Guns and rubber

[Leeu]

I need to buy a new gun, will probably just get a little 90cm gun for UK waters, what I do need is decent rubber.

In South Africa you can get 20mm rubber by the meter. This is great, so you can use only one band and get a bit of power with it. Anyone know of a supplier in the UK?

Also, any ideas how to protect my gun on a plane? I've had an aluminium gun bent and a titanium enforced carbon fibre gun broken before.

Thanks

 

[NZSperomike]

sorry can't help with the rubber but for transportation of your gun. Well, i have a riffe bag but they are kinda $$ however i have used a bit of plastic pipe from a Hardware store for next to nothing. Does the trick very well.

 

[DafyddRees]

I get mine in bulk from Spearitco.com, The worlds largest selection of Speargun Bands and Do-It-Yourself Spearfishing Supplies

Hope it helps!

(Where abouts in North Wales are you from mate? Anglesey/Llyn will be my stomping grounds this summer)

 

[Leeu]

I'm on a farm close to Betws Y Coed. Started studying (again) so will have a lot of time to think of my studies under water.

 

[Mr. X]

Hi LeeU,
It's made in the USA - the stuff fitted to SA railguns. I found it simplest/best to order direct from this company in the USA - their rubber is FRESH - either directly from their website or indirectly via their ebay offerings (sometimes a tad dearer - but simple if you use ebay):

Spearitco.com, The worlds largest selection of Speargun Bands and Do-It-Yourself Spearfishing Supplies

Dyneema wishbone materials too.

There are other suppliers in UK/Europe too. Also, European Dessault rubbers is highly rated by some forum members, such as Spaghetti.

I have a Rob Allen 90cm railgun, which I have equipped with 20mm rubber (it was better with 16mm rubber IMHO). While I speared quite a lot of fish in UK waters with it, I have speared a lot more, more easily with my Omer XXV 75cm with 18mm screw-in rubbers - I love that gun, superlight. If I were you, and you want to keep to the admirable SA spearing ethos, I would try to get a 70cm Rob Allen Sparid (comes with single 16mm rubber but can take 2 rubbers and/or 20mm rubber) - I reckon that would be a great set-up for UK waters, without any further alteration. If size is real important you (oh ah madam), I reckon 80cm would be good alternative too. For me, 90cm is usually too big and clumsey for our poor visibility - and on those rare occasions when visibility is great, it's often too short (I know others that would disagree with me, Robbo66 loves 90cm but I think he spears a lot in France & Pembroke - but perhaps you will too).

Perhaps the ideal is one short gun and one long gun - and always carry the short gun! I used to think 70/75/77 and 80-90 but now think 68-77 + maybe 100/105/110 for those really clear days...but I rarely carry anything other than my 75 these days. Your mileage may vary...

 

[Mr. X]

I'm on a farm close to Betws Y Coed. Started studying (again) so will have a lot of time to think of my studies under water.

Betws Y Coed? You should take up rock climbing, mountain walking/running, mountain biking and/or kayaking my friend. I love that area, spent quite a lot of weekends up there climbing and dodging the rain (Tremadog stays remarkably dry).

 

[Leeu]

Already climb, walk, kayak, mountain bike, fly fish, shoot, 4x4, and and a few other things, but deep down I'm a diver.
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[Leeu]

I'll keep the advise in mind, but can't realy see myself hitting anything with anything less than 90. I hate double bands, they always get all tangled up. Shot sailfish, tuna, etc with single 20mm bands on home made pully gun, no problem. Broke the spine on a 50lb snapper, coming out the other side.
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