Penn & Teller Bullet Catch

[ctdonath]

Flatfender-
That's not it. There is no copying the markings by someone backstage watching a TV closeup: that IS my handwriting on the bullet & shell, no question, and the bullet has rifling & powder burns that clearly were not there when I marked it.

 

[Joe Demko]

Have read their books, seen their act, read interviews with them. One thing they are definitely NOT doing is catching bullets in their teeth. Jillette would be the first one to tell you that beneath it all is some cheap trick that you really don't want to know. It's better to think that they are actually catching bullets in their teeth than to know that you were fooled by a cheap trick.

 

[HS/LD]

Has anyone given this any thought, that there...

IS NO TRICK!!

They are actually catching the bullets in their teeth!

Regards,
HS/LD

 

[larry_minn]

OK I have never seen them do it in person. But from what is explained here is how I would do it. First get two real guns. Then two boxes of ammo with unique markings. Do everything as said. Have lazer set off target. Shoot to break glass and bullet is recovered in catcher off stage. Transfer bullet from catcher when removing vest/other stuff to mouth and there you go.

 

[Plan-B]

Larry,

The one time I saw them do it on TV, they showed the bullets in mouth immediately after the shots were fired. This was before anything was removed and before any assistants approached either of them.

 

[Jeeper]

ctdonath

I think you are missing the idea explained.

First. A skilled person could easily immitate any mark you make on a bullet.
Second. The bullet they marked up to immitate yours WAS fired through a gun at some earlier time to give it the rifling marks and powder smell
Third. The bullet you SIGNED was wax or some other substance and was fired which broke the glass.

I was also picked to do this like you were. It was a lot of fun.

 

[ctdonath]

Imitate the mark to that detail? not. I observed a couple subtle nuances in the marking process, and those nuances are evident in what's on the shelf - nuances that won't be picked up by a TV camera, and can't be copied that quickly.

What I signed wasn't wax. I know a copper FMJ when I see it.

Both "solutions" still are too complicated/difficult for what I witnessed. Golgo is right: it is a cheap trick that would piss us off by the simplicity and elegance of the slight-of-hand. Elaborate illusions just don't have the same impact that really simple, really clever slight-of-hand does.

Cool that you got picked too!!! What did you tell Penn that got you on stage? I mentioned I was a graduate of the Lethal Force Institute - figured that had "gun nut" all over it.

 

[Kobun]

You should have told them that you had replaced their loaded cartridge with one you had brought with you from home.
Then see how they would react.

 

[charlie d]

ctdonath,

I agree with you about the initials. You screwed up the D just as most would when trying to write on a small radius compound curve on a tiny thing held in his fingers.

IMO there's no way for someone to duplicate that in a hurry. They would be confounded by the curves too and their screw up would be far different.

 

[Flatfender]

I know, I know,

pick me, pick me, pick me!

It was...
























magic! <rimshot>








No?

Maybe...

The Force ?
Terrorists?
A Hogwarts Spell?
Transporters?




edited for cuteness

 

[Flatfender]

Oh BTW...

Penn & Teller is on Showtime this Friday. Maybe they'll do this trick.