Cocking device for pneumatics

[josedesucre]

I can't find the thread we had here last year about a device that somebody invented to help load pneumatic guns. I am interested in knowing if the thing went into production and is available for purchasing. The inventor even posted a video showing how the thing worked, but he did it dry (on land) with a gun that obviously was not really pumped on. It seemed like a good idea anyway. Does anybody here remember that and knows what happened? Thanks for your help.

(Edit: I just remembered that the inventor/manufacturer was "Giga press", but even using that name I can't find the original thread).

 

[alexrom1207]

I remember the device, it was a wooden piece that fit over the end of the gun with a crank that pulled a string attached to the adapter at the tip of the spear. It didn't look like that marketable a device. It was a bit bulky to swim around with, and considering the time it would take to load the spear, you'd be much better off doing it by hand. Not to mention adding teeth to lock the crank would make it even bulkier and without those teeth a slip of the hand and that crank would spin like crazy as the spear shot out.

 

[foxfish]

Tromic has made one, you can read about it here & watch it in operation via YouTube from his link on the same page. http://forums.deeperblue.com/pnumatic-spearguns/81791-tomba-all-one-barrel-sealing-3.html#post760611

 

[josedesucre]

Thanks for your answers, Alexrom and Foxfish.
Actually, what I was looking for was this: Giga-Press
I found it through the Spanish webpage Pescasub.com.
One of the moderators there covered the recent EUDI fair in Rome and he reported that the manufacturer of this device was there showing his prototypes, both for pneumatics and bands guns. Apparently the product is not being marketed yet but I am going to try to make contact with the guy to see if he can sell me one.

 

[alexrom1207]

Definitely not the product I was remembering. This one actually looks marketable and pretty cool. Plus with it holding the spear in place it certainly makes the whole process safer, so long as the piece doesn't slip off the gun. I don't know why pneumatic manufacturers haven't been able to develop a gun that has several locking settings that assist you when loading to prevent the spear from firing??? Cool device though, thanks for posting it. I'd given up hope on someone developing something like this.

 

[foxfish]

That is a new one for me too, there was another guy who made one on the principle of a mastic gun but I cant find the thread?
Popgunpete would be the guy most likely to be in the know, I will send him a pm.

 

[popgun pete]

This "Giga-Press" gadget is new to me, although the principle of a shaft gripper alternating holding positions on the shaft as it advances the shaft down into the barrel has been tried a number of times in the past. The key to their effectiveness is whether they can retain their grip on the shaft, if the shaft slips through them then the loading effort is lost. Loading progress will also be slower using these devices, but if the gun is pumped up to very high pressure then it may be either that or nothing (or you have to let some air out of the gun).

Caulking guns "walk" a tilting washer along a rod, so require a good frictional grip on that rod to temporarily hold position and then advance the travelling element with each stroke of the caulking gun's lever. Some caulking guns have small serrations on the top of the rod to improve the frictional grip of the washer, hence to emulate that in a speargun you would need serrations right around your spear shaft because it needs to be able to be inserted with any degree of rotation into the muzzle. Either that or the tilting washer is hard enough to bite into the smooth shaft, thus leaving small marks on it. The early hinge trigger band guns used this tilting washer principle allowing the spear to be retained in the gun at any insertion position for a given amount of band stretch, it is a workable but not entirely reliable system, particularly once the tilting plate or washer starts to blunt its biting edge.

Water being a lubricant tends to work against frictional grabbing devices operating on smooth spear shafts, but they certainly have been used, one early pneumatic speargun design had the lever operated gadget built onto the end of the gun, I do not know if it was ever commercially produced. The fifties vintage Australian "Aquamatic" used a ratchet loading system, but that required a rack tooth notched shaft which had to be inserted the right way up in the gun for the lever operated pawl system to grab it and advance the shaft into the gun.

The problem with any loading gadget not attached to the gun is losing it if you happen to drop it and the stowing of it when not in use. Tromic's cable operated loading system seems a more secure method, but a frictional gripper will work OK provided you do not mind it marking the shaft and occasionally slipping, which introduces an element of danger as your control of the cocking process is temporarily lost. That is when accidents usually happen, and unfortunately speargun accidents tend to be big ones!

 

[GreekDiver]

Good technique goes a LONG way. That's all that is needed.

 

[josedesucre]

Well, this device by Giga-Press helps in two situations: 1) with long guns, and 2) when you want to pump up your gun to increase power/range, and then you find out that you are not strong enough to cock it. In this case, if you can load the shaft at least half way the device will hold it there and then you can use both hands and arms to finish the deal. I have a Seac 105 cm and I use a extender for the loader, but I want to have some more power so this device could really help me. However, after checking their web-page I saw they want 95 Euros for the kit. That is almost as much as you pay for a Seac 105 (115 Euros). It is simply too much. I guess I will have to try a Mamba kit, then. :crutch

 

[foxfish]

josedesucre, if you have not already read pete's thread on dry barrel guns click on the link in my signature.
I think you would be far better off going in the dry barrel direction as apart from the power increase you will have a much improved shot with less recoil & noise.

 

[popgun pete]

If this "Giga-Press" gadget marks the shaft then you would not want to use it on a "Mamba" equipped gun as the resultant nicks on the shaft may prematurely wear the "O" ring seal that runs directly on the shaft's exterior. The surgical rubber tube type seal used in Tromic's vacuum barrel system may be more tolerant of having a scuffed up shaft passed through it, but you really need any type of rubber seal to slide smoothly over the metal spear surface and not catch on imperfections which will damage or distort the seal enough to allow water to be sucked into the barrel.

The "Giga-Press" looks well made, but using it could be kind of risky. Spearguns are dangerous enough to load now, why introduce another element of uncertainty, especially if this thing pops off the shaft when you least expect it. I wonder what the liability issues for the manufacturer would be if the shaft escaped and caused an injury to someone nearby, or is it a "use at your own risk" device? Rather difficult to sell anything like this with any guarantee of performance and then avoiding a feeding frenzy of lawyers if bad things happen.

 

[josedesucre]

Thanks Foxfish and Popgun Pete. You are right. I am definitely not going to go with that Giga-Press device. Meanwhile, I am going to continue to work both in my technique and my strenght :martialrofl

 

[tromic]

This new giga-press is nice. Not cheep, but it could not be cheep. I would like to have it, jut because it is cool gadget. I agree what popgun pete told about using mamba system with giga press. I think my easy loader is much more safer, convenient, and easier to use, and anybody could make it from the scrap for no money. Also you could load a gun with the force of to fingers. For loading 30 bar pneumatic gun you need forse of 1.5 - 2 kg. With giga-press you need full force as without the cocking device.

 

[josedesucre]

I absolutely believe you Tromic, but ... I am muuuuuuch less handy than you are, and I am afraid that if I try to build that thing by myself it will not work well :crutch

 

[tromic]

I absolutely believe you Tromic, but ... I am muuuuuuch less handy than you are, and I am afraid that if I try to build that thing by myself it will not work well :crutch

Don't worry, if you have good technic and strenght. Indeed, there are some critical points (very important) in making the loader, not so obvious from the video, but the idea is here.