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Rob Allen Sling Question

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.

Jon

Dairyland diver
Supporter
Apr 7, 2001
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I have a R.A. that's barely a year old and the wire wishbone is about to snap on the sling already. The rubber on the slings look great, no cracking or other signs of wear, but the wire wishbone is so frayed that it punctures my gloves whne I load it! There are only a few threads left holding it together and I am sure it will go any time now.

I assume that this must be a pretty common problem with these things, so I was wondering what other slings will work on a 75cm R.A. gun? Most of the other Euro guns I have looked at have those screw in slings and won't work on this gun.

Thanks for the help,

Jon
 
The wire bridles on RA's has been a bugbear of mine.. I'd encourage anyone who buys one to ask for the bridle to be changed to dynema by the store. If they dont, go elsewhere.

Wire has no place on a gun as a bridle, replace it with dynema, which you can knot yourself, then tie it in, and you wont look back. Lasts for years.
 
I agree. Your over the wire. That will do damage if it breaks and catches your hand.
 
Dyneema is definately the way to go.

how did you cut the wire so much? are you adjusting the rubbers to even them up while the gun is loaded? if this is the case, the dyneema wont last too long either
 
Jon that same thing happened to me a while back. i loaded the gun and immediately i could feel the wire giving out and suddenly the just snapped. no harm done though just replaced that band with another and off i went.

Since then i have learned to tie my own bands. I ordered the dyneema wishbones and insertion tool from Florida Freedivers and the wishbones are still in awesome condition. The great thing about tying your own bands is that you can make then the size you want with whatever material and they usually come out a little cheaper than buying them. And if a band does break on the water, you can change the wishbone and off you go again!
 
Yes dyneema is the way forward, also found if you tie the knots and put some epoxy around them, they,a: Go in easier, and B: Are held better when tied. Silicone spray helps to get them is as does dishwashing liquid.

Hint: If using a longer gun ie: 1.3 or bigger i find making a dyneema sling(wishbone) slightly longer makes it easier to load as i have short arms and battle to get the last half inch into the slot...~(Yes.. yes.... Thats what they all say! Ha ha.. i know it sounds bad) It does help.
 
I used to have the old steel wires on my RA ,although a couple of the strands wore out and snapped it lasted a long time. I changed to dynema as it is easier on the fingers. ? technique problem ie running on the spear shaft?
 
Well also draging or sliding the sling along the spear will wear it through alot faster, so try to keep it off the spear and slot it in cleanly.
 
To give wire a chance...I used to have dyneema on my Rabitech, which kept on fraying . I checked my spear, loading action, could'nt find a problem, no idea why ?? Eventually had wire fitted, and have had no problems. Still looks great.
I think the trick, whatever you use, is to do the final stage of your loading ( ie the placing of the wire into the slot on spear) very carefully. Funnily enough, dived in False Bay today, and my buddy snapped his dyneema, but did the quick-fix which works great.
 
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