Rob Allan 1500 Carbon Tuna gun!!

[miles]

Hiya

My latest addition to my railgun collection!!

As most of you know, i'm a ARDENT Rabitech fan. I do own a 110cm Carbon RA as well as a 90cm Alluminuim RA. The Alluminuim shoots exactly like my Rabitechs, but as i've mentioned before, i've had accuracy problems with my Carbon RA. This was due to the gun being exceptionally light. The gun floated with a 7mm spear in it fully loaded. RA has now attended to this problem and have inserted a lead weight inside the barrel.

I've never had any hassles with my RA grips, but i did have plenty problems with both my 90 and 110cm Picasso. The guns would fire as soon as the safety was switch ON. This was attended to by the dive shop where i purchased the guns. Since then no more hassles. The reason i make mention of this is because the old RA grip is the same grip Picasso uses (Simotal).

The new Vectra grip on the RA is a complete new design. The sear is solid SS and should therefor be much stronger than the old Simotal grip. The safety has now also been moved to the top of the grip, which makes it very easy to use. I LOCK all my guns safeties, so that they are on FIRE all the time. With this grip, its very easy to do. (remember to treat all loaded guns as if they have NO safety!!) The shape fits my hands very comfortably. There is also no loading pad. Some spearo's prefer a loading pad, whilst others not. I've dry loaded the gun quite easily, so i don't think its much of an issue. The guys that do prefer guns with no loading pad, claim that its easier to aim with. Much about a muchness in my opinion!!

The gun is extremely light for its length. The 150cm Carbon RA weighs 1.750kg's whilst my 130cm Carbon Rabitech weighs 1.920kg's. Since i haven't had a chance to test the gun yet (usual reasons: strong winds, dirty water, tuna season is still 2-3weeks away, etc, etc) i can't comment on the recoil of the lighter RA. Since 2x16mm's aren't all that powerful, i don't foresee much of a problem.

The gun came equipped with a 7.5mm RA double notched spear with 2x16mm rubbers and a tuna clip on the muzzle as well as on the handle. A nice touch was the SS line release!!

Well, thats my first impressions. Definitely two thumbs up!!! Will hopefull get to post some pictures of some big YF tuna, taken with this gun!!! Will then give a THOROUGH report!!

Regards
miles

[miles]

Some pictures!!

[Amphibious]

I don;t think you have a big enough gun Miles.... when are you buying a 200?

150, that's just sick

[Huan]

That is an interesting development with the top mounted safety.
Is the Vectra grip made by Simotal or is it a RA proprietary design?
I had my reservations about the older RA handle, The Century seemed to improve it somewhat.
Still good to see that RA is continuing development, nothing like a bit of competition to stir it up!

[portinfer]

Miles - nice new addition to the stables - I am surprised that you arent sponsored by them yet
Hope to see some more inspirational shots of SA feesh.
Seems like everyone is getting kit at this time of year - Memo's gun looked sweet too and Paddythefrogs teak sea too - I think I might have to get me a nice 80cm woodie...

Oh - and the new handle/ grip looks very good.

Cheers
Ed

[Pablo]

Hi Miles,

I'm impatient to hear your underwater experience with this gun: I was spearing YF this weekend with a metaltech and I can only say ... shot at 5 tunas, 3 around 30kg (comparing whit the ones that where taken) and missed all of them. Some of them on the depth at a relatively close range, and others on anchovies "meat ball" just under my nose, and all escaped unarmed.

Was my first time with a Riffle, and believe me when I say I'm not any closer to buy one! The metaltech was fitted with wings, 4 rubbers, enclose rail, 4 wraps of SS cable, a heavy spear and ice pick. The slip tip was the main reason I wanted the to try the gun... my engineer let me dow on the RA 7,5 spear modifications, and I badly needed something for the weekend.
The gun was so heavy that I took of some belt lead to find my balance underwater. It take for ever to load (specially to loop all the SS line) and on fast fish like albacore it prove a cumbersome joke. I practice on those for a whole afternoon shooting high, low, ahead, right against they head, one hand, two hands and only stooped when my hand cramped badly (the gun is near impossible to move around) with 0 hits
I'm sure the Riffle delivers a lot of shaft energy, but I'm less than impress with balance and spear trajectory.

Frustrate I tock my 1300 RA on some koreu (something like a jack mackerel on steroids around White Island), and sure enough, despite they speed and elusiveness 10 of then where soon hanging from the float . The shooting range is a bit short to have a decent try at YF, but the 1500 could be an answer.

Note that many people are fully satisfy with they Riffle, it just seem that he doesn't work for me...

[Fondueset]

Personally I think theres a big diff in aiming 'center grip' guns. In my humble opinion the rear handle guns are generally much easier to aim - particularly for longer shots. I prefer the mid-handle guns myself - but I think aiming with them does not come as naturally.

[Memo]

cool and long one miles! Hope you shoot many with the new one..

[shaneshac]

Miles, that is a real big one HAHAHAHA


WHats that gun for exactly??

Shane

PS Where are my White Shark Teeth

[takeshi]

real nice gun. Have you had a chance to try it out in the water yet?

[rigdvr]

Pablo, I think the problem lies in your experiences. Its like me trying to shoot my euro gun. I just cant get the hang of it...probably because of the style I developed shooting midhandle guns for so long. Most of these bigger guns will put the meat on the deck but it all boils down to personal style.

Shame about the tuna...I know how you feel. I missed as many shots this spring as well...with a gun I am usually deadly with. Those things just swim differently! Especially when feeding. You'll get em next time.

[cool ethan]

i have a RA 130 aluminum in the mail i just ordered with the old handle and have read about many malfunctions with the Simotal handle on Picassos but havent heard about any specific incidents on the RA and was wondering if there was a reason for this and how worried should I be about this problem? Thanks for your help.

[calispearo]

I'v also had that concern. I'm looking at getting either a RA or Rabi this week and that's one thing that turns me away from the RA. But i also heard that the Rabi uses a sporasub handel for the stealth (don't like the Apex handel)

[cantshoot]

I believe the RA (old handle) has stonger springs in the trigger mech and they have a SS pin that sits above the shaft. I did have my picasso misfire before but I never had any trouble with my RA. I believe the misfires on the picasso happens when you take it off safety, the trigger jumps back a little and on occasion it fires. The stronger trigger springs in the RA help to eliminate this problem. The sear is not solid SS so you cant overpower the trigger mech, but thats true about any euro style gun. The RA is great but I am looking to get a rabi apex if I can save enough money. Dive safe.

[shaneshac]

The new Picasso Century Mechs can be ordered with tougher or softer springs depending on the load to be used.

I had a problem of misfiring with mine,send it back to the factory, and got the new spring fitted. The trigger is a little harder but the problem has been solved.