You might think using real guns instead of prop guns to make gunfights realistic is a cool idea. But there are some serious reservations about going down that route.
Firstly, if you can get your hands on real guns, they will obviously look the part but the problem is that not everyone has access to real guns- especially restricted or prohibited firearms.
Without the proper firearms license in place- which in some cases can be almost impossible to get you can't use real guns without going to jail. Secondly, using real guns instead of prop guns requires very strict gun handling procedures that almost certainly requires an expert gun handler to be part of the production.
This can add extra cost and also introduces permits and special arrangements to be made with your local authorities and police.
Real guns have also been involved in serious accidents and even deaths on set even when being handled by experts. So the best alternative to using real guns is prop guns which will most likely end up costing you much less, require less red tape, and also drastically reduce the risk of gun-related accidents.
Prop guns do not require a firearms license and therefore are readily available to just about anyone and can be used on set without all the special arrangements a regulated firearm would require. So let's see what options you have when selecting your movie guns.
Air Guns
No, we aren't talking about airsoft guns as they fall into a different classification and actually have stricter guidelines than do air guns. There are some popular semi-auto pistols that are used as prop guns on movie sets.
The Sig Sauer P226 is commonly used by the military and police and looks and functions just like the real gun. Many prop guns also have blowback action meaning the slide kicks back with each shot simulating the real action of a semi-auto pistol.
A beretta 92fs prop gun is a copy of a very realistic Colt 1911 and is still used by many veteran agents and police officers in TV and movies today. How about the ever-popular prop guns used by so many villains we love to hate?
If you're looking for that SWAT tactical look, there is the compact H&K mp5 K prop gun that is great for close-quarters assault. There are even some extremely realistic revolvers with actual brass shells for that Dirty Harry look. Some other popular air gun replicas used in TV and movies can be purchased easily for less than $50.
Prop guns are really excellent solutions especially when combined with post-production muzzle flashes and sound effects and they really do offer excellent realism with an untouchable level of safety.
Blank Guns
Another option if you're looking for prop guns with actual muzzle flash and literally everything a real gun offers except for the dangerous bullet flying out of the front, are blank guns.
Blank guns fall into a gray area and it is rather confusing what is allowed and what is not allowed but we can tell you that most do not require special licensing or permits to be purchased.
There are popular beretta 92fs looking blank gun replicas that you can recognize as the compact semi-auto used in Her Majesty's Secret Service. Zoraki also has some amazing blank gun replicas. These prop guns shoot blanks and sound as loud as a real 9-millimeter pistol.
The best thing about these prop guns is that they can be used for your daily shootout practice and training. These blank guns cost much less than real guns and even if you aren't into enactment, you can always take a blank to get some target practice done.
Hopefully, we have given you some ideas and possibly simplified how you obtain and use realistic prop guns for your productions or training.
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