My "Go To" Gun

    This is an offshoot of the thread "Bluewater No-Nos"


    The topic was shooting guns that you are accustomed to shooting on a regular basis and how that effects us when going to a BW cannon that only gets shot a few times a year.


    The consensus seems to be that all one's guns should ideally be the same, with respect to the fact that as guns get bigger, the only thing that should change is the scale.


    After spending many years and countless dollars on different guns, I finally found a gun that "spoke" to me and said "The One"! It is a So Cal Tracker II that was designed and built by Gil Gacula of Spear-Diver.


    I had Gil make a few modifications to the gun based on personal preferences and specific hunting locations. I had him move the handle back from the "standard" 12-14" that most production mid-handle guns seem to have, to 9" from the butt of the gun. I like this placement because it puts the butt of the gun right in the middle of my forearm. This helps me with aiming by gun far enough out in front my eyes that I can see the but and the tip of the gun simultaneously. It also keeps the butt of the gun far enough away from my face that I will not get a fat lip. I cannot shoot guns while backing up with the other hand. I have to shoot one handed.


    The gun also has a semi-enclosed track. I did this because of the areas I hunt and big fish are often shot at close range. I have had several instances of the shaft not clearing the end of the full track after shooting a fish and was fortunate enough that the fish did not tear the shaft out of the track. The half track is enough that it will eliminate shaft whip for taking longer shots, when needed.


    The gun is 55"; the perfect length for shooting on the rigs here in the GOM or in the kelp beds off Southern California. I would really like to have this gun made in a 60-65" and have been on the waiting list for quite some time now. Gil has a back-log that seems like it will never end!


    The gun is much wider than it is tall. It is 2.5" wide at the butt and 1.75 wide at the muzzle, with a height of 1.75". The butt end is flat on the bottom with 3/4" roundovers on the top. About mid-way through the gun the shape transistions into an oval, making the gun very easy to swing, hence it's name, "Tracker".


    The gun is rigged with a 60" 5/16 flopper shaft and (3) 15mm bands. Fully rigged the gun weighs in at 8lbs. Felt recoil is very minimal.


    So post up your "Go To Gun"!

    You know, after getting called almost a big of a gear whore as you, I still haven't found it. I have 2 more waiting in the wings to be shot. The first is a 55" Wong Hybrid Mag RHP. I've already talked to Daryl about moving the handle forward, as I don't like the balance of the RHP set-up. But I do know that I most definitely prefer the Aimrite handles to the Alexander ones.


    I've also got a 120cm Super Venom that I didn't get to take out on the last trip cause of the viz. But I have to say that my little scrapped together 110 with a Beuchat Mundial handle, RA green handle barrel and Rabitech muzzle definitely does the trick. I love the feel of the handle, and 12' shots weren't much of a problem on sand bass and calicos.

    I'm the opposite of a gear whore, I'm a minimalist. I like to have one of each thing needed for spearfishing, or if the possibility exists of losing gear then another one of the same as backup. I'm set on the gun that I like. Future changes will not be a matter of manufacturer as I make the gun myself, just small adjustments in length, width and height . All the info is in this thread http://spearfishing.world/spea…ially-enclosed-track.html The general premise is that I like a wood gun with as slim a stock as possible bringing it close to the maneuverability of a pipe gun. The important details to me are:


    Rear handle.
    Short butt extension for hip loading.
    My handle which brings the grip very close to the plane of the spear.
    If I can get away with a fully enclosed track without breaking the track near the muzzle then I prefer that, if not then an enclosed track half way.
    Auto resetting line release.
    Mech for square notched shaft.
    Single flopper, sharkfin tab spear with the first tab being as close to the mech as possible.
    13" of spear overhang.
    Solid muzzle.
    Shark spike.
    Replaceable wishbones.


    I'm not any great hunter but I have no complaints for the reef fishing we do here, even with the occasional big cobia, AJ, or cuda. I figure if I can consistently hit those 12" long 1" wide cero mackerels mid body then everything's cool.


    Quote from Dan

    If I can get away with a fully enclosed track without breaking the track near the muzzle then I prefer that, if not then an enclosed track half way.


    Half track is easier to break than full track.

    Davie Peguero

    Quote from Dan

    I'm set on the gun that I like. Future changes will not be a matter of manufacturer as I make the gun myself



    That's the direction I am heading myself. I finally got settled in enough that I am ready to build my shop. I will be pouring the foundation next month. I should have the shop complete and "tooled up" by next spring.


    Of course I can't wait that long, so I will be purchasing some minimalist tools to get started on a premade blank. I am going to keep the first gun quite simple, while maintaining the same handle and handle placement. It just won't be quite as much gun as the one I posted, although, it will be a bit longer and shoot lighter shafts. Basically an "in-line" wooden railgun for hunting the weed lines for mahi.


    This will also give me some experience building a gun without getting too complicated on the build.

    The exposed shaft half acts like a long lever on the closed track side if the retaining line slips.

    Davie Peguero

    I considered that but rather I think that because the shaft is springy there's more length for the force of impact to be dissipated. The shaft will bend rather than tear out the track. You can simulate this quite easily.

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