bandito quality?

[petrip74]

I recently bought a competition bandito cabo Stainless steel, threeband. HEAVY and stable. I've been having some problems with the line release mechanism so I opened it up. How could a mechanism so simple be so simply wrong. I tweaked it so it is now usable. It seems like a nice, solid gun. Did I just get a bad one or is this just the first of my problems? Anyone have much experience with banditos? I can still return it.
Thanks

 

[icarus pacific]

God bless simplicity

The Bandito guns were made by Aqua Craft and you'd see a bunch of them back in the day, (late 70's -80's) as they were affordable and had a pretty simple set up. Like the Voit, er Mares, er, JBL guns of then and now, their biggest problem was the owner- not washing them off, keeping from using them as a crowbar to get that big big waaay back there, and really overloading them powerwise w/o checking the trigger sear.

The line release is a pretty simple thing though when they wear out you're kinda buggered. Remember that the release rests against the trigger body in a way that as the spear goes forward, the release is flipped along with it, so the angle of the thing is reveresed from what a person on the street looking at one for the first time would assume. If the release is sticking, take a good file and smooth the tab that is pinned inside the trigger assy- just enought to remove any dings or wear. Shmear some silicone grease in the thing, put the works back together and you ought to be smooth.

They're made of fair quality aluminum and good stainless so keep an eye at the screws and all areas where electrolysis is going to show itself as a white rust forming. Bottom line- the bandito is good general purpose setup and a very forgiving tool to learn with.

 

[petrip74]

Good info, much appreciated! The wire that runs through the handle was a tad too short, so when the bands were on the extra milimeter of stress made the release wheel spin freely.
I crimped where the wire connects to one of the trigger plates for additional length. Seems to work ok. The three bands on the comp really seem to push the stamina of the trigger assembly to questionable levels. The Cabo is their only three-band. You can see that when it is loaded, the top seam of the trigger housing bulges open. The thing is powerfull, it's failure a scary thought. My brother has the same gun. Double trouble? He is having some different trigger problems as well. He is calling the company.
I've three pronged for a number of years. This is the first gun I have owned. I tried to go against the grain, support a local company(and dealer), and it was not a very cheap gun ($250 with shop discount). Like you said, I'll learn on it, then buy a Riffe.
BTW: Judging from last weeks dive, WSB action is nice down here now. Ever in the area?
Thanks

 

[icarus pacific]

Ever in the area??!!

Ever in the area??!! Now this is karma!!

Well, it just so happens that the Styron, he of Keyz Kraze fame and I are heading down there for a "Mother of all Roadies" in September! This is gonna make "Endless Summer" look like a trip to the corner!

There are a couple of DB lowlif, er... DB members in smooth standing that we'll be hooking up with in search of the wily white. You want in? All it'll cost is you putting us on the spot and then stepping back whilst Jammin' Jay and I put aside our male model gear and proceed to cull some of the bigger specimens in the place. PM me for the particulars still in the werks.