Loading big Riffes

[donmoore]

To recall your memory or bring anyone up-to-date who didn’t read my earlier posts, I complained about the rest tab being too close to the butt end on my MT-5. It was a big struggle for me to get the wishbone to the rest tab, because the gun was too long to put the butt in my stomach or chest and still reach bands. This meant I to resort to circle acts in the water to get the wishbone to the rest tab. Well a few days ago I had the rest tab moved 6” forward. I found a stainless steel fabricating place and paid them $40 to do it.

I haven’t had the oppertunity to load it in the water yet, but on land, it’s about 100% easier. I am able to put the butt in the crease when I bend my thigh up and grasp both rubbers, then I pull it to rest tab, from there, while still holding onto the rubbers, I am able to swing the butt to my stomach and pull the wishbone the rest of the way to a tab.

The only problem is that I just made the shaft cost $40 more the next time I need to replace it. Oh well, the extra fish I shoot from loading faster with less effort, will probably be worth it.
Don

 

[andrsn]

Originally posted by donmoore

I am able to put the butt in the crease when I bend my thigh up and grasp both rubbers, then I pull it to rest tab, from there, while still holding onto the rubbers, I am able to swing the butt to my stomach and pull the wishbone the rest of the way to a tab.
Don

oh Don, that just didn't sound right. rofl

i know exactly what you're talking about. aquiles and i have big wongs that we're having trouble getting the rubbers all the way down on because the rest tab is too far back. seriously, the rest tab just seems like another loading tab. we've both gone to shafts w/ no rest tab and are loading the guns "euro stylee".

is it me, or does the riffe rest tab seem a bit too big? it's also a bitch to get it out of a fish. i started crimping a clip on the end of my shooting line so i could just pull the shaft clean through the fish instead of trying to get it back out. :t

anderson

 

[Iyadiver]

My 155cm/61" Standard 4# Baja (rear handle ) comes with special order rest tab on its 60" longshaft. I have seen a 49"/124cm Standard#2 also with a rest tab. If I am not wrong the distance between the shaft rear end to this rest tab is the same for both shaft.......funny but it is true.

What I think is that Riffe has set a certain distance as a standard distance and thus when u ordered yours, you did not get the custom distance as you ordered.......just maybe.

US$40 to weld, is hell a lot of money. I heard 17-4 material must be welded in hot state ( shaft heated or something like that ), maybe that's where the money is.

 

[icarus pacific]

Nope, that welding shop just saw Don coming!

And I don't want to hear about you and dqbean's wongs, thanks. :yack


sven

 

[Abriapnea]

Re: Re: Loading big Riffes

Originally posted by andrsn
i started crimping a clip on the end of my shooting line so i could just pull the shaft clean through the fish instead of trying to get it back out. :t

anderson

Andrsn ,
Try attatching the clip to the gun muzzle , even better with a 15 cm. bungee ; and crimp a little loop at the end of your shooting line .
I don't think anyone should use a non - detatchable spear , IMHO it will eventually lead to grief ...

 

[donmoore]

Anderson,
How ever you say it or what your method is, we both agree that 6” less of band stretch to the rest tab is a lot easier to obtain when your not in an ideal pulling position.

I like your clip idea at the shaft attachment, especially if you could incorporate a low drag swivel. Does anyone else have line-twisting problems here? When I spear a fish, I tend to go straight to the surface and then pull the line in. On the way there and when pulling the line up, many times the fish does a spiraling act and twist my line all up. Since the swivel is at the gun end it’s a bitch to get it straighten.

On my previous shaft I purchased a 500lb fishing swivel, took of the rings, so it was really small, and tied it in the line a few feet back of the shaft. I’m sure it added a little to the drag, but it was not noticeable and it completely solved the line twist problem. I broke that line, not at the swivel, and lost the shaft and everything. My new stronger line, is just a little too big to fit through the swivel ends.
Don

 

[Iyadiver]

I thought all Riffe must come with 5" bungie and swivel ?

If I get my line spinned by a fish, all I need is to let go of the shaft downwards (let it sink ) and it will unspin itself, of course without the fish on it. My 500lbs cable is quite stiff, so it unwind easy. If real bad spin, unclip the line from the swivel and re-install.

 

[donmoore]

Iya,
I guess the difference is I use three wraps of spectra line. It takes a long time if I let it drop and wait for it to unwind. The moment I put my hand on the line to pull it in, the swivel at the bungee is useless. From that point, any spin from fish twist the line.
Don

 

[Iyadiver]

Don,

What poundage is ur Spectra ? Does it make knots easy. My 1000 lbs Kevlar is a pain in fast current at wrecks, same 3 wraps. I ended up re-doing the shooting line forever instead of shooting fish .........The 500 lbs ss coated cable is a beauty, never make knots or whatever and good accuracy, especialy if used with 5/16" or thicker shaft. Try one, u will love it.....trust me.

 

[donmoore]

Iya,
My spectra is 570 lbs and it takes very little twist to make it knot up. Is your stainless coated cable from Riffe?
Don