The FP- 45 Liberator is one of the rarest of American martial handguns from World War II. The FP designation stood for “flare projector,” and was meant to mislead enemy spies. Constructed mostly of welded, stamped sheet metal parts with a die-cast zinc cocking piece, this gun measures only 5 inches long and weighs about one pound. 

Each gun cost the federal government just over $2 to produce. Today, they can be worth $1,500 - $7,000 depending on the quality or inclusion of their rare shipping boxes.

The idea that brought this gun to life was to create a light, simple, inexpensive, powerful handgun that could be dropped from aircraft. 

On August 21, 1942, one million FP-45 pistols had been completed in the time span of 6 months in a factory in Indiana.

The images of thousands of these little guns raining from the sky are more of a myth than reality. There is not much evidence to support this as true but, the FP-45 was actively distributed and used by guerilla forces across the world during the conflict!  

Although, the original firearm is difficult to come by, there are reproductions on the market today. This gun is a must-try for any vintage weapon fanatic!

Credit: Frank Jardim - American Shooting Journal