Origin of the Popper

[dcloudy777]

Okay, here's a way-out question, but I'm kicking around some designs for steel targets, and I'm hoping someone who has been around the game longer than me can shed some light on the "popper" shape. Does anyone know the function of the shape, or how it came to be that way? Is it supposed to replicate something? I'd appreciate any help on this, thanks.

DanO

[lynn jones]

all i know is that the man that invented the popper is John Pepper. Pepper Popper

[Corey]

the larger diamter circle is what is used for a calibration zone. that may have something to do with its design. dunno if it was designed that way or adopted off the design.

[Joe4d]

Its the kill zone on a human target. head, major organ, upper spinal zone, Sorry if that isnt PC enough but thats what it is.

[T3P_Guy]

Its the kill zone on a human target. head, major organ, upper spinal zone, Sorry if that isnt PC enough but thats what it is.

For when we are attacked by army's of 3' tall midgets?

[jmorris]

What Joe said, Here is another target that has a short narrow area above a larger round(ish) then back to a longer narrow section.

Edited October 30, 2010 by jmorris

[jaredr]

Its the kill zone on a human target. head, major organ, upper spinal zone, Sorry if that isnt PC enough but thats what it is.

For when we are attacked by army's of 3' tall midgets?

i actually did laugh out loud at that one. I've got a couple of the MGM auto poppers - they're about a foot tall, perfect for getting ready to defend myself if I get attacked by the demonically possessed tiki doll from Trilogy of Terror

vs.

Edited October 31, 2010 by jaredr

[calishootr]

aaaah karen black bein chased around by the lil guy with a steak knife hehehe tho the ending had me...her eyes....

[blind bat]

Is John Popper still alive?

From two seconds of Google research it looks like he closed down his shooting school in 2001:

http://dvc.org.uk/jeff/jeff9_8.html

Another two seconds worth of research turned up two John Pepper's listed in Maryland phone books. Try giving those "Peppers" a call. I bet if he's still alive he'd get a kick out of knowing people on the interwebs are forming conspiracy theories about the history of his design.

[Wap wap]

back when--- before chronographs became a dime a dozen (sortof ) there was no way to determine the power factor of a load. Easy way that is- one that could be used a the local match level. At that time alot of guys were having moulds (casting) made that looked just like 230 gr round nose but weighed out around 160 grs. At that time this was a serious advantage against the regular 1911 using full power hard ball. Some clubs used ballistic pendulums which required some one on the RO staff with some sophistication in ballistics get stuck with the job of ranking power factor. A power meter was developed by Cooper, at least the one I saw, about a year or so before the Pepper popper which when toppled by hardball set the standard for power factor (out of a 5" 1911). Pepper made one in humanoid form that was used in several large events and become the standard for power factor determination until chronos become cheap.

[Rob Boudrie]

Its the kill zone on a human target. head, major organ, upper spinal zone, Sorry if that isnt PC enough but thats what it is.

One may consider the fact that the world body has adopted a different more PC "classic" popper design as further proof of this.

Yes, I know both remain in the book at present - but then, we were assured there was no plan to remove the metric target from the book at the time I predicted it's demise in IPSC several years ago.

[GrumpyOne]

Is John Popper still alive?

From two seconds of Google research it looks like he closed down his shooting school in 2001:

http://dvc.org.uk/jeff/jeff9_8.html

Another two seconds worth of research turned up two John Pepper's listed in Maryland phone books. Try giving those "Peppers" a call. I bet if he's still alive he'd get a kick out of knowing people on the interwebs are forming conspiracy theories about the history of his design.

Yep, John Popper is still alive, and kicking out blues albums with Blues Traveler.....I have no idea if John Pepper, the inventor of the "Pepper Popper" is still alive!

[KevinGHohl]

Yes the inventor John Pepper is still alive, we was my match rifle instructor from age 10 and i was privileged to shoot IPSC on his poppers 25 years ago. Great man and great instructor! The original popper design was designed for the single center mass knockdown from a 45 and the double tap center mass knock down from a 9mm.

[a matt]

Yes the inventor John Pepper is still alive, we was my match rifle instructor from age 10 and i was privileged to shoot IPSC on his poppers 25 years ago. Great man and great instructor! The original popper design was designed for the single center mass knockdown from a 45 and the double tap center mass knock down from a 9mm.

That would be a very cool set up now. 2 for minor 1 for major power..

[dcloudy777]

Rewarding higher-powered loads was my original thought when I asked about the original Pepper Popper shape. My idea is to basically invert the popper shape, with the enlarged section being lower down. Alternately, a simple trapezoidal shape could be used... wide at the base and tapering toward the top. The more powerful the load, the lower down you can hit on a knock-down target and still knock it over. Both of these designs offer a larger target area the closer you get to the fulcrum, rewarding power with a larger target area.

[a matt]

Nice.

[Trooperdan]

I shot IPSC with John Pepper at the Berwyn MD IPSC club back in the mid-1970's John was a carpenter and built most of the props and stages for our events. I know John was primarily a rifle shooter and I "think" he might have made distinguished. I'd like to know if he is still around also.