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Guernsey 2012

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 90 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Yes Mart - the 44".
It was a superb deal from stephane at Dessault/Blue Water Concept; already very discounted and then he gave me another chop :) It was this exact gun i was after so amazing that he had it in stock [i looked at apnea Jersey but they just have the Euro's, not the mid]. The spear is total ott though [8mm with a large head]. off to try it now...
 
what made you go for a mid handle ?:o

Foxfish built me the Carbon Strongback Canon that i used in the last video; that was mid handle, altho you prob couldnt tell that from the vid! There are imo 2 big advantages to mid-handle - fast to track or turn as you have a good lever, and significantly more power for the size. The CSC is superb, but requires very clear water to be at its best as its most suited as a 'sniper' gun :) The Riffe I now have is like a shorter version.

My 'test drive' with the Riffe this evening was successful and the gun is pretty well balanced - i think the camera will balance the aft end well... Power is plenty, but with 3 bands i can choose to just use 2. I had 2 shots and had 2 hits at about 3m range. Pollack at 3lb and 2.5 lb. vis was not good!
The gun is exactly what i hoped for, so i'm well pleased :)
 
Sounds good Jonny looking forward to the next video.

I went in yesterday morning with my mate and came back in with a 3.5lb, 2.5lb, 2lb Pollack and 4 lb Bass between us and the vis was ok maybe up to 7-8m at best and overall a good dive.I took out my camera so will try to upload a vid sometime in the near future.
 
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Best you don't shoot any mullet with that Jonny, with that head on an 8mm spear they'll end up in 10 different bits with their soft flesh!

More vids eh, good work Matt.
 
Sounds good Jonny looking forward to the next video.

I went in yesterday morning with my mate and came back in with a 3.5lb, 2.5lb, 2lb Pollack and 4 lb Bass between us and the vis was ok maybe up to 7-8m at best and overall a good dive.I took out my camera so will try to upload a vid sometime in the neat future.

Well done Matt! is that with the new build, the new gun, or the old one?
 
The video is up
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Dma4rI0ljA]spearfishing at cobo 6/6/12 - YouTube[/ame]
I know the dates don't match just an error
It is me with the cream bands and my mate with the black bands
 
Well you seem to be seeing plenty of action although I dont have a clue what you are shooting at! :martial
I am wondering why you choose to use twin bands?
You will almost certainly get better overall performance from a right sized single band on a thin barrel lightweight gun!
Great vid....
 
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You will almost certainly get better overall performance from a right sized single band on a thin barrel lightweight gun!
Why's that Mart? its defo easier to load with 2 bands. btw the 2 white bands are what the gun came with... ;)

Good video matt, as Foxfish said, plenty of action going on there!
 
I would have to search for the vids & documented info jonny but a single 3.5 stretch 18mm band on a 90 euro has been shown to out perform a twin band set up regardless of band diameter.
I think the twin bands deliver the power in a different way & interfere with them selves of firing, the result is a contorted spear, stronger recoil & less range with much less accuracy!
However a single 18 at 3.5 stretch requires technique to load where as twin super stretch 16mm or 14mm bands are easy to load.
I believe speargun accuracy competitions (target shooting) are still popular in Europe & the best guns are single band 90s.
I guess it doesn't matter as long as you are happy with your guns accuracy!
Higher mass guns, of course are a different matter & long guns over 120cm are extremely difficult to load a single high power band.
I have been using my brothers old 25mm barrel XX gold or whatever its called, it has a single 18mm band & is no doubt very powerful and deadly accurate but, for me at lease, it is horrible to both load & fire!!
I also use my twin band enclosed track woody, that is lovely to fire & very easy to load although neither gun has the power or smoothness of my air guns.
 
I would have to search for the vids & documented info jonny but a single 3.5 stretch 18mm band on a 90 euro has been shown to out perform a twin band set up regardless of band diameter.
I think the twin bands deliver the power in a different way & interfere with them selves of firing, the result is a contorted spear, stronger recoil & less range with much less accuracy!
However a single 18 at 3.5 stretch requires technique to load where as twin super stretch 16mm or 14mm bands are easy to load.
I believe speargun accuracy competitions (target shooting) are still popular in Europe & the best guns are single band 90s.
I guess it doesn't matter as long as you are happy with your guns accuracy!
Higher mass guns, of course are a different matter & long guns over 120cm are extremely difficult to load a single high power band.
I have been using my brothers old 25mm barrel XX gold or whatever its called, it has a single 18mm band & is no doubt very powerful and deadly accurate but, for me at lease, it is horrible to both load & fire!!
I also use my twin band enclosed track woody, that is lovely to fire & very easy to load although neither gun has the power or smoothness of my air guns.

Hi Mart, I think most mid price euro guns are probably similar in performance(not that I have tried them all) and will bow to your expertise, however, I am suprised u don't like the general handling of the XXV? Only because that is my favourite gun. I have three (in different sizes). They don't make them any more which is a great shame.

I love the 25mm barrel, very manouvreable in all directions and it shoots pretty straight. I use one looped band and it does the business on the size of fish we hunt.

It could be improved by the addition of the new cayman carbon handle (more in line with the barrel and the smaller grip suits my smaller hands), however, the cayman carbon has a 28m barrel, so it doesn't fit!
 
Similarly I've never felt the need for anything more than a single 18 on a gun around 90 length for the viz and fish we get over here. Any more just feels like it's overpowering the gun and the vicious release makes me feel like I'm just hoping to hit the fish, rather than smoothly releasing the spear on it's inevitable course to the target.

As with any shooting sport, accuracy is far more important than power. You could fire your spear at the speed of sound but if it doesn't hit the target it's pointless. You get far more fish by working on your "fieldcraft", learning how to be able to stealthily approach fish to within a range that you're pretty certain to take it with you.

Speculative shots at fast retreating small fish in the distance will only result in scaring off any proper fish that are around from the noise and waste your time reloading.

Anyway, thanks for the vid Matt, good to see what the water was like before these winds came and b*ggered it right up!
 
Similarly I've never felt the need for anything more than a single 18 on a gun around 90 length for the viz and fish we get over here. Any more just feels like it's overpowering the gun and the vicious release makes me feel like I'm just hoping to hit the fish, rather than smoothly releasing the spear on it's inevitable course to the target.

As with any shooting sport, accuracy is far more important than power. You could fire your spear at the speed of sound but if it doesn't hit the target it's pointless.

Good points about the different bands, etc and not over-powering the gun, but i dont think that is the point in this case - i.e. that on this gun the 2 x 16 white bands are not more powerful than 1 x 18.
i think the back band is 1:2.8 extension [from memory] and they are very easy to load with a smooth release.

Matt i still have the wishbone and 18mm band if you fancy trying that arrangement to form your own opinion...

I recon my fieldcraft is rubbish - you guys would laugh your socks off! when i watch some of the spearos on youtube videos its quite amazing to see them being super stealthy!

Talking of unstealthy and youtube videos, heres last weeks effort down East:
[ame="http://youtu.be/lzMiW_i5RUU"]"Running the Rapids" Guernsey East Coast Spearfishing - June 2012 - YouTube[/ame]
 
Looks good Jonny
That tide looks like it was between flag rock and the rest of the outcrop we were going to go all the way out but the tide was just too strong.
Yes i would like to try with the other band but i found it very hard to retread the two bands when one came undone do you have any tips to get them both in?
The only reason i use 2 is that that is what the gun came with and only got it 1 week ago and i don't really know the difference between 2 thinner bands and 1 thicker one.
 
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Use a bit of washing up liquid on the bands. Wash it off after tho. Bring it round otherwise... You can pick up the other bands whenever... Give us a call.
 
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