Blank Ammo

[rero360]

Gents, I am being tasked to be the technical supervisor on a movie that my girlfriend is directing soon. There will be firearms used in the movie and I want to try and have things be as real as possible.

My question is, does anyone have any recipes for blanks and how best to create them? I'm thinking we will need them in .45ACP, .500 S&W, .270 win and .308, possibly 12 gauge as well.

Also, does anyone know how they get blanks to cycle the actions of pistols like the 1911?

 

[Victor N TN]

Re: Blank Ammo

Crimped mouth blanks are available from several different outlets. Even "Cheaper than Dirt" carries them.

For blank firing semi automatic firearms you need to insert a "nozzle" that has a small hole in it into the muzzle of the firearm. Esentially you are plugging the barrel with an allen socket head set screw. (So the powder burned in the chamber can actually cycle the slide, bolt, ... whichever.) But the set screw has a small hole drilled in it to release some of the pressure.

But beware that the people that do this for a living make their own brass, powder charges and modify their own firearms. The weapons are tested by remote control held in a Ransom Rest and the person firing them is in a different room. Mistakes do happen. This project could get someone very dead if the person doing it didn't know what they are doing.

Personally I would suggest running the credits of a good movie in slow motion and contacting one of the Hollywood armorers that already have experience in this field.

 

[rero360]

Re: Blank Ammo

Thanks Victor, the 1911, and possibly my AR are really the only ones that might be an issue, the wheelgun and boltguns should be fine with no issues

 

[Sniff]

Re: Blank Ammo

You will need blank ammo with a BIG looooong flash to show up well on film.

Military type blank simply doesn’t usually have a big or long enough flash to show up. Do a google search for "movie blank".

The flash needs to be on at least three frames to be even seen. That is why guns in movies have such a huge muzzle flash.

To get a 1911 to cycle you will need a barrel with the locking lugs ground off and the barrel mostly blocked with a grub screw near the chamber end. Far enough forward that the rounds can chamber though.

It takes a lot of trial and error to get it right if you haven't done it before.

It needs to be done properly in case the screw gets turned into a bullet. Most I've seen are fitted into the bore through the side of the barrel.


In fact, all this is very dangerous. Don't do it at all.

AR-15. A grub screw with a small hole can be tapped into the barrel to choke it. Tapping into the barrel will wreak it for good.
or
A metal disc with a small hole drilled in it (or a washer) screwed inside the flash suppressor should be enough have the rifle cycle. Try different sized holes until it runs well. If the disc is too small it may bend out of shape and fly out the muzzle injuring or killing someone.

MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER TO TAKE THE DISC OUT BEFORE FIRING LIVE AMMO AGAIN!

MAKE SURE YOU REMEMBER TO TAKE THE DISC OUT BEFORE FIRING LIVE AMMO AGAIN!

In fact, all this is very dangerous. Don't do it at all.

Buy a blank firing replica and use that. Don't risk damaging your guns or actors in the movie.

DO NOT fire blank ammo directly at anyone. It can KILL at close range.

If you load blank for your .500 S&W you will need some kind of wadding to hold the powder in place long enough for it to ignite. That wadding will come out the muzzle ing fast and kill someone.

Didn’t Brandon Lee, Bruce Lee’s son, get killed by blank ammo?

You should be able to use the same blank for both .308 and .270 as long as it will feed in the .270.

12ga blank can be brought commercially. The stuff we use at work is Winchester Popper Blank. Made by Winchester Australia. Big bang, big flash and would blow your leg off at a range of a couple of feet.

On a Hollywood type movie set the cameras and crew are behind plexiglass shields for safety.

Blanks are not fired directly at anyone. Camera angles just make it look that way.


In fact, all this is very dangerous. Don't do it at all.


Sniff

 

[rero360]

Re: Blank Ammo

Sniff, thank you for the info, I'm very well aware of the danger involved, I have the final say in all things firearm related on this set and I wouldn't do anything even remotely dangerously, I mean for one shot we are either going to get some lexan to place a remote camera behind, use a mirror or just use a different angle, which the latter is most likely going to happen.

I'm just going to scrap the semi autos, they'll just be for show, the bolt guns and revolver will be used.

What type of powder would you recomend to get that big long muzzle flash? as for wadding, would something like a vegitable wad or some of that cotton balls work?

I want to make it clear that no one will ever at any time be anywheres down range while hot, thankfully with the type of movie it is that will possible.

this is all on the assumption that we will get approval from what ever authorities there are once we find the location to do the shoot. We just might mime it then record me shooting at the range to put in the sound.