One weird trick...

[Perd Hapley]

Defensive Pistol instructors hate him:

Loading 2 blanks first in full clip
I wanted to get input on the idea of loading 2 blanks first, in a full live ammo clip.

The reason for this could potentially have three advantages...

1. Child safety... meaning, that if a child gets a hold of the loaded firearm, at least the first two rounds are blanks, and they're less likely to kill themselves or anyone else. Granted, simply keeping the firearm locked or simply unloaded would be the best idea.

2. Warning shots... in the case of an intruder (home invasion type scenario), you could squeeze off two rounds first, without fear of hitting anything and/or putting any holes in anything.

3. Firearm seizure... in a scenario were some would-be intruder/adversary overpowers you and/or seizes your firearm, you could rush the individual, knowing the first two rounds were blanks. Potentially giving you the advantage in that sort of situation.

Understandably, a blank could still cause some sort of flash burn, but arguably much less damage than an actual bullet wound.

Additionally, would a blank loaded in a magazine/clip/cartridge (such as a Glock, as opposed to a revolver), have enough force/blow-back to cycle the round and load another? If not, I suppose that one disadvantage would negate any advantage.

Thoughts?

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=482827

[Boomhauer]

This idiot needs to put down the crack pipe, sell his guns, and get an adult caretaker, because he's obviously too stupid to be allowed out in public without supervision.

[Monkeyleg]

Unreal. Why does he even carry a gun? Why not some firecrackers?

[Firethorn]

This idiot needs to put down the crack pipe, sell his guns, and get an adult caretaker, because he's obviously too stupid to be allowed out in public without supervision.

Now now, we don't yet know if this is born from stupidity or ignorance.  The latter is fixable, remember?

[Hawkmoon]

I don't remember the name of it and I don't know if it's still around, but a few years ago some company was marketing a safety device that (IIRC) was something like a blank round that deployed some kind of thingie and locked up the gun if fired by unauthorized persons.

Ah, yes:

http://safetybullet.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWOYm1QzHoE

Not quite the same thing:

http://www.safrgun.com/

2. Warning shots... in the case of an intruder (home invasion type scenario), you could squeeze off two rounds first, without fear of hitting anything and/or putting any holes in anything.

That could work for a revolver, but then you've eliminated two out of just five or six live rounds. Not a good exchange, IMHO. With a semi-auto, it's almost inconceivable that a blank would cycle the firearm to allow a second shot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHVjs4aobqs

[MechAg94]

The 1st bullet should always be the one with the flag and the word "BANG". That way it doesn't scare or deafen anyone and still let the bad guy know you're serious

The only time you want to be shooting blanks is when the Trojan breaks...

My only comment on this matter will be that if you load a magazine with 2 blanks first, they will be on the bottom of the mag and you will have a live round at the top.

Somebody is going to get a rude awakening!

[Viking]

Will blanks even cycle an unmodified handgun?

[Boomhauer]

Will blanks even cycle an unmodified handgun?

Not likely.

[Scout26]

Will blanks even cycle an unmodified handgun?

Not if Sir Isaac has anything to do with it....

[Fitz]

Will blanks even cycle an unmodified handgun?

Nope, and they are capable of killing at close range

[vaskidmark]

It is people like that which put us in jeopardy of being prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license.

I know we are supposed to say "He exhibits signs consistent with what a doctor would diagnose as psychotic behavior" but it usually comes out as a full-blown disagnosis: "He's nucking futz!"

The Brits have a word for what he needs.  It's a minder.  Someone whose job is to make sure people like that do not hurt themselves by touching dangerous objects like sharp crayons or hot marshmallows.

stay safe.

[Jamisjockey]

[TommyGunn]

Will blanks even cycle an unmodified handgun?

Nope, and they are capable of killing at close range

Real semiautos have restrictors inserted into the barrels if they are being used in a hollywood movie and must cycle properly with blanks.
And, yes, they can kill.  In the 1980s an actor named John Eric-Hexum was filming a TV series called "Cover Up."  This was before airsoft guns became common for use in TV and pre- CGI, so gun stuff was usually real guns loaded with blanks.  The afore-mentioned actor, while not on set shooting, picked up a prop gun loaded with blanks that was being used in the show, and being "playfull" but not particularly smart, put the muzzle to his head and fired it.  The resulting blast was enough to give John Eric-Hexum a concussion, which killed him.

[Regolith]

Nope, and they are capable of killing at close range


Real semiautos have restrictors inserted into the barrels if they are being used in a hollywood movie and must cycle properly with blanks.
And, yes, they can kill.  In the 1980s an actor named John Eric-Hexum was filming a TV series called "Cover Up."  This was before airsoft guns became common for use in TV and pre- CGI, so gun stuff was usually real guns loaded with blanks.  The afore-mentioned actor, while not on set shooting, picked up a prop gun loaded with blanks that was being used in the show, and being "playfull" but not particularly smart, put the muzzle to his head and fired it.  The resulting blast was enough to give John Eric-Hexum a concussion, which killed him.

It wasn't a concussion...the blast and the impact of the wadding caused a quarter-sized piece of his skull to spall off into his brain.

[Perd Hapley]

And here I just went and bought me a bunch of blank rounds, and you guys are telling me this is a bad idea. I guess I'll just use 'em for target practice.

[Boomhauer]

I guess I'll just use 'em for target practice.

Per chance, are you blonde?




This dude did forget to include one very important step while he was writing it up...file the front sight off your pistol. So it doesn't hurt as much when the Gentle Giant Urban Yout high on dust takes it away from you and shoves it up your ass.

[RoadKingLarry]

And here I just went and bought me a bunch of blank rounds, and you guys are telling me this is a bad idea. I guess I'll just use 'em for target practice.

I've got a small pile of .38spec blanks.  My evil plan is that the next time I have a guest at my range is to load a revolver with them and let the guest shoot at the target and wonder why they missed from 10yds.

[freakazoid]

I've got a small pile of .38spec blanks.  My evil plan is that the next time I have a guest at my range is to load a revolver with them and let the guest shoot at the target and wonder why they missed from 10yds.

 

[wmenorr67]

There is just so much stupid one can take and this pretty much uses it all up.

[HankB]

There is just so much stupid one can take and this pretty much uses it all up.

Absolutely - every idiot knows you should load the first couple of rounds with rock salt instead of simple blanks.


 

[cordex]

I knew a young woman once who was in a line of work that required her to spend a lot of time in unsavory places.  She was advised by her boss to buy a handgun, so she went and bought a .38 revolver and some ammunition and to my knowledge never fired it.  She married someone who wet his pants at the thought of firearms, so she told me she needed to sell it.  I helped her find a buyer and when she gave him the gun she included two boxes of ammo.  One box of FMJ and one box of blanks that she had kept the gun loaded with at times.

The "blanks" were wadcutters.

[MechAg94]

I thought blanks were just for launching golf balls.  I guess that is just in those SKS rifles with the attachment.

[Perd Hapley]

I knew a young woman once who was in a line of work that required her to spend a lot of time in unsavory places.  She was advised by her boss to buy a handgun, so she went and bought a .38 revolver and some ammunition and to my knowledge never fired it.  She married someone who wet his pants at the thought of firearms, so she told me she needed to sell it.  I helped her find a buyer and when she gave him the gun she included two boxes of ammo.  One box of FMJ and one box of blanks that she had kept the gun loaded with at times.

The "blanks" were wadcutters.

That is both more hilarious and more terrifying than the OP.

[KD5NRH]

Will blanks even cycle an unmodified handgun?

They cycle just fine in a revolver.   

I have thought about keeping a blank or a beanbag round chambered in the HD shotgun.  I normally have the chamber empty anyway, so not losing anything by doing it, and it's a bit louder than racking the slide as a warning.

[vaskidmark]

They cycle just fine in a revolver.   

I have thought about keeping a blank or a beanbag round chambered in the HD shotgun.  I normally have the chamber empty anyway, so not losing anything by doing it, and it's a bit louder than racking the slide as a warning.

 

Maybe as the last round in the magazine.  "I told you to stay down.  Now stay down."

stay safe.