Riffe 4x

I think accuracy is all about the shaft and bands. Maybe in California the guys expect to shoot the competitor series accurately with a 5/16 shaft. I know Riffe makes/sells those big screw on points with two barbs. While very well made I just can't see now under what conditions I would use such a point. Still when I was starting out I saw that it came with the gun and assumed it was necessary. I can tell you that a C3 with a single flopper 9/32 shaft and two 16mm smooth release bands shoots accurately, albeit I changed the handle on it.

Wow Dan, that handle's impressive! It looks like it does a good job of bringing your hand up closer to being parallel to the shaft and probably significantly reduces the recoil/muzzle jump.
I agree that the 5/16" shaft and that huge tip is a little, well, crude.
When I refer to accuracy, you have to remember that typically, at least in NorCal, I'm looking to hit a 1-2 pound fish out near the end of a single wrap of line. With a 90cm gun or a C-2, that would be roughly 12' from the muzzle of the gun. It's a tough shot under hunting conditions with a 90 euro, (at least for me). It'd be interesting to try it with a well rigged C-2...
Ron.

Ron, I guess it depends on the person. I have never been able to shoot consistently accurate with a RA. Always shoothing high. All riffe guns that I had shot are accurate right out of the box tho. Maybe that has to do with the fact I always shoot with a 9/32 x 2 9/16 bands with a decent 13 inches overhang. The Mid handles are nice guns, the comps are accurate, Riffe euros fun and accurate, the Standards are the best of the Riffe line due to their versatility.

Well it's good to get your perspective. For me, I had a really hard time with my Riffe midhandle when I first got it. I immediately swapped out the stock shaft for a Ray Odor 9/32" single flopper, which I rigged with two 9/16" bands and a single line wrap. For a long time, I always shot high. Did a ton of target practicing, sighting down the length of the shaft, (as best I could with the bands in the way), but always shot high. Then out of sheer frustration I took a shot one handed while holding the gun down low and just kinda half heartedly sighting over the speartip, and hit dead on. I adapted that aiming style and found it to be the most accurate style for me with that gun. I later got to where I was fairly, but not "pin point" accurate shooting that way with the stock 5/16" shaft and harpoon head, powered by three bands. I wouldn't want to try and hit little rockfish way out that way though.
When I got my little C-0, I found that aiming over the spear tip seems to work the best, but that's not exactly a long range gun.
One critism of the Riffe setup that I hear often is that they come with too much shaft overhang. You are one of the few that I've heard prefer that much overhang. I think an issue is that many folks that don't like that much overhang are powering the guns up and using slip tips for White Sea Bass and the like. Maybe a lot of overhang and a lot of power on a longer gun lends itself to shaft whip?
I dunno.
Ron.

12 to 13 inches is the best S.O. IMO. It gives you some reference point and seems to shoot right. I used to overpower my Wong magnum hybrid with awful results. Since I switched to longer thinner bands and shaft, the gun was dead on. The short shaft that the gun was rigged with originally was not a good set up for me. Now it hits home every time with great succes.