Do you know how the popper calibration procedure works? In this NROI Tips video we cover the basics of what you need to know as a competitor and the changes to the calibration challenge procedure.
In September 2021, the USPSA Board of Directors approved a change to the popper calibration challenge procedure in Appendix C1 and this change was incorporated into the rulebook (see the change log). In summary, the new procedure requires that a popper which falls from a calibration hit within or below the calibration circle to be reset and shot again. If the popper falls from the second shot, the popper is properly calibrated and scored as a miss. If the popper remains standing after the second shot, the popper has failed calibration and the competitor must reshoot the stage after the popper is adjusted.
The reason for the change was to address concerns with poppers that were initially reset incorrectly, and as a result the competitor’s shot partially activated the popper mechanism which allowed for the sub-minor calibration ammo to easily knock the popper down and not truly test the popper. Resetting the popper and shooting it again does take a little extra time, but it has resulted in some competitors earning a reshoot. For more detail, see this post concerning the new procedure.
Remember that as a competitor, it is on you to inform the range officers that you would like to challenge the calibration of a popper which is hit and left standing. ROs need to make sure there is evidence of a hit anywhere on the front of the popper before calling the Range Master and need to make sure the popper is not interfered with. The RM then follows the procedure in Appendix C1.