Optics Mounts for RV85 Flare Gun?

[Gelrir]

I've got a lovely Czech flare gun, model RV85. On the left side of the receiver it has what has to be an optics mounting point -- maybe for night vision gear of the mid-1980s? Is anyone here able to provide an opinion on what exactly the mount is? The two holes flanking the slot are about 57mm apart, center-to-center.

Thanks for your attention!

--
Michael B.

 

[Gelrir]

Must be very mysterious!

 

[briandg]

It is just as you say, supposedly an optic mount. this is what I have found. it doesn't seem right.

 

[FrankenMauser]

I really don't think an optic would have been used with a flare rifle.

Those holes look like assembly/disassembly access holes.
And the slot looks like it serves some type of purpose.

Is the metal visible through the slot part of the ejector?


It is also possible, though unlikely in my opinion, that that was a provision for a fixed mount -- such as when the RV85 was used as a riot gun, shooting CS.

 

[Gelrir]

The weapon was primarily used not for "lighting up the sky", but for law enforcement and counter-terror units. A specific round developed for it was a barrier-penetrating tear gas round ... supposed to be able to pass through an airplane fuselage or bank window. If you're using the flare gun at night to hit a window, some form of basic night vision might be useful.

The two holes are threaded, and there's a tiny ... detent pin? ... along the bottom edge of the slot. The slot itself is about 40mm long, 5mm wide (measured with a ruler, not calipers or a micrometer).

Thanks for your attention!

EDIT: the high-velocity, possibly rocket-boosted wall-penetrating rounds (max range 700 meters -- across an airport) aren't for use in regular flare guns, which is why the RV85 has a really thick space for the cartridge rim -- the "rocket rounds" have an odd pressed-metal "staggered" rim, so they won't chamber in regular launchers. You need to put an bit rubber O-ring on regular flares for them to fire reliably from this flare gun. I've attached a pic of some rounds.

 

[briandg]

Frank, I did some research. If you could see the gun would see that its barrel is far heavier than needed for flares, it really didn't need a stock. What I read stated that it is as a grenade launcher with multiple purposes. The page also described I'd as an optic mount. I have no reason to believe that it is absolutely true, but looking at the multiple photos I found, I concluded that it really is more than a flare launcher.

 

[Gelrir]

Some people on flare-related forums have stated it's also used for target designation for short-range weapons in the Czech army (i.e., mortars), since it's much longer ranged than a basic Very flare gun.

 

[briandg]

That makes absolute sense, and if it was used at night for target marking, maybe it did have a good night scope so th bad guys could be spotted and properly marked. I have no idea what the range is. It could be very helpful, like a laser designator for a bomb to home in on, or to light a target area.

Seems to me that the blazing hot light might also hinder actual target acquisition by fighters.

 

[Gelrir]

I've taken some pics; it has a two-position sight marked for 50 meters. Clearly it's meant to be fired "at" something.

 

[Gelrir]

Here are the pictures; notice how thick the barrel is!

 

[FrankenMauser]

Here are the pictures; notice how thick the barrel is!

That's because it was built by Brno, instead of Mattel.

I concluded that it really is more than a flare launcher.

Indeed.
From what I understand, it was meant to be a flare rifle and riot gun, with some suggestion that it may have also been considered for line-launching on boats.

Talk of mortars, grenades, etc. seems to only come from the American side of the Atlantic.