I want to do an Film Noir style photo shoot with a female model as the mysterious dark woman. Like a scene for an old Mickey Spillane novel. I want to use a prop gun in the photos. But obviously I can't brandish a realistic-looking fake weapon in public. I've seen other photographers do it in their shoots. What are the laws and etiquette to do this without getting arrested in Los Angeles.

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You can take the photo and photoshop the prop in... place something in hand so the pose is there Or you can contact the authorities and have them present for the shoot

When I photographed a model with a gun, I made it look obvious I was doing a photo shoot. A patrol car did drive by, but it left just as quick. Although I did have a make up artist, an assistant, several lights setup, and a prop car. But the production team usually gets a permit from the city or the property owner.

If you are not using it to threaten anybody and it is not capable of firing, then it is not illegal. You may have to be prepared to explain it to law enforcement though. If you are doing a small shoot and keep things low key, you should be alright. The camera and model should make it obvious to most people what is going on. An officer would likely just look at the prop to make sure it was not real. If you create too much of a disruption, or have too much equipment you could be cited for shooting without a permit. The definition for a professional shoot that requires a permit is fairly liberal and includes having a model and sometimes using a tripod. You should also stay away from any buildings that have security guards unless you have permission to shoot there. Guards are often more trouble than police. If you are courteous to the people around you, don't act like you are doing some thing wrong, shoot your picture and leave then you should be ok.