Replacement Olin Flares?

[daniel123]

I have an Olin Signal Flare pistol kit and the newest set of flares I have for it are out of date. Are they still available? WM doesn't offer them, and I can't seem to locate any doing a quick web search. Did I miss an "Olin-out-of-business" memo?

[Capt. Bob]

This the problem?
http://www.canamglass.org/online/events ... e_Guns.pdf

If not, these should fit. 12 gauge correct?
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... hZPdH8ud5I

Photos would help.

[daniel123]

I was aware of the gun warning but not that Olin was merged into Orion. And those flares at WM are too long to fit in the snub-nosed Olin gun, so I may be SOL. Too bad I didn't learn this until after July 4th! Then again, New Years Eve is just around the corner...or I COULD save them for celebrating a Buckeye football National Championship.


(that was low, I know, and I probly just jinxed 'em)

[seabob4]

I was aware of the gun warning but not that Olin was merged into Orion. And those flares at WM are too long to fit in the snub-nosed Olin gun, so I may be SOL. Too bad I didn't learn this until after July 4th! Then again, New Years Eve is just around the corner...or I COULD save them for celebrating a Buckeye football National Championship.


(that was low, I know, and I probly just jinxed 'em)

Hope you did!  Go Gators!  But then, 'Bama is in OUR league!

[Capt. Bob]

I was aware of the gun warning but not that Olin was merged into Orion. And those flares at WM are too long to fit in the snub-nosed Olin gun,

This was my Olin kit from the 90s. Does yours look like this?
http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?p=4240223

If so...............

The pic is hard to see the dates but look closely at the shells themselves.


The shell on the right is the original Olin shell. The middle is the replacement I used when they discontinued the short model. The left shell is current model. Note that the large bottom section is the same on all three.
You must have a pre-mid 80s vintage gun not shaped like the "Alert/Locate kit linked above. The short shell has an expiration date of 2003. That's the last year I bought them. The middle is 2009.

 I'd like to see a pic of your gun. Is it plastic or aluminum?

Thanks.

[Capt. Bob]

OK Daniel,
Here's the solution.
I spoke with the Orion folks today and they told me that if you ship your old Olin device to them, they will replace it free of charge with a new Orion that chambers the long shell. No charge for the gun and it doesn't matter if the breach is still functional.

Contact them (phone or e-mail) here for details (marine products).
http://www.orionsignals.com/contact.html

Good luck.

[daniel123]

That's my pistol and flares, but it's in a square kit with just the pistol and flares (pix posted in my gallery). Guess what? My flares expired in July 1987! An no, I am not using that kit as my primary signal gear; I just hate to toss it. I also hesitate to take undue advantage of Orion's replacement policy for a gun that old...but thanks for the inquiry, Bob!

[Capt. Bob]

Didn't see the pic but...

In speaking with Orion, they want to get ALL Olin pistols out of circulation, whether operational or not. It's logical because of liability they might incur if a failure happens under duress. My Olin did indeed suffer a breach problem but I just recycled it. I didn't realize the failure was known and Orion was handling it with a replacement till you started this thread.

I'm using an old Kilgore model pistol, strangely enough labeled an Orion XII model.

[wingtime]

Daniel,

I would take them up on the replacement gun.  I'll bet there is a liability issue they are concerned about.  So I would either destroy the gun or get the replacement and let them destroy it. Personally I'd go with option #2.  I'll also bet they want to get a sampling of older guns so they can improve the quality and safety of the current ones.

[daniel123]

I didn't consider that. Looks like I'll be shipping it off to Orion.

Dan