Air guns

[foxfish]

A few of us Guernsey spearos recently brought ourselves the "highly rated" Mamba 90. Although I have used air compressed guns in the past, I did not find them as effective as a band gun. The new technology Mamba range seemed to offer a much increased performance which enticed me to buy one. However I am not finding the gun is living up to its (my) expectations!
Without contradicting myself I would like to point out the power is very impressive but the trigger is not The sights are ...t :head Maybe I am to used to looking down the spear? But I am missing easy targets all the time?
I think the concept of sealing out the water from the barrel is a winner & I wonder, if the Mamba kit was fitted to a differed model air gun things would improve?

 

[spaghetti]

Do you shoot above or under the fish? And wich is the gun model? This would be interesting.
However, dont' loose your temper. Unaccuracy with pneumatics can be related to unnoticed gear "accidents": shaft bent during loading, floppers "curled", line too thick. Check these, than focus on your aiming techinique: dont' look at the shaft, just look at the fish as you probably used to do with band guns. But before this, train your hand to "cover" the view of the barrel with rear of the handle (more simply: the rear of the handle has to precisely "cover" the barrel from your sight: this way airguns shoot straight, and not too high. It's the opposite of bandguns, that must shoot slightly muzzle-up).
hope this helps

 

[foxfish]

Hi Spaghetti, I was hoping you were out there!
The gun in question is the standard Omer 90 with a Mamba kit factory fitted.
It is set to max power, 30 atm.
I am enjoying the experience of firing the gun, amazing power & a real pull when the spear reaches its tether. The gun is rigged with 1mm braid. I guess my real question is, is there a better air gun available that can be fitted with the mamba kit? IE better trigger, sights & balance.

 

[spaghetti]

Hi Spaghetti, I was hoping you were out there!
The gun in question is the standard Omer 90 with a Mamba kit factory fitted.
It is set to max power, 30 atm.
I am enjoying the experience of firing the gun, amazing power & a real pull when the spear reaches its tether. The gun is rigged with 1mm braid. I guess my real question is, is there a better air gun available that can be fitted with the mamba kit? IE better trigger, sights & balance.

OMER Tempest? I have a 50cm and use it sometimes for eels. I'll check if there an is easy way for tuning the trigger (but I wouldn't do it myself: dangerous issues from a Mamba with trigger fixed in a wrong way).
About sights, the OMER Skorpion has a tapered barrel, but the trigger is the same of Tempest. Mares Cyrano has a softer trigger, tapered barrel and marked aiming line, but it's damn expensive.
---For me it's just a matter of training: fill some plastic bottles with sand, attach them under your float and play target shooting with them. Notice carefully the position of your hand in "yes" or "no" shots, than get ued to hold the gun and aim in the best way. Try long and medium shots, and check the differences. After training, your hand will become used to the trigger stiffness too.
----Balance. If it's heavy in the muzzle side, please follow these instructions: drink two bottles of fine italian wine without throwing away the corks, then stick them under the front portion of the barrell with sticky tape: corks will give a bit of drag, but improve buoyancy in front of the gun. On the contrary, if it's too buoyant in the muzzle, dont' drink ANY wine and stick something heavy to add weight.
hope this helps.

 

[omega3]

Hi Foxfish
Whats up with the trigger?.
I have a Mamba 70 that I took out for the first time last week and will say that the trigger is positivly dodgy on this one( It fires when taking the safety off in most instances and every time if the trigger has been touched before removing the safety)

I will be having a closer look when I have time. In most cases I would return the goods but in this case......

Not too sure of the seal either!!

I am sure/hope it can be put right.

 

[Asturven]

Foxfish,

The problem with the trigger is very normal when you load the pneumatic guns at 30 atms.

You have an option to change the pin of the trigger for one of less diameter (1.5 mm), the guys of Maorisub sell the kit for this too.

With the trigger kit installed the trigger will be more soft and sensitive.

Take a look

 

[foxfish]

Thanks for the info guys. Omega apart from the trigger being so stiff it seems to be safe enough but thanks Asturven I will order the trigger kit ASAP. Spaghetti (or any one else) If money was not a problem, what air gun do you think the mamba kit would suit best, or in different words what is the best air gun available?

 

[Spaniard]

Foxfish, head over to the www.medfish.com forum and ask the same question there. Shane and Memo are very knowledgable about mamba kits and have experience with different types of air gun. If they don't know then no-one will rofl rofl

 

[dave]

The Mamba 90 is already fitted with the 1.5mm trigger pin, and has a very sensitive trigger pull. However, if you have the spearline rigged tight, the line release puts a side load on the trigger, and makes it very stiff.(this can also cause the gun to go off when the safety is taken off, solution, never use the safety! ) This is a problem on all air guns. Either rig the line more loosely (may be a problem with braid as it tends to stretch when wet, so use mono) or put a bit of bungee around the barrel and tuck the line under that instead of using the line release
As regards aiming, I think any speargun should be pointed with both eyes open, rather than aimed. I cant explain how I align the gun, it just happens, the same as when using a shotgun
The smaller standard Mambas are a bit nose heavy (the 110 balances beautifully as it was the "original" Mamba) but I think this is a price worth paying for the greater manouverability of the 30mm barrel. The Magnum version with 40mm barrel floats slightly with a 6.5mm spear but balances nicely with a 7mm

cheers
dave
www.spearo.co.uk
www.eliossub.co.uk

 

[foxfish]

Thanks Dave you might be right about the trigger, I will adapt my line. You also have a good point about pointing a gun in preference to aiming, but I am not without experience when it comes to shooting underwater or above for that matter. I agree that it is difficult to explain how it all happens but I do think that having a visible spear ie as with a rubber powered gun, gives you a good sight line. Whether you use the spear as a sight line, consciously or subconsciously properly depends on the individual spearo. However as air guns dont have a visible spear I think this is what is causing my inaccuracy' problems. Maybe fowling your advice on the trigger things will improve? I am very impressed with the guns flat trajectory & power but if I cant regularly shoot my quarry "stoned though the head" then I am disappointed!

 

[Asturven]

Try to aim with the valve cap.

Put the cap of rear valve (where you attach the pump) on the fish and the shaft will be there. Remember that you are using a shaft that is concentrical to the gun so to be in line with the fish you should aim with the center of the gun.

 

[Magpie]

Mares Cyrano has a softer trigger, tapered barrel and marked aiming line

Hello mate.
Been reading this thread and this struck me. With the band gun as you say you can use the spear as the sightline. With your mamba you can't see it so why not paint sight lines on it as Spaghetti says the Cyrano has?

You could do them in horizontal and vertical planes on the top and side of the barrel and see if that helps line the fish up.

I know it'll mess up your nice camo job a bit but still...:t

 

[foxfish]

Thanks Magpie, last time you saw my mamba it had its spring kelp camo, including a white sight line. At the moment the gun has its summer boot lace camo. Anyhow I carried out a few mods on the gun inspired by the advice on this thread. I fitted a couple of green beads for a fore sight & temperally held the line with a elastic band. After firing six or seven shots at a plastic bag that I had tethered to the sea bed, I found my mark. In fact I was firing very low & will need to raise the rear sight!
After my target practice I ventured out a ways & was lucky enough to spot a small bass. Took the shot at about one metre range & scored, not the best shot but got him all the same.
I will attach a elevated rear sight tonight & repeat the target practice tomorrow, once I am sure of my aim point, hopefully I can get back to instinct shooting & remove the sight all together.

 

[omega3]

Nice bass!!!
I have just put my 70 back together and its just perfect and lethal with still a few hundred pumps to go!!!!!
there were tool cuttings that were interfearing(sp)
with the pin seal to the piston from the trigger causing a minor oil/gas leak. I also filed down a jagged end on the pin(from where it was cut roughly)and there was a lot of molding swarf on the trigger/housing and a I couldn`t identify exactly which bit could be messing with the safety but after fileing and cutting/scraping away all the swarf from trigger and safety and housing it is functioning properly and very smooth to use.

I like this gun

Hope you manage to get yours the way you like.

 

[spaghetti]

Congratz for the bass! (It took me a night asleep to realize that 30atm precharge can affect trigger stiffness, then in the morning I was too to tired for spearing...no joke: I couldn't sleep at night, thinking and thinking about this thread till I heard the birds singing in the garden).
--PS: Had wine?

 

[GreekDiver]

Airguns are the best in low visibility and close range shooting. A band gun cant touch them in these conditions. Airguns load way faster, have more than enough power, and shoot straight as hell.

I use the Mares Cyrano 700 and 850. I replaced wimpy rope it comes with and add thicker nylon rope. Its stronger and easier to handle when you shoot a fish. I pump the gun up just enough to penetrate fish at max distance of spearfishing line. If you over pump the gun, the whole shaft goes thru the fish and makes it a complete bitch to take off. I also load the gun without a loader. I just grab the speartip (i use jbl tips) with my gloves, place the handle on my ankle and just force in the shaft. It loads right incredibly fast.

I have shot Cobia, Spanish Mackeral, Tautog, Flounder, Big Grey Trout, and Sheepshead with Mares Cyrano. The big cobia tend to bend the shaft if you dont get a kill shot.

 

[StretchArmStron]

Greekdiver,
a single wrap on a euro loads just as fast as my pneumatic. The 55cm I shoot in the 2-4' viz we have works like a charm. I'd put it up to your pneumatic any day!

its quiet too and doesn't spook the fish like the pneumatic.

I do believe a pneumatic is more of a personal preference.

 

[sickbugs]

i dunno.. i can load my 90cm euro REALLY fast... i can shoot, reload and shoot again underwater, and if i needed to, i could reload on the ascent if its deep enough for fish swimming close to the surface, but ive only done that once for a mackeral i spotted

 

[foxfish]

Interesting replies guys however the mamba behaves in a different manner than conventional air guns. My 90 has amazing range & power under water. Although the photo's below do not represent much bearing to shooting fish & I know I shouldn't fire my guns out of the water but interesting results all the same.
The guns are mamba 90 firing a 1000 & 1200 6.5 spear.
800 roller gun, 16mm bands firing a 1000 7mm & 1200 6.5 spear.
1100 20mm band gun firing a 1400 6.5 spear.
As you can see the mambas 1000 spear completely penetrated the polystyrene!

 

[Asturven]

If somebody is interested, I have an underwater videos of penetration test with different pneumatic guns, shafts and pressures, all of them with mamba kits installed.

Cheers

Ivan