RIFFE Euro Style Speargun Series "MAG-TRACK"

[Fondueset]

How dare you insult american aesthetics! Clearly you Italians know nothing about art or culture.

I actually think the grip on the Riffe is pretty cool - and I like the way the track is almost enclosed. The trigger mech is also going to be sturdier than a lot of the euro triggers. It is a functionally minimalistic design though - While aesthetics are a matter of taste I'd say the emphasis on the Riffe's is durability and the capacity to handle a fair amount of power. I've got an Omer Cobra and a little Riffe MT0 - which pretty much covers the range aesthetically. I actually traded in my 100cm cobra for the 90 partly because I think it's prettier (the 90 also tracks much better).

 

[Oldsarge]

American schools never teach the elements of design unless it's to effete art majors . . . even ones who are complete gun nuts and go around the world shooting and eating everything in sight! One could, after having met him, hardly expect subtlety or refined aesthetics from Jay Riffe. He's a big, bluff outdoorsy kind of guy who probably listens to country music and watches NASCAR races. His major concern is whether his products do what they're supposed to do. In that he succeeds. However, I must agree with Spaghetti, Italian guns are sexier, especially those rollerguns he showed pix of last year!

 

[foxfish]

Well I dont think the gun looks to bad but I am more interested in the track design. Anyhow I have booked the ferry to Jersey so I can see the gun up close, going on March 5th.

 

[spaghetti]

Amen, Oldsarge: if it makes fish it's a good gun.
And Jay Riffe is in good company with his philosophy. Our Valerio Grassi and Giorgio Dapiran make some of the ugliest guns of the Mediterranean (at least for our standard of ugliness), but they are said to be the most accurate.
Foxfish: you must be very curious to take such a long trip just to give a look to a bandgun. Is the "bright side" striking back with you?

 

[strangelove]

I think that design is a downside of this gun: Europeans are more demanding on aesthetics, while this gun (and American guns in general) looks too "square" to me.

I agree with spaghetti here, specially with the plastic handle, would much rather see a wooden handle. But that being said, I think euro-riffe is the best looking riffe gun. I almost order one last year, but end up buying a teak-sea pal.

My take a wooden gun has to look good, the euro gun is not ugly but could be prettier !

 

[foxfish]

Spaghetti the ferry takes 45mins & cost £26.
I am always interested in guns that show some form of technological improvement over the conventional? I use my air guns a lot because they catch my tea very efficiently but I dont own an open muzzle mag track! I am also after other gear possibly a new suit & fins, makes sense to try the gear on first.
I am a trained boat builder & have worked with wood all my life, not surprisingly I have built many guns including firearm stocks. At the moment I am building a very interesting wooden sleeve & handle to fit my mamba 90, obversly I will post the end product when complete. Air guns might be fantastic killing machines but they are not pretty!

 

[Fondueset]

HA! I was just thinking 'I wish someone would make a beautiful wooden handle for Pneumatics'

Interesting note - if you are looking for powerful magnets take apart a dead computer hard-drive. The magnets the read/write head is suspended between are so powerful they can nearly crush your finger!

 

[fuzz]

I actually think the grip on the Riffe is pretty cool - and I like the way the track is almost enclosed. The trigger mech is also going to be sturdier than a lot of the euro triggers.

The grip is cool, but a little small for normal sized hands. My hands are about average & I wish the handle was a bit bigger. Funny change since Riffe's Comp series has HUGE handles on them.

The track being almost enclosed is also a semi-negative. With the tight tolerances, the loop of mono that goes into the back of the shaft won't fit in the track.


All-in-all, it's a nice gun and I've been happy with it.

 

[foxfish]

The track being almost enclosed is also a semi-negative. With the tight tolerances, the loop of mono that goes into the back of the shaft won't fit in the track

I am a bit confused about the standard spear? On Riffe main site they talk of shark fin spears, is this a standard fitment?

 

[Fondueset]

Yup - I'm sure you could thread the mono through one of the fins as well - that's how my cobra and little riffe are both rigged. the guns come with dynema wishbones and finned shafts. - That's the way Riffe rolls...

 

[foxfish]

So we have a mag track, open muzzle, twin bands & shark fin spear sounds pretty cool to me!

 

[Mr. X]

Now my question for Riffe users is: isnt' there any sensible loss of power with magnets holding the spear?

There would be a loss but it might be negligible. It depends on the force exerted by the magnet (+ gravity) & the coefficient of friction for the spear on the rail. Teflon rail anyone?!

 

[foxfish]

HA! I was just thinking 'I wish someone would make a beautiful wooden handle for Pneumatics'
!

Not sure if it is beautiful but here is a wooden handle!

 

[Fondueset]

That is rather awesome! (still no answers from maorisub!)

 

[spaghetti]

Sweet Jesus Foxfish that looks beautiful! Seems a very well done job. Any close up pics?
Sweet Jesus Fondueset: do you want me to make a call to those dumb italians at Maorisub? Send me a pm with the questions to ask them if you want.

 

[foxfish]

Sure I have a few pics of the build, not finished yet though.

 

[foxfish]

OK, so I crossed the water & paid a visit to Apnea NEW Online Store
The actual shop is very small but crammed with unbelievable amounts of spearfishing kit. Every wall is loaded to the ceiling with guns, masks, gloves in fact every thing they have on their site - Wow!
Reading back on the comments about the - RIFFE Euro Style Speargun Series "MAG-TRACK - I can now relate they are very accurate (the comments not necessarily the gun?) The gun is not particually pretty, a bit square, the handle is tiny! Far to small for me anyway. However the sight line is very good, as clean as I have seen, I like the look of the trigger unit & the neat shark fin spear. The biggest disappointment was the "mag track"!! What mag track? There is a small magnet fitted near the muzzle, that's it, no mag track as such just a little magnet! Still a good idea but a little misleading!
I am not saying the gun is bad in fact if it was half price I would of brought two! But I could build a nicer looking gun with a magnet stuck on the end for a lot less money than £225.
To be fair, I did actually like the gun, overall it seemed well made & very neat.

 

[spaghetti]

The "Force" is still too strong on you, Mart ;-)

 

[Pastor]

The biggest disappointment was the "mag track"!! What mag track? There is a small magnet fitted near the muzzle, that's it, no mag track as such just a little magnet!

Is that it???? I must admit again to feeling a little silly, I to believed it to be a magnetic track. What a disappointment

To be fair, I did actually like the gun, overall it seemed well made & very neat.

Did you like it enough to buy it though? I think I will leave my money in my pocket too. I was going to buy one when we came back from holiday but maybe not now. Cheers bro for saving me some a let down

Just out of curiosity, did you pay much attention to the shafts? Can you give my some thoughts on them?

 

[foxfish]

Quote "Just out of curiosity, did you pay much attention to the shafts? Can you give my some thoughts on them?
Yes I did - another small problem - very neat small shark fins but maybe to small to drill out & fix a line too? As mentioned earlier on this thread, the line supplied is a tight fit into the trigger mechanism. I thought (before I saw the gun) that it would be easy to fit the line to one of the fins?
No I did not buy one at all, the guy in the shop suggested I wait for the new Omer wooden gun to arrive in April but I am thinking about building an enclosed track gun anyway. (If my bro OMD doesnt beat me to it)