Poppleholes

[Yoseppy]

I’m looking at ordering my first open gun, and was wondering about poppleholes. What are the pros and cons? I tried to find some information on here about them but wasn’t getting very far. 

[gng4life]

Searching on here can be a little difficult if you are not familiar with the syntax. However, another easier option that lands some good results would be using Google to search this site. Try this below and you will have enough to read for days! Just copy and paste this phrase below into Google search and you'll get what you are looking for probably.

 

popple holes site:brianenos.com/

[Don_B]

Barrel ports will make the pistol loader but will also make it snappier and quicker back on target. 
Some people like it, some don't. 
My suggestion is to try pistols with and without ports to see how you like it. 

[Rnlinebacker]

38sc, yes. 9 major, unnecessary

[Sarge]

2 minutes ago, Rnlinebacker said:

38sc, yes. 9 major, unnecessary

Hmm.. 3holes made quite a difference in my 9’s.

[donnyglock]

3 minutes ago, Sarge said:

Hmm.. 3holes made quite a difference in my 9’s.

Agreed. 

[MikeBurgess]

I haven't done apples to apples comparisons with identical guns but I have shot and built guns with and without holes, what I can say is they feel different, not really better or worse just different. As a very generalized statement I would say the ones with holes tend to be snappier and without softer, there is probably a slight difference in how flat they are but as long as the springs are set up correctly so the dot returns to where it left from I really don't notice. That said you can probably make a bigger difference in feel by changing recoil spring, main spring and firing pin stop shape combinations. 

the last several guns I have built have had 2 barrel holes because that is the current fashion rather than for any performance gain I can point to.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by MikeBurgess
typo

[Yoseppy]

2 hours ago, gng4life said:

Searching on here can be a little difficult if you are not familiar with the syntax. However, another easier option that lands some good results would be using Google to search this site. Try this below and you will have enough to read for days! Just copy and paste this phrase below into Google search and you'll get what you are looking for probably.

 

popple holes site:brianenos.com/

Thank you very much this was very helpful! 

[Posvar]

A well known builder is now using 4 popple holes in 9mm and I wonder just how much powder is needed to make PF. I like two but that is just me

[cperazza]

What I have seen is 

- 9 Maj 2-3 popple holes (norm 2)

- 38SC 3-4 popple holes (norm 4)

 

They help keep the gun flat, but there is additional tuning you might have to do depending on your grip, shooting style, loads (USPSA or steel challenge... 

- recoil spring 7-8lbs... 8V

- mainspring 17-19lbs... 17lbs

- magwell aluminum or stainless 

 

(Added) "Current available" Honchos don't have popple holes and they shoot fine.  

 

Agree with previous comments, see what you can get a hold of to try to help you make the decision that is best for you.

 

Edited March 30, 2022 by cperazza

[Posvar]

Regarding the Honcho, mine had no holes and shot really well but was also super front heavy so maybe that affected it. My favorite feel for 9mm major is the new offset angled hybrid holes by SV. Keeps the gun super stable and a quick up and down then return to zero very fast.

[zzt]

On each of my three Open guns I went with a straight comp first.  None shot as flat as I wanted so I added poppels.  Two 3/16" dia. in a v2 config on two of them and three 5/16" vertical in the last.

 

So what happens when you add poppels?  You rob gas from the comp.  Yes, the gun shoots flatter, but hits the hand harder.  You lose velocity.  You make up for that by adding more powder.  That's a good thing, because there is more gas to 'work' the comp.

 

So, bottom line:  if you want the softest shooting gun, go with a good comp and as much slow powder as you safely can fit under a 115gr JHP.  As you go up in powder charge you will get softer and softer right up until you start to get excess gas jetting out the front of the comp.  If that is not flat enough for you, add poppels.

 

In 9mm major it is impossible to fit enough slow powder in the case to shoot flat AND soft.  So you have to choose one or the other, or a little of both.

 

BTW, the well known builder using four poppels in 9mm is using 1/8" dia. poppels.  You don't have to struggle to make PF.

[Posvar]

1 minute ago, zzt said:

On each of my three Open guns I went with a straight comp first.  None shot as flat as I wanted so I added poppels.  Two 3/16" dia. in a v2 config on two of them and three 5/16" vertical in the last.

 

So what happens when you add poppels?  You rob gas from the comp.  Yes, the gun shoots flatter, but hits the hand harder.  You lose velocity.  You make up for that by adding more powder.  That's a good thing, because there is more gas to 'work' the comp.

 

So, bottom line:  if you want the softest shooting gun, go with a good comp and as much slow powder as you safely can fit under a 115gr JHP.  As you go up in powder charge you will get softer and softer right up until you start to get excess gas jetting out the front of the comp.  If that is not flat enough for you, add poppels.

 

In 9mm major it is impossible to fit enough slow powder in the case to shoot flat AND soft.  So you have to choose one or the other, or a little of both.

 

BTW, the well known builder using four poppels in 9mm is using 1/8" dia. poppels.  You don't have to struggle to make PF.

Good info. Maybe we are talking about the same builder or maybe not. Mine were not 1/8" and even with "just" three it was not easy with N340/350 as recommended by the builder. 

[zzt]

1 minute ago, Posvar said:

Good info. Maybe we are talking about the same builder or maybe not. Mine were not 1/8" and even with "just" three it was not easy with N340/350 as recommended by the builder. 

 

IMO, N340 and N350 are too fast for 9mm major.  I use gobs of SWMP or AA7.  If I could fit more of a slower powder in the case, I'd be using that.  Even getting silly with PF, I cannot generate enough gas to fully work the comp.

[Posvar]

2 minutes ago, zzt said:

 

IMO, N340 and N350 are too fast for 9mm major.  I use gobs of SWMP or AA7.  If I could fit more of a slower powder in the case, I'd be using that.  Even getting silly with PF, I cannot generate enough gas to fully work the comp.

Sold the other guns. I have since started to use 3N37 for 9mm major as recommended by current builder/manufacturer. Zero issue making PF with N350/3N37 and it shoots so nice. 

[ULshooter2491]

7 hours ago, cperazza said:

Honchos don't have popple holes and they shoot fine. 

From what I saw at Bama Sect this might be changing. 

[Posvar]

22 minutes ago, ULshooter2491 said:

From what I saw at Bama Sect this might be changing. 

Hmmmm. What did you see?

[ULshooter2491]

[looking4reloadingdeals]

I love the way my honcho shoots, I would sure as hell enjoy trying one with some poppels though! 

[ULshooter2491]

3 minutes ago, looking4reloadingdeals said:

I love the way my honcho shoots, I would sure as hell enjoy trying one with some poppels though! 

I’ll just be glad when mine is ready. Poppels or not. Lol

[kneelingatlas]

I like the holes in my shortest gun, but not in the longer ones, can't tell you why

[tator2k]

3N37 and 3N38 have worked best in my hybrid (comp and 4 ports) 38SC, you need a lot of gas! But it's loud! To the point, ROs that know me ask what gun I'm running and will hand the timer off to someone else.  

 

I'm currently trying to figure out if I can rebarrel it to 9mm comp only.

[zzt]

37 minutes ago, tator2k said:

I'm currently trying to figure out if I can rebarrel it to 9mm comp only.

 

Of course you can.  However, you may have to change your powder.  I literally cannot fit enough 3N38 in a 9mm case to make major with a 115 JHP.  With a 124 I can (barely) but have to seat and crimp in the same operation.  Otherwise the OAL will 'grow".  Switching to AA7 will cure all that.

[Posvar]

On 3/30/2022 at 3:04 PM, ULshooter2491 said:

Nice peep holes

[Posvar]

7 hours ago, zzt said:

 

Of course you can.  However, you may have to change your powder.  I literally cannot fit enough 3N38 in a 9mm case to make major with a 115 JHP.  With a 124 I can (barely) but have to seat and crimp in the same operation.  Otherwise the OAL will 'grow".  Switching to AA7 will cure all that.

I didn't have any problem with making major with 3N38 and a 124g bullet at 1.175. Bullets didn't grow. What I hate about 3N38 and 9mm major is the mess that happens with the press.