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Old 02-22-2020, 12:35 AM   #1
Joe L
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Cuttlefish barrels

Has anyone had experience with aftermarket cuttlefish barrels? My current 1.2m carbon (thin wall) Rob Allan is shooting high and wide (to the left). It has a Meandros reverse mech in a Century handle and the Sigalsub 14.5mm microbore rubbers are stretched to 330%. The handle has been customized using Freeform Air epoxy. I have tried 7.5mm and 8mm shafts, I'm thinking the cuttlefish barrel will add mass and floatation, allowing me to add ballast and reduce muzzle flip.
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Old 02-22-2020, 12:44 AM   #2
2fishin2
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe L View Post
Has anyone had experience with aftermarket cuttlefish barrels? My current 1.2m carbon (thin wall) Rob Allan is shooting high and wide (to the left). It has a Meandros reverse mech in a Century handle and the Sigalsub 14.5mm microbore rubbers are stretched to 330%. The handle has been customized using Freeform Air epoxy. I have tried 7.5mm and 8mm shafts, I'm thinking the cuttlefish barrel will add mass and floatation, allowing me to add ballast and reduce muzzle flip.
Its not muzzle flip. MF causes shafts to shoot low.

Its a combination of reverse mech and handle and maybe shaft
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Old 02-22-2020, 01:28 AM   #3
Joe L
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

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Originally Posted by 2fishin2 View Post
Its not muzzle flip. MF causes shafts to shoot low.

Its a combination of reverse mech and handle and maybe shaft
How do I determine if it is reverse mech and/or the handle which is causing it?
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Old 02-22-2020, 01:49 AM   #4
Diving Gecko
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

I know you say you already made a custom grip but it might still be shifting in your hand during the shot. I pool tested a gun with an off the shelf ergo grip not long ago and it shot left on all shots until I tried a few shots with my left hand - and then it shot right...
In contrast, another gun which has my best custom handle so far (with grit) shoots with zero left or right shift.

Last edited by Diving Gecko; 02-22-2020 at 04:55 AM.
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Old 02-22-2020, 02:27 AM   #5
Behslayer
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

Are you right handed? Sounds like Recoil Shift. Since you've got the Freeform Air Epoxy there and you've shaped an overmould for the Handle, maybe you could shape an Overmould for the Muzzle and/or a few inches back? This would make you muzzle light and then you could add ballast. Those Stick on Car weights are nice, you could also fashion an adjustable ballast compartment easily into the Epoxy. One good trick is to cover the epoxy in a Saran wrap once it's starting to set. This will allow you to manipulate and shape. If you cover the barrel in Saran wrap it won't stick. You could always glue in place if you like after.

The other thing could be your handle shape.. Recoil is like water. It's going to find it's way downhill and find your true aiming point. Recoil shift is where the Recoil causes the gun to shift in your hand because it's not a perfect fit or grit.. like it slips.. but if you have shaped your grip to your hand, maybe your natural aiming point is high and to the left.
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Old 02-22-2020, 08:47 AM   #6
2fishin2
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

Few years back I swapped out a standard mech for a reverse on an Aimrite gun I had been using for 10+ years. I had the gun dialed in and killed hundreds of fish with it over many years. After the mech swap out, I couldnt hit shit with it. There was so much side-to-side slop in the mech the shaft would move 1/8 of an inch left or right when loaded. Just a true POS.
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Old 02-24-2020, 06:26 PM   #7
Joe L
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

A friend had the same issue as 2F2 and reverted back to the original mech. I have 5 Reverse mechs which have been retro fitted to handles. I used a 7.5mm and 8mm rigged shaft, swapping into all 5. Irrespective of diameter, in three the shaft fits snugly with very little play. The other two(one of which is the 1.2m gun) have 2-3mm play sideways.
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Old 03-11-2020, 08:43 AM   #8
Mikel_24
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

Mechs are usually made in a way they can adapt to different shaft diameters. If the shaft is resting properly on the track, then it will self-center in the mech, so this should be a non issue. If the gun has no track at all, then we are talking about a whole different thing.

I have seen some guns where the owner installed two short pins (shaft diameter or even less) vertically right in front of the mech to further limit the side to side play of the shaft in the mech.

You will not be able to attach the line to the hole in the back end of the shaft, so you will need to attach it to a sharkfin, doghouse or that second hole some shafts have a few inches away from the tail.

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Old 03-11-2020, 09:42 PM   #9
dewasw
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

And so, after adding the vertical pins, did the accuracy /inaccuracy stay the same. Or was accuracy greatly improved. I'm asking because my horizontal is bad.
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Old 03-12-2020, 02:07 PM   #10
musubi
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe L View Post
Has anyone had experience with aftermarket cuttlefish barrels? My current 1.2m carbon (thin wall) Rob Allan is shooting high and wide (to the left). It has a Meandros reverse mech in a Century handle and the Sigalsub 14.5mm microbore rubbers are stretched to 330%. The handle has been customized using Freeform Air epoxy. I have tried 7.5mm and 8mm shafts, I'm thinking the cuttlefish barrel will add mass and floatation, allowing me to add ballast and reduce muzzle flip.
Do you have pictures of the gun? Sometimes it helps seeing it too.
You may want to check the straightness of the shaft to rule that out. I'm very particular on the straightness since a crooked shaft could cause all kinds of shot issues. My guess though is any side to side deviation, if not due to your gear, is with your grip during recoil.

To me, muzzle flip would cause your shaft to dive, since the barrel end would be rising as the end of your shaft exits. A cuttled barrel may help in areas, but I don't think it's a solution to your current problem.

FWIW, I haven't had issue with my reverse mechs (so far), but I have no experience with Meandros.
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Old 03-12-2020, 04:26 PM   #11
popgun pete
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

Try shooting with both hands on the grip and see what happens. Make sure the shaft, barrel and pistol grip are all in the same alignment, including the sear box and everything is sitting flat without any steps.
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Old 03-13-2020, 04:18 AM   #12
Joe L
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Re: Cuttlefish barrels

Shooting with a two handed grip did not improve the accuracy. Initially there was a 7.5mm shaft. Swapping it out for an 8mm shaft of the same length made it shoot wider to the left. I've received a cuttlefish barrel from One Breath Diving today and will fit it over the next few days.
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