[mr00jimbo]

I was having an argument with a friend about the fact that a blank fired from a firearm can be as deadly as a projectile.
He scoffed at the idea and with finally agreed that only point blank range and not any further.
I still disagree and hold firm that there is a few feet distance where it is deadly. Is there any tests of this done I can paw through online, or can anybody share their wisdom?

 

[johnluger]

I know that you can kill banana spiders with old crappie 556 GI blanks from a foot away, and put a hole in a pumpkin with hot 30.06 blanks at point blank range. Besides the powder burns a Blank can hurt/ kill you.

 

[Zombie Steve]

Other than a small burn or a ruptured eardrum, what exactly do you think it would do to the human body?

:dunno:

 

[Travclem]

A blank can kill a person at point blank range due to the pressure alone but I wouldn't call it reliably deadly at any range. Most of the time when suicide victims put the gun in their mouth their head will completely explode and make the biggest mess you've ever seen, not because of the bullet, but because of the rapidly expanding gasses. People that put the gun in their mouth to kill themselves are inconsiderate as hell.

 

[glockaviator]

I think someone doing a scene in Hollywood was actually killed by a blank.

 

[Travclem]

I think someone doing a scene in Hollywood was actually killed by a blank.

There was a story/rumor a while back of a play that ended with the actor comitting suicide and the gun was loaded with a blank. It had enough pressure to kill him. Like I said I don't know if this particular incident was true or false.

 

[glockaviator]

Jon-Erik-Hexum was killed when he placed a blank-loaded gun to his head and pulled the trigger—he did not realize the blanks had sufficient force to push the wad from the blank through his skull, sending bone fragments deep into his brain.
(Source Wikipedia "Blank")

 

[Bren]

I think someone doing a scene in Hollywood was actually killed by a blank.

Brandon Lee was sort of killed by a blank, but there was a bullet lodged in the barrel, so a bullet + a blank really = a round of ammunition.

 

[Bilbo Bagins]

Also ask Brandon Lee.

 

[Merkavaboy]

Other than a small burn or a ruptured eardrum, what exactly do you think it would do to the human body?

:dunno:

Have you never seen or heard of a wood tipped or wood bulleted blank before?

 

[johnluger]

The only blanks I have ever seen with wads in them are shotgun blanks.

 

[Stehr]

If I remember correctly, Brandon Lee was killed by the brass from the tip of a blank. It was a second take and the gun hadn't been inspected after their last shoot. On the prior firing, the end of the blank (the crimped brass case) had sheared off instead of opening and wedged in the barrel. On the next take, the blank shot that piece of crimped brass out the barrel just like a bullet.

 

[Merkavaboy]

There was a story/rumor a while back of a play that ended with the actor comitting suicide and the gun was loaded with a blank. It had enough pressure to kill him. Like I said I don't know if this particular incident was true or false.

Jon-Erik Hexum

http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/h/Jon Eric Hexum/jon_erik_hexum.htm

 

[camelotkid]

If I remember correctly, Brandon Lee was killed by the brass from the tip of a blank. It was a second take and the gun hadn't been inspected after their last shoot. On the prior firing, the end of the blank (the crimped brass case) had sheared off instead of opening and wedged in the barrel. On the next take, the blank shot that piece of crimped brass out the barrel just like a bullet.

I thought that it was because of a previous close up scene that had a real bullet with no powder. The bullet was supposed to have a striked primer but actually had an unstriked primer. The primer going off was enough energy to lodge the bullet in the barrel and then the blank being fired afterwards caused the bullet to exit barrel :dunno:

 

[whoflungdo]

There was a story/rumor a while back of a play that ended with the actor comitting suicide and the gun was loaded with a blank. It had enough pressure to kill him. Like I said I don't know if this particular incident was true or false.

This is what you are referencing. It was back in the 80's and he was just playing around. It wasn't during a taping session. From what I remember it blew a quarter size hole in his head. It would also depend on how much powder is in the blank....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon-Erik_Hexum

 

[michael88]

I think someone doing a scene in Hollywood was actually killed by a blank.

brandon lee was killed by a blank technically, but there was a loose bullet in the chamber when they fired the blank. if that is what you are referring to.

 

[Chuck TX]

It'd have to be extremely close.

I thought that it was because of a previous close up scene that had a real bullet with no powder. The bullet was supposed to have a striked primer but actually had an unstriked primer. The primer going off was enough energy to lodge the bullet in the barrel and then the blank being fired afterwards caused the bullet to exit barrel :dunno:

Yep. A primer with no powder is still enough to cause a squib. Follow that up with a blank round and you have a flying projectile.

 

[rtk]

I have seen the glass shatter on a picture in a VFW hall from blank fired from a Garand that the ritual team thought was unloaded:wow:

RTK

 

[cowboy1964]

Jon-Erik Hexum

http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/h/Jon Eric Hexum/jon_erik_hexum.htm

I remember that. I never would have guessed it was so long ago (1984). Holy crap time flies.

 

[MrVvrroomm]

...be sure to youtube this when you try it