Hammar Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 (edited) So what say you all? Want to get a new open gun built and trying to decide weather or not to put holes in the barrel. My current gun has them. Many say they are unnecessary. I know I'm gonna get differing opinions here just wondering what y'all think and why. Thanks. ETA: going to be a 5" 38 super. Edited June 12, 2011 by Hammar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDPMatt Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I've shot some guns with them (never owned one). My current open gun doesn't have them and it shoots flat. I haven't shot one that was more flat yet but anything is possible.... We have a 9X23 in the club with four holes in the barrel and it's the loudest, most annoying thing ever but it shoots good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gng4life Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 All my Open guns have them but being an amateur in Open, I may not be the best qualified to say but I like them so far. One of my Open pistols I had popples drilled after I shot it a bit and it did seem a little flater after the holes were done but not by much. It's also harder to make Major in 9mm but you're shooting 38S so you will have no problems at all with that. Do you have any shooting buddies you can try out before you decide? Also, when I was at Area 6, I talked to Millenium about the cool popples he has on his guns. He said he does a lot of testing with comps and popples and the new configuration he has seems to help stabilize the dot more. He is an amazing gunsmith so I take his word for things like that. All things being equal, I'm sure it helps some but not to a great degree...Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Scientist Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 My personal exsperience in 2011 and glock platforms respectfully is that the guns are flatter and louder. the dot is easier to track for me .Their are a lot of other variables to consider. A gunsmith will have an overall formulation to make the guns flat . I would pick a qualified smith and use there complete formulation . They all have built there reputations so pick one you trust and let them do there thing. My personal gun has 10 holes in the barrel . the more holes I put in the tube the better it tracked and felt to me. running major 9 in a 5.5 inch glock.When i was runnnig 2011 guns I had several with hybrid barrels and one with "viper ports" on the side of the gun . they were all very effective. I also shot a plain 5.5 inch 2011 gun with a 6 baffle comp only. it was very soft and very plesant to shoot. although I felt the dot wasnt as flat. your best bet is to try a few with and without and see if you can stand the blast. The worst thing that can happen is to build up the gun and find you cant stand the added blast form the holes. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted June 12, 2011 Share Posted June 12, 2011 I approach it simply... I told the gunsmith to build me a good gun, and he did the rest. It came with V6 holes, and I love it, but I am sure I would be happy without them as well. If your smith is a good shooter, he will build the gun that shoots well, so you will just have to get used to it... heck, you will need to get used to ANY new gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerTrace Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) I don't shoot open, but I do get to watch a lot of wicked open shooters shoot. Nick Neel has one of the flattest shooting guns I've ever seen. His gun is an Infinity IMM in 38 Super Comp. When I go Open, I will build something just like Nick's......... Edited June 13, 2011 by SV-COP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Completely unnecessary. My gun is flat as can be. No holes. Just a good comp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rupture Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Completely unnecessary. My gun is flat as can be. No holes. Just a good comp. Yea you got some kind of freak gun, one of the flattest shooting guns I've seen hybrid or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HI5-O Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 I have them and my next new open gun will not. Sometimes it gets a little distracting to feel the blowback from the holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
392heminut Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 My first love has always been Limited, but a few years back I decided to try Open and built a gun 38 Super with a Scheumann Hybricomp barrel. That gun was absolutely flat shooting, the dot would literally just dance around a little on the target. I shot the gun for about a year and a half and then got rid of it because of the sharp blast from the barrel ports. I went back to Limited but still think about doing another open gun from time to time. If I do, it won't have barrel ports! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neomet Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) I've shot a V6 and a V12 Tanfo. The V12 in particular was to me a loud, brutal, painful in enclosed shooting positions gun to shoot. Yeah, it was kinda fun to watch the ROs run for cover, but frankly whatever gain there was in dot movement was more than washed out by the blast and sound of the thing even doubleplugged. I now shoot a non-ported Trubore with a very efficient job done on the comp. I'm not going back. As a slight detour in the discussion I am not convinced of the absolute benefit of a dot that just twitches. I like some movement. Perhaps just a personal preference. edited to add Feel free to call me a girly-man. Edited June 13, 2011 by Neomet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoNsTeR Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) My (limited) experience is that ported guns have less vertical dot movement but more total dot movement. On a compensator-only gun, the dot goes up and down. On a hybrid gun it goes all over the place. I'm sure with practice this can be adapted to, but I don't prefer it. That plus the extra noise, and I'm happy to stick with just a compensator. Edit: The most unpleasant open guns on the planet are the old 6-hole SV IMMs. Every shot is like getting hit in the chest with a bat. Edited June 14, 2011 by MoNsTeR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 (edited) I am really surprised at some folk's very negative reaction to holes... I shoot them all the time, and they absolutely don't bother me. Sometimes I feel a very gentle shock wave on my face, and I need to replace the blast shield from time to time - but that's about it. And I shoot them a lot indoors. Edited June 13, 2011 by Foxbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lcs Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Research XRe comments and tests regarding his new Brazo with/without true popple holes. The configuration of the gun plays a big part. I have used/tested a lot of comps. There is one design that has allowed every open gun I've had made, shoot flatter. Add in four POPPLE holes (not the BIG blowholes) and the gun is FLATTER. Yes, I can feel a slight disruption of the air sometimes at my face. Mostly when a barrel or confined space is involved (does not distract me). Powder selection is big variable also in the quest for flatter shooting open guns. The bottom line-my times are faster with the addition of four small popple holes, but I am a just a C class shooter, what do I know Let the timer be the judge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aircooled6racer Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Hello: I have shot some with holes and some without the holes. You can do alot with load development and bullet weight. Still if you cannot get the results you are looking for then try some small holes. I like the "Hill Hell hole" setup better than the large holes. After I get back from our trip I will be trying out some comps without holes and then with the holes. As for being loud some pistols are very loud mostly the older style open pistols with large holes and short barrels. Thanks, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncboiler Posted June 13, 2011 Share Posted June 13, 2011 Matt McLearn likes to build his guns with the 3 hold Hybricomp barrel. He will let you decide if you want all three or none and will add them later if wanted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Price Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 I've shot a V6 and a V12 Tanfo. The V12 in particular was to me a loud, brutal, painful in enclosed shooting positions gun to shoot. Yeah, it was kinda fun to watch the ROs run for cover, but frankly whatever gain there was in dot movement was more than washed out by the blast and sound of the thing even doubleplugged. I now shoot a non-ported Trubore with a very efficient job done on the comp. I'm not going back. As a slight detour in the discussion I am not convinced of the absolute benefit of a dot that just twitches. I like some movement. Perhaps just a personal preference. edited to add Feel free to call me a girly-man. I have a good friend that shoots our indoor plate match with a .40 v12 its the most obnoxious thing i have ever shot but man its flat and the flames shooting out the holes makes it really look like a dragster lol! but man its horrid to shoot inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki999 Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 I have'doubted for a long time, and i'm glad i put 3 holes in the barrel. 2 backwards and one straight up. I shot my IMM for a while without holes and the vertical movement was more straight up and it fell nicely back on the a. Now it just go BANG and the dot is back, i like it very much. Makes the backward movement more violent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 I had an interesting converstion with Bob (Brazos) at Double Tap about Comps and Holes. The gist of it is the holes make the gun flat and the Comp takes the recoil off. My personal expierence and let me start by saying I don't like the holes, is that the best shooting guns I have shot have had 2 or more poppel holes as well as a good comp. Benny Hill built both of them (Benny Hill Comp cut in a TruBore), a little heavy for my preferences. In a non holed 9 major or 38S the best shooting guns have all had one thing in common Dawson DP-2 Comp. Holes are like duration on a street car camshaft, its easy to get too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Price Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 (edited) Ron I agree. I have shot a TON of open guns before I bought/built mine. I have a bone stock trubore 9mm with a t-1 comp its very flat and pleasent shoot.. but a tick slow and to heavy. but very very shootable. My other is again stock trubore with a lot of meat taken off the slide 9mm with a t-2 comp. I LOVE THIS GUN. now it may just be that this is the gun that just fits me and my shooting style the best, but this gun is the best gun i have ever shot. This leads me to believe that you just need to find what works best for you and what works for your load. Now i will say this I did alot of work finding a load/spring combo that gave me the least amount of dot movement. I like my dot to twitch in the lens. a 13lb spring and 7.0 grains of auto comp behind a 124 mg JHP @ 1.165 does exactly that. edit: for having fat fingers and typing 8.0 grains of autocomp insted of 7.0 Edited June 17, 2011 by Mat Price Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxbat Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 (edited) 8.0 grains of auto comp behind a 124 mg JHP @ 1.165 . Mama mia... what velocity do you get? I get pf 169 with 7.1gr out of a shorty with V6 holes. Edited June 17, 2011 by Foxbat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mat Price Posted June 17, 2011 Share Posted June 17, 2011 8.0 grains of auto comp behind a 124 mg JHP @ 1.165 . Mama mia... what velocity do you get? I get pf 169 with 7.1gr out of a shorty with V6 holes. ha no idea! I fat fingered it 7.0 grains need to go fix that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 Ron I agree. I have shot a TON of open guns before I bought/built mine. I have a bone stock trubore 9mm with a t-1 comp its very flat and pleasent shoot.. but a tick slow and to heavy. but very very shootable. My other is again stock trubore with a lot of meat taken off the slide 9mm with a t-2 comp. I LOVE THIS GUN. now it may just be that this is the gun that just fits me and my shooting style the best, but this gun is the best gun i have ever shot. This leads me to believe that you just need to find what works best for you and what works for your load. Now i will say this I did alot of work finding a load/spring combo that gave me the least amount of dot movement. I like my dot to twitch in the lens. a 13lb spring and 7.0 grains of auto comp behind a 124 mg JHP @ 1.165 does exactly that. edit: for having fat fingers and typing 8.0 grains of autocomp insted of 7.0 I think you nailed it, till you shoot it you just don't know for sure. I had a Tanfo V8 and the blast from that thing just bothered me a lot, so it went. I have one STI setup in 38SC with a Bedell Ti Comp and I had to put a hole in it to tame it down enough to be shootable. That one #3 hole made a world of difference in how the gun shot, I'm talking day and night, but keep in mind the key point it was bad without it, and it didn't matter what load you tried. It is a Bronco at 170 pf but push it to 175pf and it is a pleasure to shoot. I can make this generalization and it applies to 38S and 9 Major, with a Bedel or Brazos Comp, you are going to need one or more poppel holes to get the most out of the gun, the size, number and placement is important for that get with the gun builder, getting it right is the hard part just enough not too much. I've also seen a stock Trubore (old leaning wall design) respond well to a poppel hole. The newer TruBore has a comp wall perpendicular to the bore line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiefG Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 I think you nailed it, till you shoot it you just don't know for sure. 2 months ago I got my first open gun, no holes. I waited til after 3k rounds then I decided I needed the holes. I recently had a local gunsmith put 3 holes and was returned to me on the day of a match. With same load/ammo, shooting style and no practice getting used to the holes, it helped me speed up my 2nd shots. It worked for me. YMMV 8.0 3N37 PF 170 before, 8.0 3N37 PF 168 after. Just want to share my experience... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gng4life Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 I think you nailed it, till you shoot it you just don't know for sure. 2 months ago I got my first open gun, no holes. I waited til after 3k rounds then I decided I needed the holes. I recently had a local gunsmith put 3 holes and was returned to me on the day of a match. With same load/ammo, shooting style and no practice getting used to the holes, it helped me speed up my 2nd shots. It worked for me. YMMV 8.0 3N37 PF 170 before, 8.0 3N37 PF 168 after. Just want to share my experience... What size holes? Could you post some picks to give us a reference? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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