Flares which hit surfaces, especially soft targets at perpendicular angles stick in place. Rounds hitting hard surfaces at an oblique angle may glance or bounce before coming to rest. Launched rounds fire at a low velocity and arc heavy across their trajectory before impacting a solid surface. The weapon is single-shot and holds only one round, so it must be reloaded manually each time it is fired. While equipped: Aim ( 'RMB') and fire ('LMB'). The Distress Pistol is a weapon can be equipped from the Radial Menu, the Weapon Hotkey ('2') or directly from the Inventory. Rounds fired from the Distress Pistol produce large amounts of red light and burn for 20 minutes (in-game), during which Wolves and Timberwolves will be unable to approach the round's landing site. Rounds from the Distress Pistol are accurate but follow a heavy arcing trajectory, similar to that of thrown Stones (and greater than Simple Arrows from the Survival Bow) this along with the Distress Pistol's effectiveness at scaring all Wildlife makes hitting wildlife with the weapon challenging, especially from long distances or while they are moving. Wildlife struck by a round will either die immediately, or bleed to death over the following hours.

Similar to the Revolver, Distress Pistols serve primarily as defensive weapons since their report upon firing will frighten all nearby Wildlife: notably including Bear and Moose (the only weapon to do so consistently). The Distress Pistol is a break action, single-shot weapon which fires Flare Shells (not conventional Flares, or Marine Flares) as glowing red balls of light.

The long dark revolver