Guns

:huh: I'm going to start filming an action movie this weekend and I need to know where to find guns for my film. I really don't even know what to get. Real guns? Fake guns? Anything that looks realistic is fine with me. I just need to know where to find good prices on these types of props.
 
Not sure about where to get the guns, but no matter what you use...please make sure you notify the local police you are using prop guns for a film project. There have been other threads on this board warning of what will happen if you don't.

Good luck!!!!
 
Please don't use real guns. Check your local laws regarding the use of realistic looking guns.

I'm wondering if maybe you should have done this important bit of research more than 5 days before your shoot. Realistic looking prop guns are expensive and in some parts of the country illegal. Real guns are also expensive and regulated in all parts of the country.
 
Don't use real guns.

Even professional replicas that fire blanks can be lethal. RIP, Brandon Lee.

You can get extremely realistic-looking solid rubber pistols (saw one used last week). Film before that the gun was originally genuine, but had had steel bearings welded into the muzzle and into the chamber. No possibility of an accidental load. (That one still made for some nervous people, though)

You can get realistic AirSoft guns (they fire squishy rubber/foam pellets) and paint them up... some don't even need paint. That has potential for risk though, if some bored dumbass starts goofing around with them before they get used and does some target-practice beforehand.

You can find "broken" AirSoft guns on E-bay, typically sold in lots. (Bag of 20, for example). They'll look okay... usually something internal that's not worth the time to replace. The sellers know there's a market for prop guns. :)
 
So the trick here would be to load them up with red paint and volia, instant squib?

Not quite. :lol:

They are really small pellets.

Besides, even if you tried that with the much larger paintball gun pellets, you'd still be firing a physical projectile at someome/something. It's all fun & games 'til someone loses an eye, they say. :cool:
 
Airsoft guns are awesome. They have some real heft to them and are usually 1:1 scale. They are also cheap, about $100 each.

I also believe you can get paintball Airsoft pellets on their website. I don't think they'd pass for bullet hits, but they could be fun to play around with.
 
Real guns are also expensive and regulated in all parts of the country

Heh, well in Montana there are about zero laws when it comes to guns. No registration, no background check. Any kid could go purchase a semi-auto tactical rifle without their parents knowing (they don't have to check with parents if the person is a minor). I think it's fair to say that, for better or worse, we have no gun laws :)
 
The use of "real guns" on any film or video set is really stupid. All guns on set are rubber, plastic or replicas which are altered to shoot blanks at the most and real ammunition is NEVER found on set as well.

If you are using blank guns, use an "armorer" to regulate them and issue before the sceneand collect them after the scene. If they are rubber or airsoft, let the prop man issue them and collect them. No wearing or handling of the props unless on the set or in rehearsal.
 
The real problem is not to find a gun that looks real. You can pick up a toy gun at the 99 cent store and paint it . hell i made a semi automatic out of cardboard for one of my movies and it looked realy good. The real problem is getting THE FLASH from the gun to make the shoots look believeable. This is an answer I've been searchin for???
 
You can do the flash in after effects if you need to - but it will take time. Oh look, I've lost my premiere membership - I've been downgraded :( so much for long term membership loyalty... ah well... no money to re-instate it.
Another program you could try for mussle flash is combustion - but I haven't used it.
 
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