Blanks as a Training Aid?

[NYShooter]

Are blanks effective as a training aid to practice misfires, duds, jams, etc? Would I be benefitted by mixing a few of these in my training magazines?

[ToddG]

Most guns won't function properly with blanks unless the gun is modified specifically for that. They also create various safety hazards.

What you want is either snap caps or dummy rounds.

[NYShooter]

Most guns won't function properly with blanks unless the gun is modified specifically for that. They also create various safety hazards.

What you want is either snap caps or dummy rounds.

What type of safety hazards?

[ToddG]

First and foremost, the blank actually does fire a projectile.

[sff70]

Google these names:

Brandon Lee
John Erik Hexum

Inert training ammunition (dummy or snap cap rounds) works very well for training on stoppages and their remedies.

[Army Chief]

I'm not sure that there is much inherent danger in using blanks, provided you're otherwise up and on target when using them and not doing some kind of ill-advised force on force scenario; that said, most of the malfunctions you're likely to encounter with this weapons system can be just as effectively (and more safely) duplicated by snap caps/dummy rounds, as Todd as suggested. Failures to feed, double feeds, jams or other kinds of stoppages can all be replicated in this way, leaving squib loads as about the only area in which a blank would seem to offer a training advantage. Given the rarity of that type of failure when compared to all of the others, and the fact that squibs don't lend themselves to resolution via an immediate action drill, I probably would not seek to incorporate them into my training regimen. In fact, I wouldn't put them anywhere near my regular live ammunition, just to prevent potential mix-ups -- it happens, and more than a few people have departed this life early as a result of it.

AC

[Stretz Tactical Inc]

I'm not sure that there is much inherent danger in using blanks, provided you're otherwise up and on target when using them and not doing some kind of ill-advised force on force scenario; that said, most of the malfunctions you're likely to encounter with this weapons system can be just as effectively (and more safely) duplicated by snap caps/dummy rounds, as Todd as suggested. Failures to feed, double feeds, jams or other kinds of stoppages can all be replicated in this way, leaving squib loads as about the only area in which a blank would seem to offer a training advantage. Given the rarity of that type of failure when compared to all of the others, and the fact that squibs don't lend themselves to resolution via an immediate action drill, I probably would not seek to incorporate them into my training regimen. In fact, I wouldn't put them anywhere near my regular live ammunition, just to prevent potential mix-ups -- it happens, and more than a few people have departed this life early as a result of it.

AC

NYPD a while back, was mixing 380 rounds in there 9mm's on the range to induce stoppages. They did that until they realized that cops where picking up dropped 380 rounds off the ground and putting them in there pockets - and later in their guns on patrol.

[markm]

NYPD a while back, was mixing 380 rounds in there 9mm's on the range to induce stoppages. They did that until they realized that cops where picking up dropped 380 rounds off the ground and putting them in there pockets - and later in their guns on patrol.

East coast LE! Why are they so special?