building a wooden speargun

OK, so it kind of sounds like what is happening is the longer the shaft the more the sighting plane coincides with the shaft plane, so if the tip of the spear is on the fish, the shaft is somewhat more likely to hit the target. Something like a longer barrel on a shotgun. That probably explains it- I can't hit shit with a shotgun either!!!

Not in my case Bill, I shoot instinctively. I'm not no marksman but I am comfortable with my accuracy. After all there are limits to what you can do underwater range wise.

That may be part of it, but I'm not convinced that's the whole explanation. Many people will also say that they shoot by instinct, which would seem to me to make shaft overhang irrelevant as an aiming aid. When I think of shooting by instinct, I think of an archer shooting an old English longbow with no sights whatsoever. Or the guy who trick shoots skeet while holding the shotgun upside down or behind his back. Totally by instinct.

I wonder if there are some ergonomic and physical factors as well. A heavy rifle is much easier to shoot accurately than a light one, because the mass helps dampen the little twitches and tremors of wobbly hands. I wonder if more shaft overhang makes a gun a little more nose heavy, requiring a more consistant wrist force, and therefore easier to hold steady.

I also wonder if additional mass at the muzzle, like you said earlier, helps to dampen muzzle flip.

Great point Tin Man, Although instinctively shooting has to do with muscular memory somehow, it´s far from hail mary, you need some point of reference to actually know where you intend to hit. I Always aim for head /center mass. I am a terrible shot cause most of my shots are not stoners, but i hit home every time, that means that the shaft always hit where i aimed at: head or center mass, taking out careful aiming off the equation. Even my worst shots are placed in the correct height. It´s like the sling video that was discussed in the other thread. With a sling shot you need some point of reference too, whether is the side or the center of the V frame. I am not very familiar with archery though, but i bet you should have some point of reference besides the sole target alone. Some of the guns that i had used lack of enough overhang, so i didn´t know where the shots went whatsoever. Some people are really accurate and succesful with a shaft overhang as small as the point barely protruding off the muzzle though.

I think you have it. Instinctive shooting probably has a lot to do with muscle memory. We don't consciously decide that the the gun is aimed properly, but it just "feels" right. As for myself, I suspect that I'm probably a less than average marksman. But most of my shots happen so fast in our poor vis, that I really don't know how I would do if I had time to try and line up a good shot.

None of which explains what the longer shaft overhang really does . . .

If it doesn't have anything to do with aiming, then it must have a physical effect on the flight of the shaft, or the reaction of the gun.

Lots of shaft overhang makes the gun tip heavier, that´s a fact. And the recoil is more noticeable. 12-15 inches is the top. More S.O. will defeat the purpose of aiming for excess of recoil and less maneuverability.

Aim/sight POINT reference is possibly the style that Pargo and others are refering to. Using aim/POINT reference style the shooter sees the POINT or end of the spear and the target. The shooter aligns the point or end of the spear with the target. This POINT reference is important because the length of the shaft overhang affects shaft hit placement. Point aiming is an accurate method of aiming, but the LENGTH of the shaft affects how the shot is aimed [elevation wise]. Generally when a point shooter has accuracry problems the misses are either high or low on the target, not left or right [windage] problems. So for point shooters, the length of the shaft and shaft overhang is important.

Prior to rail guns and enclosed track guns, spear shafts were only supported at the muzzle and the trigger and the shaft bent down in the middle unless there was enough shaft overhang to counter act this bending down.

[I do not use the POINT aiming style. I use Apache style, so shaft overhang is not relevant to how I aim.]
All the above is just my 2 cents
Hope this helps

Quote from straight shaft

This is the perfect handle for a toy gun I planned on building the kid across the street:D

Hi Julio,

Are you serious about this? In my opinion, european style handles are WAY better than every american handle style I have seen around.

You have to feel it in your hand to tell the difference. These handles are an evolution of wooden handles custom made for the Abellan spearguns (a classic). http://www.abellansub.com/home.php?idi=ENG

They are made with a reinforced polimer that can be machined to your needs and adapted to any kind of gun (I've seen it on a C4 Mr Carbon).

Just my 2c...

Interesting. The shape reminds me a little of the handles that Dan has made for his guns.

You see this is exactly why my question goes how long but with all this theories i can tell i have always use at least 12" O.H. And i was very accurate. But when i had a short shaft with like 4" O.H. I was not placing the shot where i wanted. Once you get used to shoot a Gun one way it becomes an extension of your arm. That is why everyone feel is instinct or natural. But if you make any modifications you feel weird shooting your own gun when it comes to the O.H. Speacially first is less heavier at the muzzle making it different for your wrist. The different in weight will make your movement way different underwater making your aiming a little off of what you are used too. You all know the feeling when you shoot someone elses gun, at first it feel weird and alien type. but if you keep using it you get used to it then when you use yours it feel very weird. I know you guys got it.

Marco,

Para los gustos se hicieron los colores;).

I just personally don't like the look of the handles. Nice designs just not my preference of finish. On the other hand (no pun intended), I loved the link of the Ebansub spearguns. Thanks for sharing.

Julio

Might as well post the link for the DIY wood handle http://spearfishing.world/spea…-for-a-wood-speargun.html

I like your handle Dan. Does it has the thumb rest on the other side? I found out that it makes a lot of difference when you try to move the gun in the water and to avoid recoil.

Julio: My old italian Nonna used to say: "Non è bello quel che è bello, è bello quel che piace" (No es bonito lo que es bonito, es bonito lo que gusta). So I have to fully agree with you.

Marco, thanks for sharing your nonna's wisdom. I agree wholeheartedly with the saying although I have a suspicion it originated to make ugly chicks feel good

My handle doesn't have a thumb rest. I do not doubt your assessment as to the benefits of the thumb rest. I don't like it for myself for those rare non conventional shots that we sometimes have to take; like from the hip on a surprise close fish or when shooting into a hole. Also what if I lose my arm to a shark? :shark4: I'll need to get another gun because I won't be able to grip it comfortably with the other hand.

I didn't feel like starting a new thread, but I decided to start shaping a handle for a teak 110 I'm building. It's still in progress, but I like how it's coming out. It wasn't as hard as I thought, I have about 2 hours into it mostly using a dremel and sandpaper.

I'll have a full post on the gun in a couple weeks. It's just a blank right now.

Sweet handle Jim. Gotta love those thumb rest on the handles. I just cheat and use instamorph for mine.
Looking forward to the progress.

Jim, use the whole thing for a speargun stock and put a thumb trigger on it

Quote from Dan

JIm, use the whole thing for a speargun stock and put a thumb trigger on it

That might be a great hawaiian sling, I'll just drill a hole for the shaft! :laughing: