Sources of Blanks and Guns

I thought it'd be useful to start a running list of where we get our blank firing guns blanks. I'll get it going, but please add to the list if you know more:

• FightDesigner Amazon Portal - Okay, so you can get them on Amazon is my main point here, but if you do it through my portal I can get a 1% kickback to apply towards books, dvds, or props of my own... which I promise to review here!
  

• Western Stage Props - Not always the cheapest, but very professional, good service. Lots of other fun toys over there too!
  

• IAR-Arms - Decent mix of things. Get on their mailing list for monthly specials.
  

• Kennedy International Enterprises -Pretty good selection of Umarex and other blank guns.
  

• Maxsell - Good selection, and other fun gear as well. Ordered from them before with no problems, and I think they price-match as well.
  

• Netlink Enterprises - Good selection and decent prices. Ordered a bunch of my guns from them when first starting props rentals. They also run a bunch of subsidiary sites:
  
  
  
  • 8mm Blank Guns .com
    
  
  
  
  
  • 9mm Blank Guns .com
    
  
  
  
  
  • Starter Pistol .com
    ...you get the idea.
    
  
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• Manufacturing Research, Inc - Know nothing about them personally, but they've got some interesting offerings
  

• Gun Broker - Ebay for gun stuff. Often has blank guns (and model guns), but not the best prices. Some people hand-load their own blanks and sell them here- purchase those at your own risk...
  

• Ebay -Policies on blank firing guns seem to ebb and flow- after the VA Tech shooting they were all pulled for a while, but they seem to be back now. All are sold with orange barrel plugs, but those can be either removed or re-painted. As with any auction site, bid at your own risk.
  

What am I forgetting or missing, and who do you like best?

I've bought from Kennedy & I like them. They have a personal touch & have emailed me promptly to answer questions & offer updates, etc. I don't know much about Maxsell, except that they seem to have a number if Internet stores w/ different names - not sure what that means.
Now that full auto is becoming available at prices I can afford, I'm especially interested in which vendors carry these models, besides the two I've mentioned here.
(I am aware of Schoessler's, but they're super expensive.)

[1/15 edit - Waffen Schumacher apparently plans to release a full-auto MP44 9mm bfg/bfong in the States soon; there will also be a real .22 semiauto version. They have an ad in the latest Shotgun News with a few details] They will be at the Vegas Shot Show soliciting vendors in the US to carry both models.

Keep us updated on the mp44, I'll buy one straight away.
Maxsells have been good to me, Kei too, both helpful and straightforward.
Bought Jackal's from Maxsell and extended mags, they told me they were the sole importer, who knows.
Chuck Ducastle at Schoesslers is very helpful, and informative. I will probably buy one of their MP40's fairly soon, just trying to get over the price...

Ditto on the price - I'm partial to the Sten

I have a pristine MGC 68 MP40 that I'd like to exchange for the $800 down payment for one of the Schoessler MP's.
I will never use the MGC on a movie set so it's a "white elephant," a useless object-- I have a metal Tokyo Toy MP40 replica which I've used two or three times, actually has a more realistic heft to it than the MGC anyway, it will come with one real Mp-43 mag (made by Schmeisser).
I'd offer the other MGC's for sale, that I have but they are all so beaten up now they are really only good for film use.
Fight-designer - Re-position this post if it's in the wrong place.
http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/figaro1971/?action=view&current=ebay003.jpg
http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p140/figaro1971/?action=view&current=ebay002.jpg

If I was in the UK I'd be partial to that FG-42 BFG on Milweb, hmmm.

Naturaly, like everyone else in the world, I'm looking to purchase an MP-44 BFONG. I understand that the manufacturer will be attending The Vegas Shot Show in three days. Does anyone know if they will be there just showing off their product, or will they have a bunch of them there for people to purchase? Also, can someone reply back with the web address for the manufacturer of these BFONG's. Please advise.

An anxious future MP-44 owner.

Bought a batch of .44 magnum full flash blanks from Manufacturing research, Inc. (mfgresearch.net) in Florida.
Vernon Wells (Mad Max 2, the Road Warrior) ran through 100 of them this week in my S&W 629, they performed flawlessly and gave a great flash, without too much left over. The girl at the company rushed the order for us as it was a last minute purchase, 5 in 1's did not fit in the cylinder for some reason I thought they would.
Highly recommend.
Following pictures taken by a PA, stills for the film are still prossessing, but these are fun for the time.
(Vernon with .44, that has been in all of my films.)

(Two stunt Guys mugging, the MP40 is a real WW2 transferable, and ran flawlessly on the 1000 rounds of Fiocchi 9mm PA I bought thinking it was 9mm PAK, so I'm happy, good for a 60 year old gun, too.)

(Michael Weatherly (NCIS) and Raymond J. Barry (Dead Man Walking) after a day at work, Michael makes it, Raymond unfortunately does not.)


I bought a flawless 4" Colt Diamondback as the hero gun on this movie, particuarly of interest to me as this was also the hero gun in "Branigan" and "Bullit" two of my favorite 1970/60's pics. The Diamondback looks great and ran beautifully on blanks supplied by Kimbo form the MP40's forum boards. I also used a broomhandle Mauser for the first time which ran flawlessly on Joe Swanson SMG power 9mm blanks, very impressive for an old shooter, too.
Of particular interest to all was the jackal with performed over-time with a huge amount of blanks, and still seemed tight afterward, my conversion did not harm it, although it was caked in soot and baked theatrical blood by the end of the day. Fiocchi work best, be sure to avoid the "scam" personnel defense rounds whatever that means.

Used my armory semi auto UZI, which only works with very hot loads and some of my 1911 .45's which now run excellently (after a lot of work.)
Not a big gun show, but will be my best film so far.

For the big gun days I had my friend, the great Mike Tristano handle weapons, which he did efficiently and safely.

Like Lafontaine, whom some of you know from his sword work, of which he is world famous, was the stunt coordinator, he did an excellent and inventive job.

cast: Raymond J. Barry, Michael Weatherly, James Russo, Steven Bauer, Tom Berenger, Vernon Wells, Jerry Trimble, Mathius Hues, Maxine Baen.

More pictures to follow.



Jesse.

Nice. Shame the stunt guy can't keep his finger off the trigger while mugging with that MP40...

You have a distributor lined up for this one?

Figured you'd notice that, Kevin.
This was an independent shoot, free and clear of a distributor.
The guys who have sold a lot of my movies would kill to get this one, but the aim is to raise the stakes.
This was my first shoot on 35mm Panavision cameras, in the 2:35 format, with a cast I'm really proud of, with a script I'm really excited about. Just a different scenario for me.
"The Butcher" was fun, and is going to get a great D2DVD release, Eric Roberts just isn't a name that opens a film theatrically anymore, "5th Commandment" will be a blast, and will be my first theatrical, but, this current picture just worked.
I'll post better pics when they are released to me, we only wrapped this week.

Jesse.

I posted some pics in the gallery area from this latest movie.
Guns and actors.

Anybody have a good source for modern blank firing revolvers? The Kimar ones keep falling apart on me, so I'd like to steer clear of those... Bruni has been only somewhat better. I do have one of the Umarex Colt Chief's Specials, but what are the other options out there, and where can you get them in the US?

If you're using your props enough to break down the zinc/metal, have you thought about just buying Taurus/Harrington/Webley or any of the other cheap revolvers and going with real steel, you can find these for less than $200 easily, it's safer and more reliable if you're having replicas come apart on you.

I have, but there are complications with that. First and foremost is that many of my rentals are live theatre gigs or film gigs where I'm not personally involved, just renting them props... and there's no way in hell I'm going to just rent someone a real firearm and let them do what they will with it for a couple months. Don't need that liability or legal troubles, thanks.

I've run into situations on set where extras I've been asked to arm have felonies on record and thus aren't legally allowed to handle firearms, I think. (Know they can't buy, not sure about handling but would rather not have to deal with that anyway.)

Other complication being a wife who tolerates but isn't at all fond of firearms... so I haven't felt it's worth that battle just yet.

There are gigs I've worked as gun wrangler and/or stunt coordinator where I've used real firearms (revolvers and pump shotguns) but those are the occasional exception, not the rule, mostly just because of the nature of the 'industry' up here- and I use that term loosely.

Valid points.

JJ.