Movie/film suggestions.

What goes into a gun is called a cartridge. It consists of 4 parts- the casing, the primer, the powder, and the projectile (bullet). A blank consists of 3 out of the four so it sounds and acts identically to a full cartridge without discharging a projectile.

Well, @thecarpathian , as I attempted to explain a couple of posts ago (and probably butchered the explanation), a blank does NOT act exactly identical to a live round when used in a semi-automatic.  A semi-auto requires back pressure on the expelling gas (gas produced by the ignition and combustion within the cartridge) and the bullet in front of the expelling gas is what creates that back pressure; without that back pressure, ALL the gas will simply expel out the muzzle in lieu of returning back to operate the semi automatic action.  Hence, the modification needed at the muzzle in order to fire blanks in a semi-auto mode versus re-cocking between shots fired.  (Manual re-cocking can be done, but then you are no longer operating in semi-auto.)  The same would hold true for a semiauto handgun operating in blowback--without backpressure the fired cartridge would not be pushed back and the handgun would have to be racked manually in order eject the spent round and to fire the follow up shot.  One of my semi-auto hand guns is basically junk, and I have to rack it manually after each shot, because, for whatever reason, what is supposed to be going on in there with the blow back is not working as per what I just attempted to explain.)

I think that may be a clearer explanation than my last one.  And "backpressure" is generally an automotive exhaust term, and I don’t know if the gun guys use it, but off the cuff it was what I could think of for explanation purposes.  I know how different mechanical things work, but sadly, I am often challenged when trying to use words to describe.  I often draw pictures instead.

@thecarpathian 

 Want to know another reason to not like Florida? Know what’s the only paperwork required to buy a pistol from a private individual down there? Money. That’s it. No background check, no government paperwork, no registering it, nothing.

Fl is not the only state like that.  Tn as well, or at least I know it used to be.

 Even crazier? They just did away with requiring a concealed/carry permit. That’s right! No safety class to pass,

Again, this is not only in Fl.  In Vt no CCW is required. (But Vt does require a FFL for private handgun sales.)  In Pa no classes are required, but one does have to pass the same background check required to purchase a handgun.  That and $20 and you are good for five years.

Actually, a blank is a fully functioning cartridge without the bullet.

What most people refer to as ’bullets’-aren’t. That is just the little projectile that comes out of the gun. What goes into a gun is called a cartridge. It consists of 4 parts- the casing, the primer, the powder, and the projectile (bullet). A blank consists of 3 out of the four so it sounds and acts identically to a full cartridge without discharging a projectile.

@thecarpathian , this is what I was trying to describe to @gano a few hours ago when he and I were discussing negligent discharges on movie sets and war re-enactments/thanks to google:

https://thegunzone.com/how-to-modify-a-semi-auto-to-shoot-blanks/

"Dedicated Blank Firing Adapter (BFA): A BFA is crucial for reliable cycling. This device attaches to the muzzle of the firearm and constricts the gas pressure, providing the necessary backpressure for the bolt to cycle properly. BFAs are usually designed to be caliber specific and readily identifiable. Using the incorrect BFA can cause damage to the firearm or create a dangerous situation."

And evidently "backpressure" was an okay descriptor.  From what I read on the site where I just found this, there are a few other ways to modify a barrel or muzzle in order to fire blanks in a semi-automatic mode, but the one above was the one I was thinking about at the time.  But the thing is, with all of the methods, a live round (meaning one with a bullet attached to the neck of a cartridge) fired through a barrel modified as such, would absolutely have to result in a catastrophic barrel failure.  I think it would be pretty nasty.

@immatthewj , ah! Thank you for that information. It makes perfect sense and I stand corrected. Didn’t think of that, and I love learning something new!

Now the question: If the gun was modified to fire blanks, how did it manage to fire a live round without a problem??

Just thought of something, it was a revolver so that negates the need for any modification as the cylinder turns mechanically.