9.jpg

[engineer151515]

Originally posted by chiefscott1701
Is that 2 shot version for real? Where did you find the photo? How many were made?


FYI

http://www.securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/0900/992.htm

:)

[BillK@tcmhmrs.o]

This is what it comes to when guns are outlawed and the tyrants heel has to be pushed off people's neck for freedom to be restored. This Liberator gun was a last ditch one shot gun to kill an Axis soldier in occupied Europe after the appeasement cowards caved in to Hitler. I hope our Brit friends keep this is their memory after all their guns have been confiscated and I hope to God we don't have to bail them out again!

[CanadianGlockFan]

Here's a couple of shots of a Richardson "Guerrila Gun" we have in our forensic collection; Illits Richardson was a USN Lieutenant based in the Phillipines during WW2, and he saw the local partisans using their own home-made "slam-bang" shotguns against the Japanese. After the war, he set up a company to produce the same sort of thing for the US market (lots of GIs returning home with lots of money to spend), but who wanted to buy one of THESE when they could get a nice, blued pump or semi-auto. This one is marked "Richardson Industries Guerrila Gun" and "East Haven, Conn.", branded into the stock. I've fired this one a couple of times, and it works well, but leaves a very weird firing-pin imprint on the shells. The knurled silver knob on the right side acts as sort of a "safety" by stopping the barrel from sliding freely, but I wouldn't want to trust it. When I show this example to tours and explain that it's possible to make the same sort of thing for less than 10$ from materials you can get in any hardware store, they tend to have some very weird reactions; they see first-hand that we're not able to stop people from getting cocaine, heroin or any other drug, despite the fact that those drugs or the raw materials for them have to be smuggled thousands of miles from South America or SE Asia, but they haven't stopped to apply that same logic to something (a gun) that you can produce from something that's down at the corner hardware store.

[CanadianGlockFan]

Other side.

[MrMurphy]

I've handled a Liberator. It fills your hand all right.



I remember reading a Resistance member's comment about his, he said it was the best gun in the world to get another gun with. Apparently he walked up, shot a German in the back with his, picked up his MP40 and ammo and ran for it after finishing the guy off.

[vafish]

Originally posted by MrMurphy
I've handled a Liberator. It fills your hand all right.



I remember reading a Resistance member's comment about his, he said it was the best gun in the world to get another gun with. Apparently he walked up, shot a German in the back with his, picked up his MP40 and ammo and ran for it after finishing the guy off.

But what happend when the germans started patroling in pairs?

[c_w_cunningham]

Originally posted by vafish
But what happend when the germans started patroling in pairs?

You asked a friend to come with, maybe?