hi guys,

i searched blanks already and read thru all the posts. i couldnt really get it. here is what im trying to do. my friends are avid amateur filmmakers and found out i had bought an AR. they want to be able to use it in some of the movies, firing blanks. i originally thought you could just fire the blanks, and i know the military uses the red BFAs (i have a 20"). what i didnt know is that you CANT fire blanks without the BFA? is that true? why? im wondering because the big BFA kind of is a visual distraction from the AR. if someone could maybe explain in layman's terms why i need a BFA to fire blanks or any other info on the subject i would be extremely grateful.

i would imagine that the bfa is there to keep things from becoming projectiles, safety feature?

It might have something to do with keeping the gas pressure up enough to cycle the bolt group

does anyone know where to get the hollywood BFAs?

google?

Well----once i was in central america and the local indigenous types showed me how to use a blank and a .22 pellet ... Mucho fun!  So-yeah, A BFA is for Bolt cycling and saftey...

try google for hollywood bfas.
I have seen BFAs for AKs that fit between bbl/fh

Try here..

www.mooremilitaria.com/prod03.htm

and here... Swanson Gun Blanks

Make sure you have the right BFA for the right blanks.

GI blanks use a smaller hole than the Hollywood hot blanks.

It would be bad to use the GI BFA and the hot blanks.

Get the Hollywood BFA. it goes under the flash suppressor on top of the muzzle.
They make the Hollywood BFA for both the GI blanks and the hot blanks. again, do not use the GI BFA with the hot blanks.
The hot blanks are real loud, make a nice Hollywood style flash (even with a flash suppressor) and cycle the AR perfect.

Me and my buddies made a cheesy movie with them and we fired about 1k of them with no issues. we used A1 style rifles and a semi-auto M60. it looked and sounded great!

There are two different kinds of blanks--those used in movies, and those used by the military.  Military blanks are there to operate the mechanism of the weapon and make some credible sound.  Hollywood blanks can come in a variety of load levels, and are supposed to make a LOT of flash and noise.  Because of this you MUST ensure that you use the proper adapter with the blanks you use; GI blank adapters (or hidden adapters with the appropriate GI-size hole) for GI blanks, and the Hollywood blank manufacturer's recommended adapter for their blanks.

I have a "Hollywood-style" blank adapter sized for GI blanks.  It's the type that fits in the space between the FH and the muzzle.  A small part of it fits inside the barrel, there's a flange section for the expansion space between the muzzle and the FH, and a smaller section that fits inside the "cage" portion of an A1 or A2 FH.  It works just as well as a GI adapter except for one thing: the opening is still centered on the bore and pointing in the "direction of fire."  GI blank adapters channel the gas at an angle, preventing anyone in the line of fire from being caught by the hot gas.  THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!  GI blanks can cause serious injuries at close range!!!  Just because the weapon is firing blanks does NOT mean it's safe to point it at another person or an animal!!!