mid vs rear handle

[jtkwest]

ok another debate, first,: why is a mid handle better? the tracking thing,(swing)is definately better in mid, but i want to put my tip as close as possible to the fish, since it seems to me that it is easier to get tip closer than your body and gives me more reach to the fish. but i have heard that recoil can be an issue at some point and the second hand is needed to back up butt. question i have is, how much power will it take till recoil is a problem for one hand? i have not felt recoil i cant handle yet, and my one gun has a 55 inch x 3/8 spear with 2 20mm relly really really tight bands on it,(i can just barely load them) and i dont feel it yet. the reason i am asking this stuff is that i tend to buy the most expensive stuff that "claims "to be the best but i am not sure that it really represents a clear advantage over cheaper designs. and a 1500$ speargun is not worth it if isnt clearly better than cheaper ones. but i will buy one anyway, most likly because if it costs more, it must be better,(its like a disease)

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by jtkwest

question i have is, how much power will it take till recoil is a problem for one hand?

It depends on how heavy the gun is and how heavy the shaft is.

When you pull the trigger, the bands just want to contract, and they would just as soon push the gun to the rear as push the shaft to the front. A big heavy gun with a shaft that is comparatively light can take a lot of power with no recoil. Of course a big heavy gun is harder to swing in the water.

To use one example, with my Wong regular hybrids, I used three 9/16" bands and a 9/32" shaft, and I don't think they could handle more power or a thicker shaft.

With my Wong magnum hybrid, which has lead ballast in the butt and extra wood to float the lead, I can use three 5/8" bands and a 5/16" shaft.

And with my all wood Wong ono gun, I can use four 5/8" bands and a 5/16" shaft.