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All About Guns What's your weapon of choice, and why? Discuss the beloved speargun here!

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Old 09-17-2003, 10:33 PM   #1
bluephoria
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Question Added spare shaft to my Riffe

So , here's the story... After being very reluctant about drilling holes in my gun,I had heard all the countless and very valid reasons why I should dive with a spare shaft, I broke down and did it. I added a spare shaft holder and shaft to my 3XS. I dove with it on tuesday and hated it. It made my gun so heavy that it was almost impossible for me to hold it out in front of me for too long with out the muzzle dropping. I could hardly hold it out in front of me, forget trying to stalk a fish, although I did shoot 2 very unaware hogs, by the end of the dive my wrist was toast.
My question is, does anyone have a trick for making my Riffe a little more neutral?
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Old 09-17-2003, 11:26 PM   #2
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Bouyancy wings, instead of lead they can hold foam
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Old 09-17-2003, 11:33 PM   #3
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I have never liked spare shafts mounted on my gun either. There is a gentleman that lives in Pompano that makes a shaft holder that fits on your tank, kind of bow and arrow style. You just simple reach back and grab the shaft. I know Sheri Daye uses one time to time and seems to like it. Maybe Sheri could add to this. If interested I can PM you his phone number.

Dave
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Old 09-18-2003, 07:26 AM   #4
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thanks guys, I like the bow and arrow style. I was trying to figue out a way to mount it to my tank, maybe a holster made of PCV?
His phone number would be great. thanks Dave

JC: the bouyancy wings are cool but they don't make them for the for the 3XS. Do they?
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Old 09-18-2003, 08:07 AM   #5
Chad Carney
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Spare shafts

Bluephoria,

Adding a second shaft will make any gun harder to handle, and a third shaft will really weigh it down. Much like the difference between driving a pick truck with only two tanks compared with a 28 tank load in the back, or also towing a 24 foot boat.

The question you have to ask is do you really need the extra spear? (Obviously the nearly empty truck can do very little diving in a single trip... and you see the point.)

The two shaft rigs got started around here some 20 or more years ago when many divers started diving the Middle Grounds and other deeper big fish spots, where you could not go up get another spear and continue your dive. We got used to the weight.

A buddy of mine, Dan MacMahon, that pretty much lives in the Grounds started carrying a third spear after a shit eater followed him all the way to the surface, chewing his fins the whole way while he beat on it with the 52" stick he had left after firing his two spears into a fish. I used to make fun of him about it, thinking I would never go to 3 spears. But a mid- 120s black from the Elbow in 175 feet changed my mind. I killed it with a third spear I found in the hole under the fish. (My buddy had left it there a month or so before.) I would not have brought up this prize fish if not for that spear! Now I always carry three past about 140 feet, or if I think the big fish potential is high enough.

You've heard the drill...Everything you need, nothing you don't!

Carrying a 4' or 5' spear anywhere else is really awkward. I asked a shaft maker about making a two piece threaded freespear that could be tank mounted or butt mounted on a gun, but the cost of such a spear kept me from getting it built. There is already a front piece made about 12" long that has a single barb point and a 6mm female end, which could then be threaded to a 6mm pneumatic spear, and finally add a JBL adapt-a-shaft for the notches and mechanism end. JBL makes them to fit just about any gun. This would be costly and weaker than a normal spear but if you only used it when you absolutely had to it might work out.

Dave, with the load I've seen you carry diving one more spear should hardly matter! (You're like an F350 dualie towing a 31 Contender on a triple axel trailer...but you do bring up the goods!!!)

See: Diligaf with a light load, scouting for the 2002 St Pete Open

To each his own.

Chad
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Last edited by Chad Carney; 09-18-2003 at 08:18 AM.
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Old 09-18-2003, 08:47 AM   #6
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Chad,

I have changed my ways..... after trying a Wong speargun, I don't want to use my JBL Dualie setup anymore.

I've been using a line setup with my Wong 50" rear-handle plus, but I should be getting my Wong enclosed track gun any day. It only 45", good for when I'm lobstering, and negitively weighted not to float up when the shaft is out of the gun (my JBL Dualies didn't float, so I'm not used to a gun floating up & you can't teach an old dog a new trick).

My 50" wong is so accurate that I kill shot most of my fish. The new gun should be just as accurate, so I don't think I'll need a spare shaft, but the fish here are no where near as big as the ones you get over there.

Dave
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Old 09-18-2003, 09:42 AM   #7
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Chad,
Thank you for the info. I'm going to the middle grounds next week for the first time and I'm hearing about all these big fish taking shafts on a regular basis. The other reason is that if my shaft is in a fish and I have a visit from a shark, I really have no place for my powerhead. I guess its a no brainer. I should carry the xtra shaft, I just have to figure out a way to mount it somewhere else. Dave sent me some info on a tank mount I'm going to check out.

Dave: Is that really you with the Dualie? You look like an underwater version of John Wayne
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Old 09-18-2003, 10:01 AM   #8
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Hey Blue,

Think about a little pneumatic pistol attached to your leg. Just for self protection purposes or for putting the last shaft through the sweet spot when needed.

Most of the time, if first shot is not a kill shot, I just use the knife to kill the fish. Have had to do that many times with large cobias. Best way I have found is to stab them in the eye, towards the brain, and twist.

I have also seen a collapsible bang stick that fits nicely into a small pouch. Makes it easy to carry for protection purposes.

You know I am just jealous or your trip

Shay.
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Old 09-18-2003, 10:28 AM   #9
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Hi Blue! Like Dave said, sometimes I carry an extra freeshaft. I like the extra shaft when I'm going deeper than normal, or if it's a sharky place, or if I'm expecting something big. I do have a PVC quiver-like device that one of my friends made for me. Dave will give you his number. Works great...I think you'll like it.

That's a good description of Dave....he's the diesel, the workhorse, but also, the "fastest gun in the east".
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Old 09-18-2003, 10:46 AM   #10
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Blue: Your 3XS is a rear handle gun. The spare shaft holders are better suited to mid handle guns because more of the extra weight from the shafts is shifted (balanced) behind the handle rather than in front of it. You also have more leverage with your non trigger hand to support the tip when gripping the butt. With the 3XS, too much of the weight is in front of the handle and the short lenth of gun between the handle and the butt doesn't give you sufficient leverage.

I think Sheri's quiver idea is the way to go if you want to carry multiple shafts with that gun. On the other hand, the spare shaft holders work quite well with my mid handle SS guns. Although the gun is heavier, I never feel that it is tip heavy so don't write off the spare shaft holder idea if you are looking at buying a new gun in the future; however, it may steer you towards a midhandle.

I love my midhandle Riffe Hawaiian (no extra shaft holder), and use it often over here, but I like the multiple shafts and the ability to quickly switch between freehaft and lineshaft in the Grounds. Those are some of the big advantages of the SS Commercial gun IMO. Different tools for different tasks!

Good luck on your trip!

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Old 09-18-2003, 11:35 AM   #11
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Re: Added spare shaft to my Riffe

Quote:
Originally posted by bluephoria
by the end of the dive my wrist was toast.
Hit the gym slacka
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Old 09-18-2003, 12:45 PM   #12
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Re: Re: Added spare shaft to my Riffe

Quote:
Originally posted by junior
Hit the gym slacka
Whateva' I heard they were naming a vacuum cleaner after you. THE JUNIOR HOOVER
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Old 09-18-2003, 02:11 PM   #13
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Yeah whateva with you and your limp wrist problem sista
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Old 09-18-2003, 03:20 PM   #14
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blue, pm me about October I need to know mama!!! You can get floaters from Riffe but I would consider the holder in the back as it seems to work fine from what I hear. I met this guy Bruce who I think SHeri knows who was telling me all about it he is at sevenanchors.com I dont know if he makes them but I do know he uses one and told me it was a sweet thing. What are you going to do about the HOLES in your gun now ????? lol lol lol Hey what can I say.

YOU SCREW WITH A GUN YOU GET SCREWED BACK!!!
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Old 09-19-2003, 11:17 AM   #15
Chad Carney
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Side shafts

Blue,

If we all liked the same things it would be a boring world, right?
Try several and see what you like best.

One thing about side shaft holders on any gun is to mount the shaft as far as possible to the rear of the gun, keeping the weight off the muzzle. (You will find powerheads on a shaft to do the same. Many divers keep one on the rear of the gun or in a pocket, sleeve etc.)

Attached is a photo of a buddy with his rear handle Riffe with shaft & light holder. It works well for Jimmy.

With a heavier gun you will tend to do more retracting, turning and extending of the gun, rather than just swinging it while extended. When done smoothly the retraction/extention method can be less noticed by fish, even when you don't have a second shaft.

Have fun experimenting.

Chad
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