The RV85 rings in 2024 – By Order of the Peaky Blinders!

I talk about the RV85 in a previous post about European military fares and how the really take a New Year’s celebration to the next level (were allowed by law). This time I actually got to shoot it!

Quick re-cap: The RV85 was imported to the US in 2010 as a flare gun (very legal). Initially built for Czech Special Forces Units, less than 3000 were made in the mid-1980s, and less than 1000 got into the US before the ATF said, ‘Yeah, but no more.’

I picked up mine about ten years ago. It was new in the box, never fired or issued. Don’t worry; no one in the US has the rockets this was manufactured to fire. But it handles flares just fine since it shares the 26.5mm bore diameter spec.

I have a stash of Czech parachute flares that can light up 25 acres on a clear night.

But I don’t know. The German Red Rain Fliegerkennung was kind of fun too.

And if you need to learn who the Peaky Blinders are, you have missed one of the most incredible series ever.

GoatBoy out and about in a new year!