Type 97 Flaregun
| Factions | Weapon | Icon | Classes | Ammo | Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Projectile Hit | Burn Over Time | |||||
 VC |
 Type 97 Flaregun |
 |
 Sniper |
1 / 2 | 40 | 45 |
| Designation | Weapon Type | Fire Modes | Fire Rate | Muzzle Velocity | Projectile weight | Weight | Reload Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [[]] | Flare gun | Single Shot | RPM | 52 m/s | 100 g (0.2205 lbs) | 1 kg (2.205 lbs) | 2.733 Seconds |
| Full name | Caliber | Place of Origin | Date | Manufacturer | Barrel Length | Total Length | Weapon Script Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FN | Flare Round | USA | 1937 | ARM | in ( mm) | in ( mm) | weapon_type97 |
The Type 97 signal pistol is a Japanese single-shot, break-open flare gun developed for the Imperial Japanese Navy and chambered for 28mm signal cartridges. It was intended for visual signaling—such as illumination, identification, and communication—where radios were impractical or silence was required. The Type 97 is best known for being the Navy’s only single-barrel flare pistol pattern and for its association with Kawaguchiya Firearms Company (“KFC”) markings.
HISTORY
Japan’s Navy standardized the Type 97 in 1937 as part of a broader set of naval pyrotechnic signaling equipment using 28mm flares. The pistol was produced by Kawaguchiya Firearms Company and features a simple hinged/break-open action with an enclosed striker and lanyard ring, built to be carried as shipboard or shore equipment for routine signaling duties.
Type 97 signal pistols were used through World War II and survived in limited numbers as captured souvenirs and museum pieces. While the Type 97 is most directly tied to WWII naval service, flare pistols and pyrotechnic signaling remained relevant in later conflicts for marking positions and coordinating movement; any postwar presence would primarily have come through leftover stocks, capture, or surplus circulation rather than standardized issue.
Sources
- Australian War Memorial – Model 97 Signal Pistol (collection entry)
- Australian War Memorial – Japanese Flare Pistol (Kawaguchiya Firearms Company) (collection entry)
- MCCOFC Journal (Fall 2021) – overview of Japanese naval flare pistols, including Type 97 introduction and maker
- Forgotten Weapons – Japanese Type 97 Naval Flare Pistol (background and variants)