Most people probably don’t think about it, but almost every movie or TV show about guns has a prop gun that has no real bullets. It’s not just for legal reasons, either. Even live-action shows that are as gritty and dark as possible won’t risk someone getting shot with a real bullet because of the risk to their actors. It makes sense, too. After all, the point of making one of these shows is to entertain viewers while also educating them. Having an actor get shot in the arm or shoulder with a real bullet during filming would obviously put them at risk, not just from the pain but also from potential infection if they were unable to clean it properly. Sure, you could argue that this doesn’t make much difference if you assume they have similar precautions in place when using a fake gun as well; however, there’s also no denying that audiences will be more comfortable watching something knowing there isn’t a real risk of someone getting hurt.
Was There a Live Round in the Prop Gun?
The gun barrel looked real, but the prop gun contained no live ammunition. It was designed to look as if it did contain bullets by adding a metal core inside the barrel. This is similar to what is done with movie guns that have fake barrels. The metal core extends through the entire length of the barrel and then through the bottom of the prop gun. The base of the prop gun is closed off with a rubber plug and dirt, so the metal core is concealed. The barrel is open on both ends to allow for the visibility of bullets in the film.
Why Are There Typically No Live Rounds?
1. It’s Illegal
The use of live ammunition is often outlawed in certain situations. For instance, you can’t use live rounds at an indoor shooting range because they can travel through the air and hit others in the building. You also can’t use live rounds to hunt certain animals, such as rabbits or pigeons, due to the fact that they have very small heads and are therefore difficult to kill with a single shot. The use of live rounds in films is illegal because they cause damage to property and people. Equipment used on sets can be easily damaged by live rounds, and the accidental ricochet of a bullet could cause injury or death. It’s also illegal to fire a gun in most areas unless you have a license for it.
2. Blank Ammunition Is Dangerous
Blank rounds are fired from a gun, but they don’t contain any gunpowder. They’re designed to create a loud noise and a flash of light when fired, but they aren’t meant to cause any damage. Unfortunately, people often assume that the gun isn’t loaded when they see it being pointed at them, and they’ll do something dangerous, like grab it or try to wrestle with the person holding it. Blank rounds can cause serious injury under certain circumstances. People who have been shot with a live round know what it feels like. It’s a piercing, stinging, burning sensation. Although blanks are intended to have very limited damage, it’s possible that they could break the skin. In an emergency situation with a lot of adrenaline, it’s easy to be careless and fail to notice a wound that’s bleeding.
3. Police Officers Are Trained To Watch For Blanks
The use of live rounds is strictly controlled by law enforcement. If you are pulled over by a police officer and he doesn’t know you’re carrying a gun, he’ll probably tell you to put your hands on the steering wheel. If you have a weapon, it should be kept out of sight until the officer feels safe enough to take it from you. If you don’t know the officer is there, there’s a good chance he won’t know you’re trying to protect yourself. The last thing you want to do is scare a police officer into shooting you by pointing a gun at him without warning. If you have a gun with live rounds, you’re going to have to work extra hard to get the police to understand why you have it.
4. Live Rounds Require Extra Care And Attention
Blank rounds ease production and they enable actors to react to the noise and light from the gun. The sound of a gunshot is often used as a warning that something is about to happen. When it comes to reducing production costs, the use of blanks is a lot more efficient than using real rounds. The downside is that actors need to react to the noise, light, and recoil from the gun. The noise and light are easy to deal with, but the recoil must be controlled so that it doesn’t make an actor stumble. It’s much easier to control the recoil of a gun using a blank round than a real round. Blanks can be fired from a real gun if it’s fitted with a special device that holds the extra pressure of the gas when the gun is fired. The use of blanks is mostly used in action movies, and it’s rare to see them in other genres.
5. What Happens If A Real Bullet Ends Up In The Prop Gun?
- If a real bullet ends up in the prop gun, that’s obviously not the best situation. In fact, it can be a very dangerous situation for everyone on set.
- You might be wondering if anyone will get in trouble for it if a real bullet ends up in the gun. The short answer is ‘yes’; however, the long answer is ‘maybe’. If the bullet is discovered prior to anyone getting hurt, odds are that no one will get into trouble for it. However, if someone gets hurt because of it, that’s a different story.
- Depending on the severity of their injuries, someone could end up in trouble. They could even end up being sued if the injured person decides to take legal action against them.
How Can You Tell If A Pro-Gun Has A Live Round?
- If you’re curious about whether or not a pro-gun has a live round in it, there are a couple of things you can do.
- For example, you could take a look at the barrel of the gun, as we discussed earlier. Similarly, if you have the prop gun in your hand, you could hold it up to your ear and listen for a sound.
- A pro-gun will make a different sound when fired than a fake bullet would.
Bottom Line
There are a few telltale signs that a pro-gun has a live round in it, including a different sound and a real bullet inside the barrel. However, if you see a real bullet in the barrel or the pro-gun makes a different sound when fired than a fake one, you can be pretty sure a real bullet is inside. Unfortunately, even if you’re careful, you may accidentally end up with a real bullet in your hand. If that ever happens, there are some things you can do to make sure it doesn’t put anyone in danger.
