In America, no federal laws currently exist regarding private ownership of flamethrowers. In fact, no Federal Firearms Arms (FFL) search is required, and only two states have restrictions on them: Maryland and California (of course). If you're in Maryland, sorry they are banned. If in California, you can apply for a license from the State Fire Marshal (good luck). In the remaining states......have at it. Whether you want it for controlled burns, ice melting, land clearing, or just lighting your bonfire, there are some good options available that many people do not realize and have never considered. But first, what exactly is a flamethrower? A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device that can project a controlled jet of fire. (Defined by California as having a range of 10 feet or more in their laws.) The mechanism is relatively simple, consisting of a reservoir of liquid fuel that is sprayed out and an igniter to ignite the flame. Most likely portable and carried by the operator. These have probably been around a lot longer than you realize. This medieval concept dates back to its first use by the Byzantine Empire circa 872 AD to set enemy ships on fire in war using a weapon called Greek Fire. Chinese empires later utilized their version of a flamethrower using pistons to pump the fuel. The Germans would later invent the Flammenwerfer, which in English translated to flamethrower, the first weapon that resembles what we know today at the turn of the 20th century. This was later used by them extensively in World War I and II. In World War II even employing them on tanks. During World War II, England, Italy, Japan, the Soviet Union, and the United States all employed flamethrowers to varying degrees of success. The United States continued their use in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In Vietnam napalm was also used via flamethrower. The United States officially stopped their usage in 1978, citing questionable effectiveness in modern combat. Of the available options to the general public today, my favorites are the two shown below, both XM42 variants. Both models use an electric in-line fuel pump to spray the flammable liquid out of a nozzle passing the igniter. The igniter uses a battery to light butane to then light the propellant.

Ion Productions XM42 Modular Flamethrower Black - XAC-XM42-BLK

  • 8 pounds
  • 2 handles
  • Bottom mount reservoir
  • Billet aluminum construction
  • Electric ignition(butane)
  • 30 ft range
  • 50+ tank refills per battery charge
  • Can be upgraded to backpack reservoir
  • Officially approved fuels: Gasoline (unleaded), gasoline-diesel mixture, ethanol.

    Ion Productions XM42 Modular Flamethrower

X Products XM42 Lite Flamethrower Silver - XM42-LITE-SILVER

  • 5.5 pounds
  • Top mount reservoir
  • Billet aluminum construction
  • Electric ignition(butane)
  • Utilizes an electric fuel pump to emit fuel from the nozzle, which is ignited by the pilot torch mounted at the end of the device.
  • Powered by a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
  • 25 ft range
  • Nozzles are easily interchangeable to vary burn time
  • Officially approved fuels: Gasoline (unleaded), gasoline-diesel mixture, ethanol.


X Products XM42 Lite Silver Flamethrower

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