Blank bullets are like regular bullets, except for one crucial detail: they don’t have a projectile, the part of the ammunition that hits the target. Therefore, they are often used as a special effect in movie and soap opera scenes – just to make noise and simulate a real shot.
An ammunition cartridge (popularly known as a “bullet”) is made up of four parts. The first is the case, a tubular container filled with gunpowder that works as a support for the other parts. The second is the fuse, which is at the base of the case. It releases a spark when it is hit by the firing pin – the little hammer triggered by the weapon’s trigger. This spark burns the gunpowder inside the case. The gases released by burning push the fourth and most important part of the ammunition: the projectile. It is attached to the other end of the case. And the shot goes out.
But at the end of the blank bullet there is not a projectile, but a small hole. Gunpowder burns in the same way, but there is nothing to push. That’s why the blank bullet makes the noise and feels like it’s shooting something, but nothing comes out of the barrel.
If you shoot at close range, the hot gas coming out of the barrel can cause injuries. “If the barrel of the gun is glued to the skull or any sensitive part such as the eye, the displacement of gas can cause a serious injury”, says criminal expert Nelson Correia da Silva Júnior, from the Civil Police of São Paulo. But hardly a shot with the fake bullet could kill someone.
Understand the differences between the main bullet types. The blank ones are the only ones without a projectile.
NORMAL BULLET
It has the four essential parts of the bullet: the case, the fuze, the powder and the projectile. When gunpowder burns, it produces gases, the projectile – usually lead in the form of a warhead – is propelled at great speed out of the gun.
BULLET BULLET
Instead of the projectile, it has a hole in the front to release the gas from burning gunpowder – the gas exit frays the tip of the case. If this orifice did not exist, the gases could exit through the fuse, the most sensitive part of the cartridge, causing the famous “backfire”
EXPANSIVE (DUM-DUM)
The projectile has a hollow point and scratches on the outside. When it encounters a watery or gelatinous object, such as an animal organ, it opens as if it were a flower, making a real crater inside the target. The damage is so great that its use is banned in wars.
SENT
The projectile has a coating of copper, nylon, or other material that slides down the gun barrel better than lead. Result: the shot comes out with more velocity, which improves the accuracy and range of the shot
TRACTOR
It has a substance at the base that releases a luminous powder when the gunpowder burns, leaving a visible trail in the dark. A variant is the explosive bullet, which is based on a flammable material and works as an aerial fuse.
PERFORATING
It has a projectile core made of steel and a pointed head. Its hardness and refined shape make it go through even armored vehicles. Unlike the expansives, this one is exclusive to the Armed Forces, although bandits are able to smuggle it in.