Can a prop gun kill?
Prop guns are non-firing replica guns that are used by actors in a variety of scenarios, including as part of a costume or disguise. In most cases, a prop gun, also called a blank gun, is made out of plastic or rubber and may be painted to look more realistic. 

In television and movies, these guns are often used for safety reasons in lieu of actual guns. They can also be used as part of an actor's costume during filming when the actor playing a criminal is only seen from behind. They can also be used as an accessory to a costume to give the appearance of a character being armed.

Most of these guns are non-firing, and if they are supposed to make some sort of noise, there is an off-screen person called a "prop master" on set who has the responsibility of triggering the fake gunfire. Some prop guns are designed with working parts like triggers and slides, but they can only be manipulated by the prop master.

Basic Features of Prop guns

Prop guns are devices used in the entertainment industry to create a more realistic movie experience for viewers. A prop can come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, textures and materials depending on how they will be used during filming. 

One important factor is that prop guns must look professional enough to pass as real if seen by an audience member at a distance. Today we are going to examine some of the qualities that make up these guns.

  • Looks Authentic from Afar 

Props should look realistic from afar for people who are watching movies being filmed or live theater productions. A blank gun must look like a real gun from a distance, which is why they are made from real world guns. 

This gun must be able to deliver a realistic authenticity when the actor wielding it is performing. When you see the movie or play, you want to believe the actors really are holding real weapons and not fakes.

Prop gun

  • Solid Construction 

These guns need solid construction to survive being used in high energy shots and being dropped. The exception would be if they are props rather than actual working guns. They need to look authentic while also maintaining their integrity through handling and use during filming or productions.

  • Reliable 

Props must be reliable in terms of how they shoot. If you are filming a war movie, you don't want your prop guns to malfunction during battle scenes. Actors cannot perform when their props are failing them, so it is important that these guns work correctly and predictably every time so actors can focus on their performance.

  • Easy to Use 

Props are meant to be shot by the actor or actress. During filming, it may be necessary for the star actor to use a prop blank gun for an action scene. The ideal gun should deliver realistic looking effects and not misfire, jam or otherwise fail during these scenes of high energy and activity.

  • Functional 

Props must be functional, meaning they must eject spent shells and be able to function exactly as one would expect. They need to be easy to load with ammo and load into action scenes.

  • Durable 

Blank guns are made from practical materials found in the real world for real guns. They need to look like actual functioning guns so their normal use during filming does not damage them or ruin the film's realism. 

If a prop gun needs replacing in a movie setting, it should be easily replaced from the set or location and not require major changes to a set or location that may set back production time by an hour or more.

Can a Prop Gun Kill?

In general, these guns are used in theater productions, film production and television productions. These guns have also been used by law enforcement. A prop blank gun will most typically operate on a variable pump action mechanism which utilizes CO2 gas or compressed air in order to discharge an inert projectile such as a BB or pellet down a barrel of varying length to create the effect of recoil. 

These guns are designed with some type of safety device to ensure that they pose no risk for those who use them and that they cannot be converted into functioning guns. A prop gun cannot kill anyone. It is designed as a replica of a real gun, but it fires an inert projectile such as a ball bearing or steel BB pellet. Inert projectiles are not capable of killing anyone. 

Even if they are fired at close range, they have no kinetic force beyond that generated by pneumatic devices or mechanized mechanisms like a pump action or automatic weapon. There is no comparison to the force that is generated by a real gun when it discharges a projectile at high velocity. These guns do not cause physical harm and do not kill anyone.

These guns, when used in film production, are often painted black or are colored to resemble a handgun in order to prevent confusion with the real gun. They are generally only used for short ranges because of the trajectory of the projectile and for safety reasons. 

Prop guns

Equipment for Full Protection

When you are shooting your prop gun, you should consider the safety gear that will protect both you and those around you before and after the shooting begins. The following is a list of safety equipment used with prop guns.

Thoroughly read the instructions on each of these items to ensure that they are not damaged in any way before use.

  • Cover your eyes, ears, and mouth with goggles, ear protection, and a respirator to protect these sensitive body parts. You should always wear eye protection when you are handling any gun. 
  • Regular glasses may not provide adequate protection against flying debris produced by the prop gun. Also, the lens of regular glasses may break upon impact. If your eye is hit directly by a paintball traveling at high speed, it can cause serious injury to your cornea and retina as well as temporary or permanent blindness. 
  • When planning for a movie scene in which you want to use paintball pistols as props, make sure that you hire a professional makeup artist. Remember that real paint is used in the making of theatrical makeup. 
  • Some makeup artists may not be well aware of the dangers of using theatrical makeup in a real-world setting. Allergies to any kind of agents can cause serious reactions in some people, including people who don't normally have allergic reactions to such things as theatrical makeup. 
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a respirator to protect your lungs from inhaling dust particles or other contaminants when you are shooting your prop gun outdoors. 
  • Ear protection is necessary to avoid damage to the structures of your ear when you are near the action of shooting a prop. Retained hearing loss can be caused by being too close to the gun when it is being fired and can be caused by something as simple as clothing being ignited by the prop gun. Never play with your gun near the target area.
  • When you are shooting your gun, especially if there is a crowd of people in the space, consider creating a safety perimeter around yourself and place signs around the space that say "Prop Gun Zone" or "Paintball Blast Zone." 
  • Keep children away from this area and make sure that every member of the crew knows what is going on at all times.

Uses of Prop Guns

The use of props during theatrical productions is becoming much more prevalent in the 21st century. Many actors enjoy using these guns because it can help them get into character and also gives them an opportunity to have a little fun. 

The use of a prop gun does not just include toy guns, but usually a variety of weapons that are not remotely related to each other, such as shotguns and pistols. 

The only types of props that are banned from being used in theater productions are those that could be seen as 'real' weapons like swords or rifles. The use of these items can often cause legitimate injury or even death if used incorrectly or carelessly by the actor who is carrying it, which is why most theaters do not allow their usage at all.