It is my understanding that a lot of the balloon breaking type shooting relies on powder particles from blank cartridges to break the balloon rather than a bullet. You may have seen Horseback shooting at a gallop. If they were using bullets it would be very unsafe for the crowd.

I don't know that this video used that type cartridge but expect it is.

I have another possible theory:

Notice that the balloons protrude through the steel circles. If one were to hit the steel with soft lead bullets, it would kind of splatter and some of the bullet would hit the balloon anyway, despite actually missing the 'bullseye.'

It's kind of like doing the "split the bullet in two and bust two balloons with one shot" trick when you do it with a .22. The .22 just explodes and there is an extremely good chance that at least one bit of it hits each balloon.

Speed shooting of that type uses black powder blanks. And, yes, quick draw contests of that type are for real.

Blanks are used for two main reasons: safety and lack of recoil. Without pushing any lead out the muzzle, there is no recoil. This allows faster repeat shots. These guns are made up with oversize hammers for fanning, often have aluminum barrels, some even utilize .22 r.f. blanks.

Make no mistake, accuracy DOES play a role, as the wad particles do not spread as much as you would think. It is the wad particles that actually break the balloon.

I've learned this much from Cary Chapman, of CLC custom grips, who not only makes a superb pair of grips for Rugers, but is also a quick-draw aficionado.

Bob Wright

This kind of shooting is very real. And in no way is it like shooting a shotgun at a balloon. The balloons are in the steel rings to hold them in place. It not only reduces the target size but there is a spring switch against the balloon at the back that activated when the balloon is broken and hooked to a timer.

If anyone thinks this is easy, you're sadly mistaken. When one starts learning fast draw, it is hard enough hitting just one target. The gun has to be aimed at the target. The .45 cal blanks are loaded with maybe 30% FFF powder and 70% single F. The burning and unburned particles of the single F powder are what breaks the balloons.

Fast draw shooting is also done with wax bullets and the same type targets. Again, the bullet has to hit the target. Lots of people can learn to be fast with the gun. The real trick is to hit what you are shooting at.

I don't know if pictures are allowed on this forum but I'll try to show a picture of two of my fast draw guns here. One of them has a fanning hammer on it and the other has a thumb draw hammer.

These guns are highly modified for fast draw shooting. These two were built by Bob Graham in Texas. They have aluminum barrels with rifled steel inserts. modified internal parts and a hammer stop block. If you cock an unloaded revolver and hold the cylinder and push back her on the hammer, you will feel the cylinder still trying to turn. The hammer stop block prevents this from happening. A well timed gun might not even lock up if you pulled the hammer slowly. The weight of the cylinder actually free wheels it into the locked position. Any gun without this modification would be torn up from the tremendous torture fast draw guns go through but a gun built for fast draw will take the punishment.

don't know if the guy in the video is shooting blanks or wax, but believe me, it's not like shooting a shotgun as I said before. If it's blanks, a lot of the powder is burned up and there is hardly any spread at that distance, certainly not enough for one shot to hit two targets.

If you think it's easy, load up some .45 cases with black powder and just try bringing the gun up from your side and shooting a balloon at belt level without any time to aim. Oh yeah, start with the gun uncocked and with no pause time after cocking the hammer. I guarantee you will gain some respect for the guy shooting in that video.

I highly recommend Cal Elrich's video of "The Art Of Fast Draw" that can be found at this site

http://www.gunfighter.com/

Look under Western shooting. It shows everything one needs to know about fast draw and Cal does some incredible shooting in it. It's very fascinating even if you're not going to get involved in fast draw.



Here is another picture showing some stainless cases drilled to accept .22 cal blanks to fire the wax bullets. The other cases are .38s drilled to accept 209 shotgun primers to propel the wax.

Here's one of the best there has ever been.
http://www.bob-munden.com/

Originally Posted by Baldy

Here's one of the best there has ever been.
http://www.bob-munden.com/

Bob Munden is very good but has never been a WFDA (World Fast Draw Association) champion. His guns are too modified to be used in WFDA competition.

Even these people have limits on how much you can customize a single action gun and holster and Bob just didn't want to play by the rules.

I have nothing against Bob Munden, as I said, he is very good.

If I remember right, the current world champion is Bob Mernickle the holster maker. Great leather, I have five of his rigs.

Originally Posted by RightTurnClyde

Do you think he is he using shot shells or actual bullets?

Nope. Don't think he is using shot shells. five shots. baloons pop right, top, middle, left, bottom.

Originally Posted by niadhf

Nope. Don't think he is using shot shells. five shots. baloons pop right, top, middle, left, bottom.

When the top guys shoot double targets, it happens so fast that your mind will only hear one shot. Fast draw shooting is rightfully billed as the fastest sport in the world.

Originally Posted by CaryC

When the top guys shoot double targets, it happens so fast that your mind will only hear one shot. Fast draw shooting is rightfully billed as the fastest sport in the world.

Thats why I like "pause" on videos lol.
I keep saying i want to do it, but probably wont. Too much other fun stuff to do and no more money.

As to bullets or shot, or blanks:

I went to the re-enactment of the O.K. Corral gunfight in Tombstone, Arizona. Prior to the show, the participants demonstrate the effects of a blank .45 cartridge on a coke can at close range. It blows open the side of the aluminum can.

Bob Wright

Originally Posted by Bob Wright

As to bullets or shot, or blanks:

I went to the re-enactment of the O.K. Corral gunfight in Tombstone, Arizona. Prior to the show, the participants demonstrate the effects of a blank .45 cartridge on a coke can at close range. It blows open the side of the aluminum can.

Bob Wright

Blanks definitely are not 100% safe. I work as a move cameraman and there are a handful of incidents of people being killed by blank firing weapons. The good side of the coin is that very strict safety procedures are always followed where they might not have been in the fairly recent past.

Yup it's real. I watch Bob Munden do the same thing in person, in about 1/3rd the time. He used bird shot, but only for safety. His guns are highly modified for fast draw and firing however. Seeing someone that is really good at something like this is pure pleasure. I have a shooting buddie that takes my 2-1/4" snub nose and by about the 3rd shot after walking the shots in, can hit gallon jugs at just under 300 yards fairly regularly.
I hate him!