1926 Walther Flare Pistol

Product Description: This is a great, intact, functional example of the 1926 Walther Flare Pistol. It’s the steel version, of which Walther (the designer of this weapon) only made about 9,000 pieces. The metalwork retains original bluing, thin in some areas and worn through in others, with light surface pitting to a few spots here and there. The checked Bakelite grip is intact, with no chips or cracks. It’s well marked, manufactured by “Waffenfabrik Walther Zella Mehlis (Thur.)” and stamped with the commercial type Walther banner logo. The stamped serial numbers all match; this appears to be all-original, complete and un-messed with in any way. The octagonal receiver bears some proof stamps. The smooth bore looks clean. Overall, this scarce 1926 Walther Flare Pistol remains in excellent condition.

Historical Description: Flare pistols were originally patented in the mid-nineteenth century. Germany adopted a flare pistol for their military in 1894. In WWI, they became indispensable weapons of war, used for signaling and providing illumination at night on the battlefield. The Central Powers flare gun used in WWI was a successful design, but had some drawbacks, leading to the design of a new type of flare gun by the Walther factory, which was patented and introduced in 1926. The “Leuchtpistole” was used by the military and also was marketed for civilian use. It was modified in 1934, with a shorter barrel, and this version went on to become the standard flare pistol of the Wehrmacht. In 1942, a new, stamped form of Leuchtpistole was introduced, the LP42, though the Walther 1934 model continued in production until 1943. During WWII, the flare pistol was widely issued and used on all fronts. Hundreds of thousands were made, but only a fraction of them still exist today.

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