Deadly Blanks

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day. I read a thread about loading cases that had the word BLANK head-stamped on the case. (Assuming it could be done.) My intention is not to condemn the person that made the original post, but to see what people think of this practice.
Your input is appreciated either for or against.

 

[maestro pistolero]

The stupidity of such a thing should be obvious. Would you label a bottle of bleach "apple juice"?

 

[Kreyzhorse]

Asinine to even think about loading live rounds that way.

 

[Jekyll]

Pistolero:

These things happen. A good friend went to a cabin in the woods with wife and another couple. My friend owns a porta-potty business and took some of the blue liquid in a cranberry juice jar. During the commotion of setting up for the weekend, it found its way into the refrigerator. Well, the other guy got up in the middle of the night for a drink and thought it was juice. They took him to the Emergency room for a good stomach pumping.

Skull:

You're kidding, right? If not, let me be clear: Don't load bullets in blanks. It is an avoidable link in an accident chain.

 

[scorpion_tyr]

I don't do my own loading, but it seems like a really bad idea to me. Even if one kept the ammo strictly to himself he could find himself hit by a bus or something and then his ammo being handed down, sold, given away etc to someone who doesn't know any better and just reads "blank" and decides to play a joke or make a home action movie. I wouldn't do it.

 

[ElectricHellfire]

I'm agin it.

 

[Tom2]

In this attached photo, on the left is the .32 blank, on the other the live LRN round. The blanks are packed loose and the LRN's are in a little tray. Both cases are identical, and have the same headstamp(W-W 32 S&W). In that case, I would reload the blank cases, but certainly would not put them back in the original box!

 

[B.N.Real]

This is a great question.

The answer is definitely NO.

Anyone you see doing that ,you should not be around.

They are setting up an accident and you might be the one that gets shot with that 'blank' round.

 

[WIN71]

I don't think I would. Lots of bad things happen when the semi or uniformed one picks up anything that is labeled in any way as harmless. On the other end most if not all blanks are not loaded with bullets. And most people don't look at the head stamp to determine much of anything. That is probably a good thing because lots of my 270 reloads are marked 30-06 as are some of the 25-06 shells. Of late some of my resized 300 H&H shells are stamped 375. The list goes on and on.

About the only inert ammo I've seen lately were dummy 40 caliber rounds used for practice in jamming exercises. They had bullets but no powder or primer.

 

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day, and thanks for the responses so far. Let me state that I have not done this. The question came up on another thread and the OP had another issue he was trying to sort out. Part of my response is as follows.

G'day, picture this. Somebody sees some 45 Colt ammo that says "blank"and pockets a couple. Then later loads them, and just for fun points the gun at one of your kids and pulls the trigger.

The OP of the other thread responded with...

....I wasn't even thinking in those terms.....

WIN71
I see your point. Keep in mind, nobody is expecting your re-sized loads to be BLANK. Re-sized brass is a separate issue that can be covered in its own thread. ( I may even start that soon).

Tom2. Thanks for the photos. I dont think I have ever seen a blank and I know lots of people who think my firearms knowledge is extensive. lol. If they saw BLANK on a case then it must be a blank regardless of what it looked like.

The stupidity of such a thing should be obvious.

I agree with you. The key word here is should. Just the same people still do stupid things.

They are setting up an accident and you might be the one that gets shot with that 'blank' round.

Not me brother, I'm on the other side of the world . If I were you I would be careful, He could be your neighbor. HAHAHA.

Just a reminder that I was not trying to flame the OP of the other thread. After all he was looking for advice on the subject, and lots of people keep saying. "There is no such thing as a stupid question."
I am just after your thoughts.
Thanks.

 

[Tom2]

That .32 blank is probably intended for noisemakers like the little .32 starter's pistols. Those have a solid barrel and sort of a diverter on the back of the barrel, I think. Or maybe even theatrical use, but most blanks are like that, they have the end of the case sort of star crimped or like these, roll crimped over a cardboard plug. That plug or whatever contents of the case still come out at dangerous velocities for a short distance and produce a muzzle blast, so safety is important with those.

 

[curt.45]

a guy I worked with showed me some .38 full wad cutter rounds that looked like that .32 blank, meaning the lead did not extend out of the casing, I suppose if I had known what a blank looked like and had not known better I could have mistaken it for a blank.

 

[Gary L. Griffiths]

IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN blank cases aren't made to hold the pressure of live rounds!!!

 

[Gbro]

Tom2,
Could you place those cartridges with head stamps visible also?

 

[MeekAndMild]

Would you use a Boy Scout pack and nylon tent for a parachute? Blanks are heavily engineered to serve the purpose of one time only loud noise. Cartridges are engineered for the purpose of withstanding the pressure of shooting real bullets.

 

[WIN71]

There are two manufactures of brass specifically for 45 colt blank loads which I believe can be reloaded numerous times. I believe it's used in cowboy shoots. The main difference between it and standard brass is the primer hole is larger to facilitate quicker ignition. Apparently some are using it as it's back ordered at my source, Team Starline, Stareline brass.

45 LONG COLT BLANK (Backordered expected availability: 04/03/2009 )
Pack: 1000 (+$156.65)

 

[SKULLANDCROSSBONES65]

G'day. The following is a Quote I found in support of loading these BLANK cases with live rounds.

If it were me, I'd try them with the TB load and a 230 grain bullet. But, then I've been doing this for forty + years.

 

[Sam06]

S&C, what kind of blanks are they? Most of the blanks used by the military are not usable for reloading due to the way the brass is shaped and the primer is staked in VERY hard. I voted no way but that said if it was just me and ONLY me using them I would not have a problem with it. The old 4 in 1 Blanks used as props on movies are not usable either for reloading so I am kind of interested in what type of blanks they are. I guess you can do anything if the head size is correct.

I load for several wildcats that the head stamp means nothing. It could say anything on it but I know what they are for. I would never sell them or let another use them. Heck I have 44AMP's that say 308 on them....I have never seen any military blank ammo with "blank" on the head stamp just the date, nato stamp and the maker. I have shot blanks in Australia, 7.62 and 5.56

 

[Hkmp5sd]

WHY would you want to do so?

I have some .308 NATO linked blanks. There is no way you could make them into functional cartridges.

 

[Tex S]

I wouldnt ever personally do that, but I also didnt inherit the "be super freakin cheap gene" that alot of reloaders posess.

I think it would be ok if someone was to do it though. You can obviously tell the difference (the case has a bullet sticking out or it doesnt).

However, as soon as you load it up, you are bound to have some idiot shoot a "blank" FMJ into his buddies head.

The more I type, the worse this idea sounds...