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Old 03-25-2009, 03:55 AM
HKFan
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Default Can you silence a gun using blank ammunition?

I technically don't think you can silence a gun using blank ammo because there is nothing but a small hole in a barrel shooting out ignited gunpowder not being able to compress the sound in the silencer but I dont know for sure?
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Old 03-25-2009, 06:57 PM
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It would probably be easier since there is no projectile making noise, but hollywood doesn't use real suppressors as far as I know, it is cheaper and easier to use mock supressors. Maybe if there was a sound ordnance problem and one was handy, they would, but I think they stick to mainly mock suppressors.
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Old 03-25-2009, 07:06 PM
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Yeah, most of the sound suppressors you see in movies are fake. Ever wonder why the suppressed guns in your favorite action films tend to have huge muzzle flash (i.e. the MP5SDs in "Bad Boys II"), which they shouldn't have in real life? It's because armorers typically use unregulated mock suppressors to save themselves the trouble of buying more NFA regulated items than they need. Plus, almost no film uses the real gunshots anyway (gunfire is always dubbed over in post-production, just like dialogue and other sound effects), so it's not like there's any advantage.

I think the noise generated by blanks depends on the powder load in them.
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Old 03-25-2009, 09:58 PM
Nyles Nyles is offline
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When using a BFA, not a movie blank-firing gun, its unnecessary as it's quieter than a supressed gunshot (which of course sounds nothing like in the movies) anyways.
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Old 04-04-2009, 06:00 AM
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Default Suppressed movie guns

There are several reasons real functional suppressores ( not silencers ) are not used. Firstly and most importantly they are dangerous to use. Because their internal construction creates many pockets to catch unburned powder particles there is the possibility of a massive detonation. This could be after 6-7 rounds or 3-4 magazines worth of blanks. It WILL happen-it's only a matter of time. Secondly, yes they are 3-5 times the cost of building one out of alum. bar stock which a basically a "barrel extension" and does not attenuate sound or flash.
Movies are a visual medium and most directors want the look of the suppressor and the flash. I worked with Bay on BB2. He is brilliant and his movies make millions!! How else are most movie goers going to know if the gun is going off?? The uneducated public wants to "see" it!!
Re: BFA's ( military not movie blank adapted ) decible level being quieter than a real suppressed weapon that would NOT be true if SUBSONIC ammunition was used. Been there/done those comparisons with the decible meters. Military BFA's used with military blank ammunition produce approximately the same noise level as a movie blank 1/4 load. The blanks are extremely reliable but the flash has an orange/yellow color vs the white of a movie specific blank.
The most accurate depiction of a truely suppressed firearms is with "solid plug loads" These blanks produce enough pressure to cycle the gun but exibit no flash because of the totallly occluded barrel. The decible level is equivilent to a truly suppressed firearm with subsonic ammunition.
What is generally used is a 1/4 load blank. This gets you about 75 decibles with a small amount of flash, depending on the gun--more with a pistol--less with a something like an MP5. This seems to satisfy both the "artistic ones" and those most concerned with authentisity.
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Old 04-04-2009, 07:51 AM
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Are actors required to wear earplugs at all times when shooting guns as a legal requirement? Because I've heard people say actors wear plugs and it is a logical decision but I never see ear plugs, even when I look really hard.
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Old 04-04-2009, 05:18 PM
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Default Hearing protection

The soft foam earplugs are flesh colored. If not flesh colored, the makeup dept. colors them to match. Many times the plugs are cut in half and pushed deep in the ear so they are not visible
As an armorer you can insist on the actors and NEEDED crew use hearing protection. It is always offered before scenes with gunfire or loud special effects. There will also ( 99% of the time ) be a Saftey Officer on the set that can back you up and also insist on hearing protection. There will also be notices of loud noise, for liability reasons, in the daily film schedule.
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Old 04-04-2009, 07:51 PM
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If someone insists other wise, do you get to enjoy proving them wrong? Because I'm sure if you fired a few blanks inside or in a closed space, he wouldn't hear instructions too well anymore
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Old 04-06-2009, 05:49 AM
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Default SportEar Gunshot Canceling Hearing Protection

I've always wondered if hunters take the risk to put some earplugs before taking a shot so I got some free Cabelas Catalogs and saw something called a SportEar. It looks like you can increase your hearing while hunting, and when a gunshot is fired your protected from loud noises.

Hears a link to that site I found:http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...801&hasJS=true

I think some actors with money and brains would buy $1500 products that basically look like hearing aids and up to a distance can't be seen by a camera. Hope this answered your question.

Every soldier in Iraq would probably want a pair of these.
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Old 04-06-2009, 07:02 AM
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I think I heard something about US soldiers currently wearing those but dont quote me on that.

They sell earmuff versions for like $60 bucks, I want a pair. I prefer earplugs to earmuffs because muffs block out TOO much sound, I can't hear any of the cool gunshot. At least I hear SOMETHING if I wear plugs.
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