[nxfedlt1]

I owned a 9mm major shorty with them and vowed I'd never have another. But now I'm starting to wonder if I'd miss them. For those of you running them on 5" 38sc's, what is your opinion?

Thanks!

[JThompson]

nxfedlt1, on Nov 5 2009, 01:01 AM, said:

I owned a 9mm major shorty with them and vowed I'd never have another. But now I'm starting to wonder if I'd miss them. For those of you running them on 5" 38sc's, what is your opinion?

Thanks!

I shot a friends many times... the only thing I felt the popples did was to give me a headache and create nasty blast....

JT

[shooterbenedetto]

Popple holes uses a LOT of powder too..so that contributes to
shooting less because of unefficient powder use!

[gm iprod]

Quote

Popple holes uses a LOT of powder too..so that contributes to
shooting less because of unefficient powder use!

Exactly.

I tried one and did not like it, it got tiresome. I rebuilt an old open gun recently and stayed with a more traditional comp set up (38Super). Recoil was about the same and I use a lot less powder to boot. Somewhat longer than desired but it works as well as I can.

[G-ManBart]

In the past maybe two years I've talked with two of the bigger named gunsmiths known for their Open guns and both said they really didn't see any reason to use popple holes. One said flat out that they don't make any difference and the other said if they make a difference it's so minor that it's not worth worrying about. I don't have them on either of my guns and I'm glad I don't. R,

[Chris Keen]

I had a gun built by the same smith who rebuilt a friends open gun, both with no holes. I think my gun runs great, and is very flat without them.

[Whitefish]

I owned a Brazos SC shorty in 38 SC with popple holes and felt they did not make a difference that mattered. The only thing I really got was a headache and "flash burns" when I shot between barrels or small ports where the blast was reflected back. I traded the gun for a Dawson mini-stroker with no barrel holes and have been very happy with it. It is still flat shooting without the popple hole issues. Some swear by the barrel holes, some do not. I fall in the latter category.

[nxfedlt1]

thanks guys, that was my sentiment exactly! Good to know I'm not loosing my mind.

[lugnut]

From a shooting partner perspective I don't like them. The percussion is so annoying I don't like running my shooting partner with his open gun with popple holes... it really sucked. I felt my fillings were going to come loose.

[Matt P.]

I do have a shorty with a hybrid barrel and I DO think it makes a difference. My comp works a lot more efficiently with the greater powder load. I run my guns at about 172-175 pf. They just seem to like better than trying to run them close to 165.

[FullRace]

nxfedlt1, on Nov 5 2009, 03:01 AM, said:

I owned a 9mm major shorty with them and vowed I'd never have another. But now I'm starting to wonder if I'd miss them. For those of you running them on 5" 38sc's, what is your opinion?

Thanks!

I have a 38SC with four poppleholes and I've had 9 Major guns with and without poopleholes.

I would agree 100%---poopleholes in a 9 major are worthless due to powder limitations and case capacity.

I would not agree poopleholes are worthless on a 38SC. I have seen different barrel hole sizes and different implementation locations and they definitely affect the way the gun shoots.

My 38SC does not give anyone a headache from the blast (There is very little blast). The gun does require a little more powder to make major. When I have to replace the barrel, I will go without poppleholes just to feel the difference and weigh the "effect versus the cost" of adding poppleholes.

IMHO, poopleholes are probably not needed for most open shooters.

[al503]

I've had both and I didn't notice too much of a difference in flatness. The one without poppleholes was a little 'quieter' than the one with but they were different makes and different caliber (9 and 38SC) so I couldn't make a direct comparison.

All subsequent open guns I've gotten have pretty much come from one smith. He is a GM and has tried his pistols in all configurations and he suggests using the poppleholes. It may not be much but I figure it costs him time and $ to drill the bbl and slide for the poppleholes so he has a form of incentive to recommend against them but he doesn't.

[JRBean]

I've had several 38 super open guns with and with out ports. One 5 inch gun from EGW with no holes that shot great, really liked that gun. Then I got a SV IMM with a four hole hybrid barrel and loved it. It was amazing how well that gun performed. I thought the blast would be terrible but I didn't even notice it. As far as 9mm though I'd probably go with fewer and smaller ports but my next open gun will definitely have them.