Help to Choose the speargun

[Jay Styron]

Hi Murat,
IMHO: The fish you will mostly be shooting can be taken by a euro style gun quite well. Something in the 100cm range to maybe 110cm. A 6.5mm shaft w/ a set of 18mm bands will work wonders, you also have the option of 20mm bands and the new riffe/omer 6.75 shaft-a deadly combo. If you need a little more weight go to a 7mm shaft.
I use a esclapez 110 w/ 20mm bands and 7mm shaft, but I'm getting a 6.75 also. W/ this gun I've shot everything from2# snappers to 70# amberjack. I also own another 110, a 90 and a 75, along w/ a homemade 72" B/W gun and various other strays that I've picked up along the way. Its hard to truely compare the guns you're asking about since they were designed for such different hunting styles and game. I would stick to the ones designed for the area you'll be hunting. Besides it sounds like the chances of a truely large fish are quite small. When you start "targeting" the B/W fish or the larger reef fish then maybe consider a more specialized gun. Until then, if you meet a nice grouper or AJ and you have a 110cm euro gun then "dinners on the table", as long as you do your part. Alot of big fish are taken in your part of the world w/ almost esclusively euro guns. There's alot of pictures of Alberto March w/ some really nice grouper like you talk about. Just my humble opinion, but I hope it helps. Take care. Jay

 

[icarus pacific]

Stylin Styrone!

Hey, how you bean girlfren? Back on the dry?

sven

 

[Jay Styron]

Whatttsss uuuupppp!
Hey Svenman, Yea back from babysitting--oopps, I mean carefully watching and divemastering scientist. Got to see a 9' Hammerhead chase down and possible eat a tarpon about 100' off the boat, that was real cool . Send me a PM w/ your address so I can send you the thing we were talking about. Hopefully I'll get in the water myself after work and get a little dinner. Later.
Jay

 

[Murat]

Dear Iyadiver;

I saw your Riffe speargun pictures at the Penautomatic topic. Can you send more riffe picture if u have?

 

[Griff]

Hi Murat

You mentioned earlier that you feel a 110 Rob Allen is too big for the small fish that you want to shoot, and they are too painful to load. Ok, firstly you must realise that most South African spearo feel the same about RA as Sven does about Riffe. Dont feel that a 110 is too big for small fish. thats the size gun that most guys here use for smaller fish, ie reef fish, and its still able to tackle something bigger. the small guns are usually used for shooting fish in caves where you dont need and in fact dont want long range. a smaller gun will leave you short on range. I havent been spearfishing for very long, but the only advantages i can see in having a short gun is that its easier to load (because you can do it in one movement) and less bulky to carry around/swing.
its also good if the fish is too close, but how often is it the case that the fish was too close?
so if the viz in your area is good, say 5m+, then go for a 110-100 for a very nice all round package.
just a word of caution. be very careful shooting in bad viz, where your gun can shoot ouside the range of viz. sometimes the only time you see another diver is when he swims right up to you, when the viz is bad. whats also (more) likely to happen is you bend your spear on that rock that you just cant see.

Also, everybody keeps saying how hard Rob Allens are to load, but the rubber size is 100% custom if you cant load it then dont worry, go for a longer rubber. the shaft is the same as the other "easier to load" guns. so if you are worried about the gun been too hard to load, you can ask for a longer than standard rubber, and if its easy, chop it down.

this applies to any speargun. the manufacturers try to issue a standard size rubber, for a completely mixed range of abilities.

if you are still new at this, to ask for a gun that is completly suited to your needs now is asking for a gun that will be inadequet in a few months time. and dont worry about 20' depth. the learning curve is very steep at first.

good luck

Mark

ps, final promo, i'm sure RA do make shorter than 110. but maybe they dont export.

 

[Iyadiver]

Riffe Pictures..........My pleasure.

Dear Murat,

Since you are a nice young man ( I can sense that ), I will show you exotic Riffe pictures that you can't even see on the Riffe website www.speargun.com. Please visit the site, they have all their guns details, sizes and so on.

If I can, soon I will take photo of my friend's Metal Tech 3 for you and for my own collection, cause it is fully rigged and not standard, its worth looking at and you are somehow thinking of MT3 anyway.

First photo is the Metal Tech #5 with the full wing kit. See the shiny aluminum muzzle, that is what me and Sultan Sven is talking about, the new "blue water' muzzle..... he he he, it's called the aluminum muzzle. The shaft is 3/8 ( 9.5mm ) with Ice Pick. The rubber is 4 x 5/8" ( 16mm ), actually there is a way to put 6 x 9/16" ( 14mm ) rubber........ I'll teach you how if you have the gun . The small amber color rubber on the rear of the gun is the Riffe breakaway assy. You shoot big fish and the shoooting line do not get attached 2 ur gun but to a float and float line. So your gun do not go swimming along with ur shafted fish.

The second photo is the Metal Tech #1 with what they call a floater wing cause according to catalog MT#0 and MT#1 do not float even with shaft out of the gun...why... cause as I say Riffe over built their Metal Tech. So you get more metal for the money you spent.

 

[Iyadiver]

I hope u like the photo Murat, here comes 2nd photo

 

[Griff]

is it just me

or does it look like Jay Riffe watches a lot of star trek?

the riffe metal tech boldly goes where no speargun has gone before...

...like 300+ lb tuna.

one must give credit where it's due


Mark

 

[Iyadiver]

Mark,

How come me don't know someone got a 300+ lbs tuna with a Metal Tech ?? Wanna share info. Which Metal Tech, where, when, how, who...............what else I need to ask ?

Enlighten me please..... Thanks

 

[Griff]

Science Ficton

Acutally Iya, i was just suggesting what may be. :hmm
but here's one just to keep you happy, but you have probably already seen it.
the guns a riffe, but i dont think its a metal tech. the fish isnt 300 lbs either, its 655. :duh

taken off http://www.freedive.net/ibsrc/fish_frms/F_bft_at.htm

the spearo is paulo gaspar, and yes, its a world record.

 

[Iyadiver]

Yep, I know this one. The gun is a basic Riffe Mid-Handle series, the model is Island. This is Jay & July Riffe favourite gun... so I heard. Thanks 4 the photo, me have it already.

This Mr. Gaspar now I heard is waiting to verify a world record for a white Marlin he shot or something like that....... can't remember where I saw that info. I really like the printed story of how Gaspar got this fish, it sure sound very honest, no flowery words or whatsoever, unlike some other records holder fish stories.

This fish was shot 1 meter from his speargun shaft tip according to Gaspar, that I call honesty.

IYA

 

[icarus pacific]

All this going back and forth about Riffe's and eiro guns got me to thinking, (yeah I know...) how about recommending a hybrid pipe gun to our guy here. Take a look at the Wong hybrid and/or the Yakooji :inlove on Hana Pa'a's website. They use a titanium pipe for the barrel to reduce the mass and a rell muzzle and trigger from a lumber style gun. Best of both types. Sorry I didn't think of it earlier. Whadya think there Stylron?

And yes...I have a quasi Yakooji. 55" of titanium love.

sven

 

[Murat]

Very Very Thanks Iyadiver

These pictures are great! ! !

In the second picture i saw semi wing kit. Can i add them to the MT#3 for reduce to recoil when using thicker shaft and more power band? By the way how much extra do i need to put these lets say semi wings on it?

Any other Riffe picture from anyone will be appreciate.

 

[Murat]

Dear icarus pacific;

I saw few Darly Wong hybrid gun at aimrite in mt opinion they are good and monuverable guns but there prices more that the Riffe MT and i think Riffe MT is better than these hybrid. At least looks and fells better

Thanks for your care and advice.

 

[Iyadiver]

Hallo Murat,

The MT3 float with the shaft out, if you use the standard plastic muzzle. If you use the aluminum muzzle, it sinks. The only option for the MT3 is the Stabilizer Wing Kit near the muzzle. See the photo of my Riffe #4 in the pneumatic thread, a wooden circle near the front muzzle. This acts to improve accuracy by elevating the rubber to the height of the shaft, reduce muzzle kick up and for MT3 with the extra heavy aluminum muzzle, it floats the gun when the shaft it out.

I think Sven idea on Hybrid is worth considering and I personally doesn't mind owning one................... if getting it into the country is not a bitch.

Start saving some money, bring ur girlfriend out LESS often or
beg your dad or mom for the gun .... he he he. :crutch


Have Fun Diving Young Man,
IYA

 

[Jay Styron]

HYBRID

I think personally the hybrid is the way to go for someone who wants the best of both worlds. I'm also working on a design for a hybrid, just need to find the right trigger mech. Since a RA is next on the wish list I'm probably going to make my first hybrid then buy one. The ones I've seen look to be a great combination on both styles, easy to swing and still holds plenty of power. If anyone would like to send me one to do comparative test against a euro gun please feel free.rofl
Jay

 

[Murat]

Dear Iyadiver;

I know there is front stabilizer but is not very good in my opinion because it causes much more drug when moving vertical because of the very circular shape and it is on the front of the gun.The wings that i saw in your second picture hasn`t round shape and they are closer to the grip. You may say the stabilizer on the front provides better accuracy but there is not much difference. I think the gun`s movement while shooting is like that: Front kicks up and the back of the gun goes down at the same time, since they are midhandle you can observe this much better. This is why euro guns are more acurate. You grab it from the back of the gun.If you put these floter wings to the back you can reduce the movement of the gun to the down and this will give you the same accuracy as same as using front stabilizer.

Let me say this may be i am wrong because i hadn`t chance to make experiment with it. This is just my physical approach to the topic

 

[Murat]

Notice the wings on the back of the gun

 

[Iyadiver]

Hello Murat,

Yep what u r saying do make sense. Good one. Basically the front round stabilizer wing is to elevate the bands/rubber that is the main purpose. It does create extra drag when you aim up/down but not tracking left/right but I notice on my #4 the effect is much less than if on my #2 cause overall #4 is heaviear and thicker teak stock.

So have you decided what 2 buy ?

IYA

 

[Dogmatrix]

G'day murat from what i can see this post is getting pretty crouded with differrent opinions on many very high quality spear guns and much good advice... so I thought I would add my 2 cents worth... From what you say you are hunting and your desire for good manoverability wouldn't a euro type gun be more appropriate? from what i have seen they are cheaper and will do most of what you appear to be interested in... anyway... my 2 cents worth!

Cheers mate