An update on progress...

I'm in the pre-register stages for the pistol courses I want and have begun, in earnest the investigation of practical stage firearms to supply and train with. I'm still a major proponent of experimenting more with compressed air as well - cheaper, safer, and hopefully as effective in the "noise" department.

You see, most stage weapons don't actually expend a used round, even a 1/4 or primer round. All bang, no "clink." Since 8mm primer cartridges don't have the necessary kick to eject and chamber a subsequent round, there's a dearth of gunfights using semi automatic and even automatic fire. Unusual since most lethal usage of the actual weapons in combat situation involves the expenditure of multiple rounds.

I want more realism.

There's a company called Nightmare Paintball which builds .43 caliber paintball markers with an emphasis on extreme realism for L.E. and military use (as well as weekend gamers like me). They have a line of assault arms, rifles and pistols which are, having test fired a few at NJ Nam (I'm in their gallery! - 4th pic) excellent.

Most exciting to me is that their markers operate again, on extreme realism, meaning each .43 caliber paintball is encased in brass (or biodegradable platic) casings which are ejected after each firing. I'm considering the purchase of their P99 replica pistol (built up from the RAP4 P99 fully licensed by Walther) simply because a pistol that ejects brass adds an excellent element of realism often absent from stage firearms. This also means repeating fire, or full auto fire for incredible effect onstage. When's the last time you saw someone open up onstage with an assault rifle? Me either. But I've seen a lot of big guns that go off once and only once.

Of course, every expended casing must be tracked by stage management, and there is the risk of an expended casing sailing into the audience - but with no projectiles, it may be that the marker could operate without a casing as well, so it becomes an optional feature depending on the wants, or needs of the show director.

Of course, they aren't cheap, but a few rentals of this piece out to companies should cover costs over time. Using compressed air again becomes a safer, less expensive alternative to primer, half or full load blank rounds.

Meanwhile - tonight there's another fundraising episode of "Mraz Inc" the incredibly awful ongoing theatrical series that somehow manages to mash up "24" with a bad soap opera and awkward staging. I'll be reprising my role as "Eric" the undervalued tactical operative who isn't in the inner circle, ends up betraying the good guys, and then gets shot in the face. I told you it was awful. I modified my Tippmann A-5 to look a little more MP5-ish for the occasion. I'll attach an image later on.

I'll be reclaiming my 18th century (nonfiring display only) Italian duelling pistol this weekend, as well as "The Big Iron" my (replica) Griswold and Gunnison Confederate blackpowder repeating pistol. Ye olde Charleville and Brown Bess muskets are due for cleaning as well. Ahh, antique firearms. So glad I don't actually use ye.