Importing NFA items for movies/tv?

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LAR-15

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Is it legal to import into the US NFA firearms for movies and tv productions?
 
usually, those items are either replicas or props that are held by various prop companies... there are several companies that make 100% realistic prop guns (non firing)... and several more that have arsenals for rent to various movie companies...

movies like the matrix for example, they rent the guns from an armory company...

http://weaponsofchoicetheatrical.com/

there is one that i found...

there really isnt much of a reason to import real NFA stuff for those purposes... it would be boatloads more expensive than renting the stuff would be... for example... the lobby scene in the matrix... only about 2 of those weapons were actually seen in other scenes in the film... and the filming of the shots with the guys shooting weapons probably only took a few days to film... the explosions, acrobatics fighting scenes etc could be filled in later...

or for example a police tv show... you rent the sidearms as a part of the uniform you get from the uniform company... or if its a long run production, you buy them in the same way... then you have one or two blank firing replicas that are used for shooting scenes... most likely with an armory company on set for the filming of those scenes...
 
Many movies filmed in the US use airsoft guns with edited in muzzle flash, report and shell casings when very modern FA's are needed or when there's a budget. It would be possible for real ones to be used, however the SOT would need a LE love letter for each post sample he has- and then, he would have a very limited numbr.

Many films that include real post 86 machine guns are filmed overseas- Canada is much more accomadating. There is pending legislation right now to help facilitate (among a bunch of other things) the posession of post sample by professional theatrical and film organizations.
 
There is pending legislation right now to help facilitate (among a bunch of other things) the posession of post sample by professional theatrical and film organizations.
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Can you point to more on that?
 
It's my understanding that the prop guns used in movies are modified to use special ammo. For example the gun might be modified because blanks might not have enough energy to cycle the bolt. Also special ammo that creates a big flash is often used. The prop companies have thousands of these modified guns that the rent out to movies. Gong through the hassle to import a NFA weapon and then modify it doesn't make much sense.
 
Oly arms is one of the big manufactures of replica firearms in the movie industry.
 
i was under the impression that their were a couple of guys (or maybe only one) who work for movie/tv shows with the gun stuff on this sight. best bet is to find them an ask.
 
buddy of mine was the firearms guy for universal studios FL on the T2-3D show... they use real M-16s and AKs with blanks and a in the barrel blank firing adapter... he was a licensed armorer and explosives manufacturer and also did a lot of the municipal fireworks shows in the area
 
Interesting.

Yeah I was wondering where the NFA guns in movies came from
 
While some have been real guns with barrel restrictors to allow the mechanism to operate, there has been an increased use of what are called "movie guns." That is, props which fire proprietary blanks (often 8mm.) which produce a muzzle blast and cycle the action. These include the use of "movie gun" Thompsons and MP-40s (carbines and Garands too) in movies like "WINDTALKERS".
Sometimes these are available for sale from internet sources. Usually they're made overseas. They're popular in Asian countries (where airsoft is also popular) and are made in Hong Kong or Japan.
 
So in most movies its 8mm blank guns.

Is that true for automatics such as the H&K G-36?
 
I would not give Hollywood any exceptions and I will be yelling at my Congressman if they even consider it. They should reform the NFA for everyone, not just the professional liars in Hollyweird.
 
I would not give Hollywood any exceptions and I will be yelling at my Congressman if they even consider it. They should reform the NFA for everyone, not just the professional liars in Hollyweird.
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If you read the bill, it helps us immensely. More parts kits- including barrels, ability to import generally prohibited recievers, prevents sharing of multiple sales reports (do you really want Mayor Daley knowing how many guns you bought when?), prohibits fees for NICS checks, prevents ATF from pulling the crap they pulled at Reds, etc...).
 
:evil:
If you read the bill, it helps us immensely.
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TexasRifleman Movie Guns LLC open for business soon :evil:

TexasRifleman Productions LLC is proud to announce its intention to do a documentary on the SAW gunners of Iraq.
TR Productions will be renting an M249 from TR Movie Guns LLC for the duration of this project.

TR Movie Guns will derive 100% of its revenue from this project. TR Movie Guns will purchase one post sample M249 for use in this production.

The project has a budget of $50,000 and has a projected completion date of 2018.

Under the law as I read it what's to stop me from doing just that?

I agree though, making all kinds of special concessions for the movie industry makes me sick. This is the same industry whose stars regularly come out against private ownership of firearms by the "peons".
 
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