FP-45 *** Liberator

bruno38

bruno38

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I once read no WWII firearms collection is complete without a ‘Flare Pistol 45’ Liberator. Although I have no expectation reaching that goal, I recently could acquire one from a Canadian collector (also a CGN member) in Ontario.

Liberator’s are pretty hard to find in Canada, since only 196 specimens are known to exist, i.e. have been registered. Being considered prohibited devices, no more Liberators may legally enter the country.

According to Ralph Hagan (author of ‘The Liberator Pistol’), subject handguns entered Canada in early 1972, originating from Philippines (further to their shipping to Australia where 50,000 had been initially delivered in 1942-43, before their distribution to Borneo, Tulagi, Guadalcanal, Malaysia, New Guinea and Philippines, to fight the Japanese invaders).

Author confirms that ‘in order to sell these pistols in Canada, it was necessary to add a serial number… placed on the left handgrip by using an electric pencil’. As per enclosed picture, this specimen is numbered ‘1608’ and registered under this number by RCMP.

Pistol condition is virtually unused and mechanically sound. As recommended, I don’t plan firing it…

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FP-45_Liberator
When for sale in USA: http://www.gunsinternational.com/Guide-Lamp-FP-45-Liberator-Pistol.cfm?gun_id=100406176

For your appreciation, gentlemen

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And just as amazing that they end up in your hands! Congratulations Bruno! Thanks for sharing it and you know you have to shoot it and let us know about it, right?
 
Still alive said:
Amazing that these guns made it back into Canada. Weren't they built to supply the Resistance in Occupied Europe?
Is yours in shootable condition?
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I don't think they were designed will multiple firings in mind.
The idea was to use it pop a German in the noodle and take his gun.

At least that's what Hickok45 told me.
 
I played the middle man for another CGN'er so he could have one of these. Nice to see another one.

He lengthened the barrel to make it restricted.
 
Power Pill said:
I don't think they were designed will multiple firings in mind.
The idea was to use it pop a German in the noodle and take his gun.

At least that's what Hickok45 told me.
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That is correct... it was a smoothbore, so accuracy would have been terrible outside a few yards. Rounds were 'ejected' by sticking a rod down the barrel and popping the spent casing out of the breech. Dropped by the plane load over occupied territories.
 
I knew someone a few years back who had one of these. Got to handle it. They are pretty neat piece of history for the serious collector. It is a shame they are 12-6 prohib. Back then they were worth about $800. With the limited pool of potential buyers one would think the price has probably dropped somewhat.

The requirement to damage these pistols by electro-penciling a serial number onto them is a travesty.
 
ProudPhoenician said:
A flare liberator? Does that mean it fired flares or did it fire .45 ACP? Either way, that's one historically significant gun. Good find there. :)
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The term "Flare Projector" which lead to the FP was a bit of wartime disinformation to keep spies guessing as to what these devices were really meant for. This gun only fires the 45 ACP round.
 
Very interesting piece of history but you would have to be a serious collector to to drop 2+ grand on what has to be the cheapest pistol ever produced.
 
Got to play around with one of these back in the day, real POS, but cool anyway. Heard that although they came with 10 rounds, you couldn't shoot that many before she fell apart. Wonder if people make their own in canada with longer barrels, since originals are around 1000$ if you can find one.
 
Power Pill said:
I don't think they were designed will multiple firings in mind.
The idea was to use it pop a German in the noodle and take his gun.

At least that's what Hickok45 told me.
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That's exactly what they were for. The Liberator was the only gun that could be manufactured faster than it could be reloaded. Many were dropped already loaded and had spare cartridges stored inside them. I think the reason why they had the spares was that resistance fighters could test fire the gun before they actually went to use it for real. Gives them a touch more peace of mind when they know a gun that will actually work.

The term "Flare Projector" which lead to the FP was a bit of wartime disinformation to keep spies guessing as to what these devices were really meant for. This gun only fires the 45 ACP round.
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I did not know that, thanks. :)
 

Apparently, they weren't used nearly as much as believed.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower's staff never saw the practicality in mass dropping the Liberator over occupied Europe, and authorized distribution of fewer than 25,000 of the half million FP-45 pistols shipped to Great Britain for the French resistance. Generals Joseph Stilwell and Douglas MacArthur were similarly unenthusiastic about the other half of the pistols scheduled for shipment to the Pacific. The Army then turned 450,000 Liberators over to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which preferred to supply Resistance fighters in both theatres with more effective weapons whenever possible.

French use of the FP-45 remains undocumented. The OSS did distribute a few to Greek resistance forces in 1944.


One hundred thousand FP-45 pistols were shipped to China in 1943, but the number actually distributed remains unknown. A few were distributed to the Philippine Commonwealth Army, and Constabulary and resistance fighters.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FP-45_Liberator
 
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