THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Train like a set armorer in Glendale with Dutch Merrick: a full-day, hands-on Prop Gun Set Safety course where you manage blanks, run scenes, and earn a Level 2 certificate. Perfect for aspiring armorers and any crew who wants real set experience.
Train like a set armorer in Glendale with Dutch Merrick: a full-day, hands-on Prop Gun Set Safety course where you manage blanks, run scenes, and earn a Level 2 certificate. Perfect for aspiring armorers and any crew who wants real set experience.
Book with Live Fire Learning
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Live Fire Learning · Glendale, California
On a working soundstage in Glendale, California, the Prop Gun Set Safety "Gun Wrangler" Course turns classroom theory into noisy, disciplined practice. Led by Dutch Merrick, a 40-year industry veteran and past president of I.A.T.S.E. Local 44, this ten-hour workshop simulates a film production day so participants learn to manage blank firearms, coordinate on-set safety, and execute realistic action sequences without sacrificing crew safety.
The day begins with a briefing: chain-of-custody for prop firearms, cold and hot weapon protocols, and the legal limits that govern who can touch a gun on set. Then crews build a short scene. You take a role—armorer, assistant, gun wrangler or even stand-in—and practice loading, staging, clearing, and calling the shot under realistic time pressure. Instructor-led drills focus on blank firing management, range-style safe-handling, and communicating with Directors, Grips, and other departments. The workshop culminates with staged reenactments of legendary movie moments, taught with the pacing and noise of a working soundstage.
What makes this course special for Southern California’s entertainment ecosystem is its pedigree and realism. Dutch Merrick’s four decades in film and television bring lessons born from real productions—credits include SEAL Team, CSI: NY, Euphoria, ROAR, S.W.A.T., and First Man—and his union leadership provides a rare window into industry standards. The program issues a Prop Gun Set Safety Level 2 certificate and emphasizes cross-department fluency, making it relevant to Property Masters, Camera Operators, Stunt Performers, and assistant department heads.
Practical details are straightforward: classes are limited to 12 students to mirror crew ratios, run roughly ten hours, and follow strict safety protocols with supervised live-blank handling. Convicted felons cannot participate due to legal restrictions, and participants should be prepared for sustained standing, carrying light gear, and rapid scene changes. Craft service and lunch are provided, keeping the day moving.
This course also serves as a risk-reduction tool for productions—reducing on-set error, clarifying roles during high-stress takes, and reinforcing repeatable procedures that protect actors and crew. For aspiring armorers or technicians wanting hands-on set experience, the Gun Wrangler course is one of the few places to perform full-scale blank-fire drills within a professional, legal framework. If you work in entertainment or want to join the craft, booking a session in Glendale is a direct way to build skills that translate immediately to set safety and hireability.
Classes accept both union and non-union participants, and the curriculum applies beyond film to theater, themepark and live-event productions that use blanks or replicas. Minimum age is 18 and instruction scales to beginner and experienced crew alike. Because the workshop trains communication across departments, many graduates leave with stronger résumé entries and clearer on-set pathways—an immediate professional return on a single intensive day of hands-on training and confidence.
challenging.
10 hours.
Moderate physical fitness: standing for long periods, moving quickly on set, lifting light equipment; not a high-endurance course but active all day.
No—courses accept beginners and experienced crew, teaching from fundamentals up to advanced blank management.
Yes—this class includes a Prop Gun Set Safety Level 2 certificate on successful completion.
No—convicted felons are legally barred from handling firearms and cannot participate.
Classes are capped at 12 students to match realistic crew ratios and ensure hands-on instruction.
Yes—craft service and lunch are included to keep the schedule moving during the ten-hour day.
Yes—the program is accessible to both union and non-union participants and is designed for cross-department staff.
Instructor Dutch Merrick is a former president of I.A.T.S.E. Local 44, bringing union-era standards and decades of on-set practice to the curriculum.
The program emphasizes safe disposal and handling of blanks and prop materials, minimizing waste and noise impacts while complying with local regulations.
Here's your chance to "Call the shots" on set, as a Gun Wrangler.
Book with Live Fire Learning