The final shot in the War Between the States

[seamusTX]

One hundred and fourty-four years after the formal cessation of hostilities, a Confederate soldier shot a Union soldier in Virginia.

Last September, Civil War re-enactors were participating in the making of a video in Isle of Wight County, Virginia (northeastern part of the state).

A Confederate, Joshua Owen Silva, 29, of Norfolk, fired a replica antique revolver, hitting 72-year-old Thomas Lord Sr. of Suffolk, New York, a Union re-enactor.

The weapon was supposed to have been loaded with a blank charge and double-checked. Somebody screwed up.

Mr. Lord has completely recovered and the two men reconciled.

Yesterday Mr. Silva pled guilty to reckless handling of a firearm. The verdict will be dismissed after he completes a firearm safety class and pays restitution.

http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local ... 4379.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can't resist adding, this incident highlights the risk of using functioning firearms in a drama or performance.

- Jim

[bdickens]

I can't resist adding, this incident highlights the risk of using functioning firearms in a drama or performance.

- Jim

And I can't resist adding that it takes a real moron to do so.

[seamusTX]

Well, the cemeteries are full of people who were killed by "unloaded" guns. Apparently it can't be stated often enough.

- Jim

[Pinkycatcher]

In all the reenactments I've been in they've used fully-functioning firearms without a hitch. (Well, they did have to install an adapter to properly feed blanks from the magazine so it actually won't shoot live ammo)

[seamusTX]

This was a revolver. I can't think of what you could do to a functioning revolver to make it fire blanks but not live bullets.

Here's a long, sad, complicated story about a boy who killed himself with a blank fired from a revolver that was being used as a theatrical prop: http://www.sltrib.com/ci_12704293" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[Mike1951]

And of course the popular TV actor who was killed on set 25 years ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon-Erik_Hexum" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

On October 12, 1984, in between filming scenes on the set of Cover Up, Hexum was critically wounded after he placed a .44 Magnum prop gun loaded with blanks to his temple and pulled the trigger................

Hexum was apparently not informed that blanks use paper or plastic wadding to seal gun powder into the shell, and that this wadding is propelled out of the barrel of the gun with enough force to cause severe injury or death if the weapon is fired within a few inches of the body, especially if pointed at a particularly vulnerable spot, such as the temple or the eye. Although the paper wadding in the blank that Hexum discharged did not penetrate his skull, the wad struck him in the temple with enough blunt force trauma to shatter a quarter-sized piece of his skull and propel the pieces into his brain causing massive hemorrhaging.

[The Annoyed Man]

And of course the popular TV actor who was killed on set 25 years ago:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon-Erik_Hexum" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

On October 12, 1984, in between filming scenes on the set of Cover Up, Hexum was critically wounded after he placed a .44 Magnum prop gun loaded with blanks to his temple and pulled the trigger................

Hexum was apparently not informed that blanks use paper or plastic wadding to seal gun powder into the shell, and that this wadding is propelled out of the barrel of the gun with enough force to cause severe injury or death if the weapon is fired within a few inches of the body, especially if pointed at a particularly vulnerable spot, such as the temple or the eye. Although the paper wadding in the blank that Hexum discharged did not penetrate his skull, the wad struck him in the temple with enough blunt force trauma to shatter a quarter-sized piece of his skull and propel the pieces into his brain causing massive hemorrhaging.

Not to mention Brandon Lee, whose death was totally preventable, and even more weird.

[WarHawk-AVG]

Not to mention Brandon Lee, whose death was totally preventable, and even more weird.

Yah no kidding...totally messed up "The Crow" series

[KD5NRH]

This was a revolver. I can't think of what you could do to a functioning revolver to make it fire blanks but not live bullets.

Considering these are most likely cap and ball revolvers, there are several creative solutions. Undersized bores come to mind, as do cylinders shallow-bored to take only a small powder charge and wad. (though the long hole necessary to get the fire there from the primer would be prone to clogging.

[KD5NRH]

Silva and Lord were among dozens of re-enactors who were helping filmmakers produce the Civil War Overland Campaign Web Series Project when the shooting happened Sept. 27. The bullet struck Lord in the upper chest, just as he raised his arm to give a final hurrah for the cameras.

This should also underscore the importance of not attracting attention during combat

[seamusTX]

I spoke too soon.

On October 6, a Civil War re-enactor pled guilty to shooting another re-enactor with a blank round, causing the victim's toe to be amputated.

The incident occurred August 3, 2008, at the American Civil War Museum in Gettysburg.

http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_13585152" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

- Jim

[Oldgringo]

Well, I don't know about the rest of y'all, but I ain't too happy with the way it ended.

[Reloader]

Them yankees have always been a hard kill...