Yes, Mike, Blank loads were used in real shotguns. The problem encountered was that full loads were used instead of quarter loads, which scared the crap out of the extras, and smoked out the set for around an hour. A firearms expert was on hand and corrected the issue by the next days shoot. The movie was shot in Flint, Michigan with the full cooperation of the city and its Police Department on 1/2 a city block of mostly abandoned properties.
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