Blanks

[ShootingJames]

Blank firing adapters restrict the barrel to a smaller hole so there is enough back pressure to cycle the slide or the bolt. This means that within a few feet of the muzzle there is highly pressurized burning powder exiting the muzzle.

I've never heard of something that shreds a wooden projectile. Would love to know more about this if it's true, because it sounds like a terrible idea in theory. I'd love to know how it was done safely and cleanly. Seems that wood shavings and residue would gather in the barrel pretty quickly and eventually block it, and then well . . . disaster.

The wood tipped blanks were, to my knowledge, for military training and used without any kind of blocked barrel. I still see them at gun shows and they pop up for sale on gunbroker some times.

My understanding is they used wax and paper to cap off hollywood blanks back in the day before they started crimping them. I don't know of any occasion where an actor was given a live round on set and told to shoot away from actors and crew. I can't imagine that being allowed for many reasons, insurance and common sense being the two biggest ones.

I have seen controlled close up filming with live rounds done with green screen, or black BG. I have also seen purchased footage of close up/slow motion live fire used in movies.

I have done some filming for the outdoor channel. In those cases the cameras facing the muzzle is always run remotely, even though the person firing the round is going to miss it by many feet. It's just basic safety.

But, the "reason" it's dangerous with blanks is because it's high pressure burning powder. Even at a distance, unburned powder can hit you, and in some cases the crimps on the tip of a blank can tear off, and come out the barrel.

Been there. Had an actor accidentally fire a blank right into my camera lens once while he was fanning right to left with a revolver, mocking a tracking and firing shot we did from over the shoulder.

I was pelted with unburned powder grains. It didn't hurt, but I was behind the camera. Several of them stuck to the lens and had to be cleaned off. One of those experiences you don't forget. The actor was a buddy of mine, and he was pretty upset with himself.

Even old school hollywood stuck to basic gun safety. And it was a lot more common for actors who used guns to films to be gun owners and hunters themselves back in the day, so you had a better chance of the actor already knowing safe gun handling on set.