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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 01-15-2010, 08:00 PM   #1
Sean E
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Question advice on gun loading?

anyone got any good advice on getting used to loading a gun???
i just got my first gun, and man is it tough to load both bands. i watched some youtube videos on how to load them, i know the way to do it properly i guess, but its still tough.

but is there any tricks to make it a little easier?
and i heard its easier in the water once the bands get wet... that true?

this big surf has taken away my water time so i havent gotten to take the gun out.
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Old 01-15-2010, 08:16 PM   #2
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Re: advice on gun loading?

Im not ab expert by any means, but it would help if you let the community know what kind and length of gun you have. Rule of thumb, it gets easier with time.

BTW Not a good idea to load a gun on the surface so be very careful.
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Old 01-15-2010, 08:23 PM   #3
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Re: advice on gun loading?

It only gets easier with time. When i first got my riffe c3x when i was 14yrs old and about 5 ft (gun was bigger than me) I would look at the but of the gun instead of the actuall tabs where they are supposed to go. This makes you think that you have to bring the bands further back than you actually really have to and before you know it the bands are on the tabs. Something to try. May not work for everyone but it did for me.

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Old 01-15-2010, 08:36 PM   #4
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Re: advice on gun loading?

It's much easier in the water. It doesn't have anything to do with the bands being wet. The gun will be close to neutral in the water which makes it easier to control while loading.
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Old 01-15-2010, 08:49 PM   #5
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Re: advice on gun loading?

aiming for the slots or fins sometimes you come up short,over time you will just pull the bands without too much thought and it will be much easier.muscle
memory and momentum
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Old 01-15-2010, 08:58 PM   #6
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Re: advice on gun loading?

Try making sure the gun is 90 degrees to your body. You want the tip level with the butt or even below it.

Currently, you're probably grabbing the bands, positioning the butt in your abdomen and pulling with the gun pointing up and out. Your body's mechanics won't let that work. You want to pull back but not down.

Some guys will even put one leg over the gun (when in the water) to keep the tip low.

What others have is true. It's easier in the water, and it gets easier the more you do it.

Look on the bright side. With all the rain that's coming, you've got a week to practice.
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Old 01-15-2010, 09:12 PM   #7
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Re: advice on gun loading?

Some guns are easier to load with the butt on your hip, and others are easier to load with the butt on your chest (can't do this out of the water). Try both ways.

Also, it may help to have a pussy tab welded on your (spear) shaft.
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Old 01-15-2010, 09:21 PM   #8
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Re: advice on gun loading?

if your chest loading I've found that it helps to inhale and puff out your chest while you're pulling on one of the bands.
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Old 01-15-2010, 09:30 PM   #9
Sean E
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Re: advice on gun loading?

oh its a mako predator 110.


yah, i just need to practice more i guess. its a used gun but i think the bands are pretty new, so they probably just need a little working in time. haha. that or i just need to get stronger!
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Old 01-15-2010, 10:10 PM   #10
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Re: advice on gun loading?

Rather than pulling with your arms, pull with your back - the back is much stronger. It's similar to any back workout you'd do in the gym - pinch the shoulder blades together and the band might just be too far back If you do pull the first band to the rear fin, you will have to re-adjust it forward to get the rest of the bands on.
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Old 01-15-2010, 10:31 PM   #11
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Re: advice on gun loading?

You can put a loading tab on the side of the gun, about 3/4 way back. Load band to tab, then regrip band and slide up to the notch or tab, whatever your spear has. It is much easier this way, and you can actually go to a thicker band, one that you couldn't load otherwise, and "two-step" into position. Sheri Daye told me about this, and it works great. I have several guns, two are 55 inch custom guns. My 15 year old could not load these guns any other way, and I use the tabs since they are there. And yes, load in the water, away from you buddy. Stay safe.
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Old 01-15-2010, 11:55 PM   #12
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Re: advice on gun loading?

I have an open muzzle 100 and 130. I can actually hip load both of them, but chest loading might be easier. The way I do it is pull the rear band on the first tab, and than the front band on the second tab (the one closer to the handle) This might be wrong because the front band is stretched a lot more than the rear band, but any other way the first band pulled gets in the way of the second band when I load. If there is a better way, I would love to hear it.

If you have an open muzzle. Don't get lazy, and do make sure you load the shaft from the front and under the bands. Otherwise, when fired, the mono will wrap around the bands, and you will have to untangle the mess before you can load again.
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Old 01-16-2010, 02:37 AM   #13
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Re: advice on gun loading?

http://www.wildblue.co.nz/gear/speargunloadingtutorial/

Here is another tutorial. The key for me was getting step one and two down. Band right hand; butt of gun in the left. Stretch band and get the but of your gun on the top of your abs. Then grab with the other band with your left hand.

It is hard to explain, but once you do it once it is super easy...
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Old 01-16-2010, 12:19 PM   #14
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Re: advice on gun loading?

Quote:
Originally Posted by cubscoutdad View Post
You can put a loading tab on the side of the gun, about 3/4 way back. Load band to tab, then regrip band and slide up to the notch or tab, whatever your spear has. It is much easier this way, and you can actually go to a thicker band, one that you couldn't load otherwise, and "two-step" into position. Sheri Daye told me about this, and it works great. I have several guns, two are 55 inch custom guns. My 15 year old could not load these guns any other way, and I use the tabs since they are there. And yes, load in the water, away from you buddy. Stay safe.
I have loading tabs on all my guns, but they are wood. I don't know of a way to put a loading tab on a Euro gun like his.

SEnsch- I live in San Clemente. If you want to bring it by, I'll show you how I would cock it.
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Old 01-16-2010, 12:32 PM   #15
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Re: advice on gun loading?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Diego View Post
http://www.wildblue.co.nz/gear/speargunloadingtutorial/

Here is another tutorial. The key for me was getting step one and two down. Band right hand; butt of gun in the left. Stretch band and get the but of your gun on the top of your abs. Then grab with the other band with your left hand.

It is hard to explain, but once you do it once it is super easy...
That's the best way I've found too. With the band in your right hand, it begins to stretch as you bring the butt of the gun to your chest, then it's simply a matter of pulling towards your chest opposed to pulling towards your hips (harder IMO). When I first started loading my c3x, it was quite challenging, after 7 years of using it, it's second nature. You will get stronger, and your technique will improve. Push ups will help strengthen your muscles, and if it's still an issue, try longer bands, or bands of a smaller diameter. Before you know it's you'll be loading a 65" gun with your eyes closed Good luck!
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