riffe mid handle 44" Right size??

[marcovgv]

i am new to speaR FISHING AND I WANT TO PURCHASR MY FIRST GUN.. BUT I DONT KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN.. I SAW A 44" RIFFE MID HANDLE... IS THIS GUN GOOD? IS IT A GOOD SIZE OR SHOULD I GO BIGGER.. MONEY IS NOT REALLY A FACTOR.. IVE GOT ABOUT 500 DOLLARS TO SPEND ON THE GUN.. BUT I WANT TO SPEND VERY WISELY AND BUY SOMETHJING I WONT GROW OUT OF ..AND SOMETHING THAT I CAN USE IN ANY SITUATION.. I SAW A RIFFE ISLANDER BUT I THINK IT MIGHT BE TO BIG.. I HAVE NO PROBLEM LOADING A BIG GUN.. JUST NOT SURE WHETHER BIGGER IS BETTER... I LIKES THE 44" MID HANDLE BUT JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW GOOD ACCURATE POWERFUL IT IS.. AND WHAT ITS LIMITS WILL BE AS FAR AS WHAT SIZE FISH I CAN HUNT WITH THAT SIZE GUN.
THAKNS

 

[Stone]

You may want to pose your question on www.spearboard.com.

Riffe is a good gun, but pretty expensive. The guys on spearboard can tell you about "spearfishing specialties" and other guns.

You need to tell them what kind of spearing you are interested in.

 

[Genesis]

I'm not an expert, but I own two different spearguns, and can give you some info on the Riffe, as I own one.

First, the midhandle is not what you probably want, even though you may THINK you do. You DO NOT want to fire a speargun like a regular firearm; you typically shoot while horizontal in the water, while you shoot a gun while vertical (most of the time anyway); the key difference is that you do not SHOULDER a speargun when firing.

Rather, a speargun is fired with your arm LOCKED and extended and, in many if not most cases, with the second hand on the butt of the gun as a steadying and aiming aid. You have to "be the shaft"; its not really aimed like a firearm. The key is that you don't want to "eat" the gun fro the recoil; it can happen, and if it does it will shatter your mask or knock it off (bad at 100'!)

I own a Riffe C3x. You can get that gun for less than your budget, and it will "reach out and touch things" very well. Riffe's guns are also slower to load though than many others, which, if you shoot a lot of fish on a given dive, can be a big deal. That's a 50-something inch gun. Its a BEAST to hip-load; you either learn to chest-load in a big hurry, or you will have problems unless you're 6'2 or similar, especially if you have to reload a lot (e.g. lots of fish being shot OR you miss frequently!)

I also own a JBL "sawed off" Magnum, which is a roughly 4' gun. This gun is MUCH faster to reload, but it does not have the power of the Riffe.

To a large extent, what you put in (in effort loading the bands) is what you get out (in spearing power.)

Before spending gobs of money on a very non-returnable purchase, instead find some friends who have a "backup" gun and see if they'll let you try whatever you are thinking of. You'll learn a lot - what you like and don't, and what you want to buy.

For me the JBL is a great "wreck" gun, as its fast to maneuver around the wrecks and is easily and quickly loaded. It lacks the power of the Riffe though. But the Riffe, while much more powerful, is slow on the reload and is quite a bit harder to swing around on target underwater.

I use both for different occasions; if I am intending to shoot larger fish I take the Riffe; for smaller bumming around the JBL will bag more in a given amount of time.

As with most things, there is no free lunch.

 

[zeN||]

$500 will get you a pretty good gun . There is no one gun for all environments. Think in terms of Close range medium range Blue water guns (long range) Price goes up accordingly. If you are new, think about starting with a smaller or medium size gun, around a 30" spear, as you will no doubt buy more gear in the future (don't think you will get out of buying more gear!) Rubber band guns are great guns. 2 bands at least, I prefer 3. They usually come in aluminum and wood. Aluminum is noisier, and sinks more, wood is more neutrally buoyant and quieter (and prettier). If you spearfish you will need a shorter one for low viz, reefs, entanglements anyways, and you can still shoot a big critter if you have a powerful set of bands.
Insist on buying a gun with steele or aluminum trigger/handle, this is a must, no plastic. If I had $500 I would check ebay and get a good deal for half what you will pay in a dive shop Good hunting zeN

 

[DA Aquamaster]

Most of my spearing is done is fresh water in limited visbility of under 20 ft. In this situation a large powerful gun is not required and a medium sized gun is much more effective.

I have used a pair of Scubapro Panthers for about 20 years. They came in 36" and 48" lenghts and were well made, very durable and had a composite stock with good bouyancy characteristics.

The stock will float up out of your way while you are taking care of a fish, and the gun itself is slightly negative when the shaft is loaded. The gun will accomodate 3 bands and offers adeqate power and range for freshwater fish and would be more than adequate around a reef. In my state, you are limited to a line lenght of 20' on a speargun, so a really large gun could not legally be used to it's full advantage anyway.

It has an open muzzle and is quick to load. The gun is very well balanced and points well. I have always come back to this gun after trying others as I can hit with it on nearly every shot.

They come up now and then on E-bay for about $75. They are no longer marketed by Scubapro (and have not been for about 15 yrs) but they are still produced by Banditio and will run $250 to $300 depending on the size.

I would recommend going with a mid sized used gun to get started and then when you know what fits your style and tastes, move up to a more expensive gun.

 

[100days-a-year]

Wood guns are traditionally positively bouyant and freeshafting leaves you in a predicament of having to maintain the gun and the fish.Metal guns are less attractive but stay where you put them.For Florida reef diving reloading a Riffe is a PITA,for Florida pelagics they are unmatched.Spearboard is friendly to most,as is Florida Sportsman.Good luck and good hunting.

 

[Vin]

you still looking?

Need to sell.

Stock no mods - bought new 2 seasons ago used maybee 4 times. Always kept clean + oiled - It is mint.

I'll sell it for $500 + shipping

I am in Boston.


Vin