anyone know what this is?

[ebonitekid767]

A guy I work with found this in his basement when he moved in, no markings on the gun at all..... seems to be a .38 caliber with a extractor.......

[Scibaer]

its a really neat old handgun..  thats for sure..
it'd make a nice wall hanger/ conversation piece

[S.S.]

Looks like a starter pistol for athletic events?
Is it rifled?

[ebonitekid767]

Not rifled, but a 38 cal starter?

[Hank08]

Looks more like a flare gun but not sure if they made them in that small a caliber.  If it's shootable with ball ammo and has no rifling it might be looked upon, by the ATF, as a sawed off shotgun. H08
 

[Airsporter]

If there are no markings at all, it is very possibly a homemade or prototype pistol.  Starter/blank pistols are made in 38 but would have a solid barrel or pinned chamber to prevent use of a regular cartridge.  And, they are usually revolvers to allow for a follow-up shot if a blank fails to fire.

[goldhound56]

Is this for sell?

[mauser98us]

Kinda looks like those cheap guns we made for resistance forces around the world in WW2

[Airsporter]

Kinda looks like those cheap guns we made for resistance forces around the world in WW2

Similar at a glance but the "liberators" were welded sheet metal in 45 ACP.
 

 
 

[mauser98us]

yeah I know about that one,but I,m sure with all the wartime priorities, some contracts were let out for other types. If memory serves me right, the Liberators were built by the Guide light division of GM.

[Mikey]

I think it is probably a flare gun.  Flares were made in smaller calibers.  I used flare 'pens' during the war to signal the need for extractions.  I would not shoot live ammunition through it, it is probably not built for those pressures. 

[yosemite]

9 mm flares were quite common at one time, in rim and centerfire, mostly european, xery interesting though

[ebonitekid767]

any thoughts on what it may be worth?