Get cookin' with the XM42; handheld flamethrower gets crowdfunded

The XM42 claims to be the world's first commercially available flamethrower, which means that almost anyone will be able to buy the handheld incendiary device. We have to wonder, is that really a good thing? The XM42 flamethrower is gearing up for production via the crowdfunding site IndieGogo. Honestly, it looks dangerous, but it's designed to be much safer than any homemade improvised device a teenager or doomsday-prepper would make. Even a "safe" flamethrower is still dangerous. For the XM42, safety certainly doesn't translate as weakness because the it packs a formidable, fiery punch.

If you need a genuine reason why someone might need a personal flamethrower, it could be used to melt snow, clear the land, and start a bonfire, and stave off zombies in case of apocalypse. The XM42 can also be used just for fun, like a big, incendiary squirt gun. Except that you should "never point [the] device at people, animals, or anything you don't wish to set on fire," according to the warning label.

The XM42 runs on regular gasoline and can shoot streams of flaming gasoline up to 25 feet. Housed in a 1-liter tank, the gasoline can be shot using trigger pulls of up to 5 seconds at a time. Keeping safety in mind, the XM42 has a valve preventing fuel vapor from escaping, preventing a dangerous backflash.

The XM42 is designed to be enjoyed by responsible adults, in the same way that any red-blooded American can enjoy archery or riflery for sport. The flamethrower is illegal in the states of California and Maryland. Apparently, there is no flamethrower legislation on the books throughout the rest of the U.S.

Check out the XM42 in all its flaming glory.

Source: IndieGogo