Scuba vs. freediving guns

  • I'm I the only one around here that doesn't like Riffe's?...


    For me a railgun of the same overall size shoots longer and moves easier under the water, not to mention the price....

    Marco Melis

    A bad day fishing is ALWAYS better than a good day at work.

  • I'm I the only one around here that doesn't like Riffe's?...


    For me a railgun of the same overall size shoots longer and moves easier under the water, not to mention the price....


    No, you're not the only one. I would not say I don't like the Riffes, it is just I don't care to shoot wooden guns. To me, pipe guns, specifically railguns (I own five:0) are more practical and cheaper. That being said, I think Riffes make a good product and I like their euro gun.


    Finally, I love the Alexander handles. They are the best in the market for my taste and preference.

  • what I don't like about them rail guns is that they are chest load guns, and as i don't use much of suits it can be a problem.

  • What i meant with i dont like the butt rubber on the riffes is that the competitor series got the generic version. IMO it feel a little weird. ut the one fromthe blue water guns. Is different shape and trust me is way better. I used to own a C3, C3x and a Baja. Also i used Railguns from OMER carbon. They perform well i didnt have any complaints, but at that moment those railguns carbon were expensive as much as wood. So i stick to wood after i saw one broke on the boat . For me all the guns will get the work done, is up to how you feel with it. I'm getting a custom wood gun from woody guy. but you know spearos always carry more than one. so my second choice might be a Rob Allen. Once i go back to hunting often i will post diferences and wich situation will require one more than the other. The type of gun dont matter. A good spearo will land same fish with both guns. Once fish is hit thats when the story change for skills to deal with a fish and the gun is out of the picture.

  • I'm I the only one around here that doesn't like Riffe's?...


    For me a railgun of the same overall size shoots longer and moves easier under the water, not to mention the price....


    It´s interesting how " beauty is in the eye of the beholder" , i feel that a comp 3 moves as easy as a rob allen of the same size. About price, i think teak and stainless steel hardware are better than alluminium tube and plastic trigger mech . Compare with carbon fibre, then the price is equal, and still teak is far more durable than C.F. Besides, Riffe´s are way more versatiles than euros. You may fit any shaft on the trigger mech, including that of the euros. That feature alone would probably be "life saving", cause in an emergency, you just can shot the gun with any shaft available. I still think R.A. Rabitech and most euros are great guns, i jut think Riffe´s has more to offer.

    I'm a Speardiver, not a freediver

  • P.S. How come an euro like a R. A. of the same overall size would shoot longer than a wooden gun? We are talking about a straight tube and a stick. I guess they have similar ranges, unless you put an extra band on the riffe, then is no way possible that a R.A. would shoot longer, cause it only fits 2.
    I have a 3 bands pelaj, and trust me the riffe is more powerful and has more reach than the australian stuff. Great gun by the way.

    I'm a Speardiver, not a freediver

  • First of all, a man that is not capable of chestload a gun does not deserve to be called a man...(but a "mamita") :D:laughing3:


    From this premise, if you see an Euro gun of the same size of a Riffe, you will see that there is a big unused portion of the Riffe's barrel (well, it's used by "mamitas" for hip loading). This being said, a rail gun of the same size (overall) of a Riffe will have almost 12" more of band pull.

    Marco Melis

    A bad day fishing is ALWAYS better than a good day at work.

  • Whoa there big boy.. Not capable is a big assumption, don't feel like bothering with it is a whole other bearded clam.


    I just measured my gun from the fin closest to the mech to the butt of the gun, the distance is 12". What's your measurement for the RA?

  • Verdad que si hehehe


    I figure your measurement from the notch to the butt for the RA will be about 6". I never understood the logic of comparing a euro gun to a wood gun based on total length. I always think of length as band stretch. The guns are the same length but the wood gun has an extra 6" of wood behind. How terrible is this really? It allows for faster and easier loading, don't even argue about faster.. Can serve as flotation or ballast, and a secure place to tie the float line or rig a breakaway system. I don't care what other people use but the options need to be presented in a common sense way.

  • I made the butt extension for my gun shorter than a Riffe, just what I need to hip load comfortably. I also had the pin placed closer to the back of the shaft. I put the band hole as close to the front of the gun as possible. The last two things maximize band stretch. I don't see the butt extension as bringing anything negative to the equation. The dislike you have for the way the riffe moves through the water Marco is probably due to the handle. It is not ergonomically correct and the grip ends up being lower relative to the plain of travel of the shaft. I'm with on that it sucks, but this is remedied with my wood gun.

  • band pull is a tricky thing, the Baja 61" comes stock with three 26 " 5/8´s i switched to 3 28.5 9/16´s . The gun release the shaft more softer and has even more range than the 5/8´s, that´s due to the energy lost by recoil. The advantage in band pull in the R.A. is lost cause you just have two notches, that are capable to hold just one wish bone at a time, (cutting some in the way) you may load the three bands in a Riffe in the last shark fin with ease. Gaining lineary aditive speaking 6 inches of band pull alone ... ;)

    I'm a Speardiver, not a freediver

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