| The Pepper Popper is a classic design, dating back several decades. In his earlier writings, Jeff Cooper even considered the use of the Pepper Popper to be the true test of the “practical” claim of any pistol match. While a good basic target, I have always had “philosophical” problems with the Pepper Popper.
First, the adjustment for hit sensitivity can be touchy. Frequently if you calibrate the steel for good hits by 9mm, you will reward bad hits by more significant calibers. If you set the steel to only fall with good 45 hits, you end up with a target that requires many hits from a 9mm to fall. While this does resemble real life, my experience is that the difference is too great for man-on-man events or most training exercises. Part of this problem is the overall shape of the target with its relatively wide base below the primary target area. Such a design can reward poor hits and does not force a shooter to shoot carefully to fell the target.
Second, the classic Pepper popper lacks a clear resemblance to a humanoid form. While one can imagine a humanoid form, the shape does not force the shooter to place their hits selectively in an anatomically significant area.. A good pistol target should force a shooter to aim for a relatively small area, high in the torso. But, any area on the classic pepper popper is a “good” hit and people just aren't built like that.
When I lived in Las Vegas, I came up with a partial solution to this problem. By taking a furring strip from the classic IPSC "H" target stand and duct taping it to the back of a pepper popper, it was possible to place a T-shirt over the target. The T-shirt obscured the hit zone and forced the shooter to shoot high in the torso to score an effective hit. Due to lead splatter, the shirts quickly shredded but if you reversed the sides of the T-shirt, you could get a good range session out of each shirt. This was a very cheap and effective solution but did not address the hit sensitivity problem.
Recently, I spoke with the folks at MGM targets about a custom pepper popper. I sent them some drawings and eventually I ended up with the target you see to the right. The problem of hit sensitivity was addressed by removing most of the steel below the primary target area. Since they like to build targets that last, MGM added a piece of steel along the back of the target to strengthen it and minimize any flex that would accelerate the failure of the steel.
A section of steel tubing was added to the back, allowing a furring strip to slide through. A T-shirt can be slide over the target, the furring strip run through the arm holes of the shirt and the steel tube. When this is done, the target has a much more humanoid shape with a relatively small hit zone high in the simulated chest.
As with all of MGM’s products, the entire target is very durable, having absorbed multiple hits of 40, 45’s and a few Brenneke slugs just to see what would happen. I will continue to test the target but the initial impressions are very favorable. In my mind, it addresses the shortcomings of the classic pepper popper and in the end, offers a target that really forces shooters to deliver their hits in anatomically significant areas - hence its name, the "Proper Popper."
For those of you that might be interested, you can now order a Proper Popper from MGM Targets. The pricing is still being finalized but, if there is enough demand it should be close to their standard pepper poppers.
|
Click on an Image for a Full-Size View 
  
|