Freediving market copy cats

I don't see any wrong doing here. If the stock is of equal quality to the Riffe and they have it in the competitor series dimensions then I prefer this B.A.D. gun. I really dislike both the Aimrite and the Riffe handles but the Riffe handle is much more difficult to change than the Aimrite. For this reason alone the B.A.D. gun is worth it. One thing I don't like is that the shooting line guide is a pin rather than a plate as on the Riffe, the plate is better. It also remains to be seen if the line release is automatically resetting as in the Riffe. I doubt that it is but if it is that would be the deal clincher for me.

What makes you think Riffe invented this style of gun?

From a design standpoint, the main thing that I don't like about that gun is that the Aimrite handle is not recessed into the bottom of the stock. So the handle screws, and the tiny little bit of plastic that surrounds them, must absorb all of the recoil and handling forces. I don't have first hand experience breaking those handles, but I have made several delrin handles for others who have broken them around the screw holes.

Let's start with some basics. To me it appears to be a wooden stock gun with an old Aimrite handle and may have an old Aimrite trigger mechanism also, based on the pin configuration.

Tin as far as stress I have own Wong guns with aimrite parts for over 10 years. I have never had a handle break away from the stock, and I have removed my handles many times. Another thing tin- you can run your truck over those handles and they won't break.

As far as the pin line wrap at the muzzle end if I remember correctly both Wong and Riffe used these in the beginning. I never had an issue with them. If they are glued in they wont spin.

Overall $400 dollars for a 55" wood gun I think isn't a bad price. A Wong 55" wooden gun is $780 A Riffe 55" Wood gun will set you back over $550.

The reason the plate is better than a pin is because when the gun gets tossed around on the boat the pin tends to catch on things and eventually can split the wood.

Why are you loyal to Riffe? They're committed to making money. Huge markups on mac knives and aqa masks (making contractual agreements with aqa gull so that no one else can sell them, cheaper), as with most other things they sell. The spearguns are good but in 30 years they're not willing to invest in developing a better handle. Wait till you have a little piece fail like a valve on a float, and for something that costs $2 to make they charge the customer who paid almost $200 for their float $25. In the meanwhile the same float has been proven possible to manufacture and sell at a profit for $100. I don't use a Riffe float anymore but when I did I looked very hard for that valve elsewhere when it failed. I felt like I was treated unfairly having to pay $25 for it cosidering what I paid for the float already. A couple of years later I found the valve by chance. It's the same one that's used for inflatable life vests. The whole vest costs $20 at Basspro. I can buy it and take the valve off of it to use with the float.

Yep. The Riffe competitor 2 was my 2nd gun ever and I used it for a few years until I got a C3. After that I started making my own guns. I do have some nice memories of that old C2. I remember thinking when I first got it that the more power the better so I put three 5/8 bands on it. The recoil hurt my hand every time, with every shot I'd close my eyes involuntarily and then open them to see if I hit the fish LOL Hitting a fish was a mystical affair that was not due to any aiming effort on my part. In retrospect I'm surprised I hit the fish I did. And I always had that big double flopper point on it..

I just got a riffe metal tech 2s today. I prefer the wooden ones but the price on this couldn't be beat. $40 at a local pawn shop! In new condition just in need of shooting line (just the mono, it has the bungie) and bands. Any suggestion on what band combo (size/lenght)?

As anybody knows there is not such thing as too many spearguns.

Thanks man since I don't have any experience with this kind of gun it's the first metal riffe I ever owned.

Two 16mm bands cut to whatever you can pull comfortably.

what a steal!!!awesome

Billy, do you like midhandle spearguns?

Quote from pargo

Yep. The Riffe competitor 2 was my 2nd gun ever and I used it for a few years until I got a C3. After that I started making my own guns. I do have some nice memories of that old C2. I remember thinking when I first got it that the more power the better so I put three 5/8 bands on it. The recoil hurt my hand every time, with every shot I'd close my eyes involuntarily and then open them to see if I hit the fish LOL Hitting a fish was a mystical affair that was not due to any aiming effort on my part. In retrospect I'm surprised I hit the fish I did. And I always had that big double flopper point on it..

that's funny, I used to do the same thing when I got started, using a hawaiian with 3 bands, the thing almost split my lip open once. you have to use both hands to shoot those midhandles

I think all people new to band guns go through the overpowering learning curve.

Quote from pargo

Billy, do you like midhandle spearguns?

We'll see. I should've also said that besides being first metal riffe it's first mid handle I will try. My current gun it's a jbl with a ''custom'' wood barrel that I made about 12 years ago that I took from ''retirement'' since my c3 riffe got stolen and I sold a 75cm wooden cavalero (moorea) that I used for fishing holes. I'll be building something soon..

I don't like midhandles. Davie had a metal tech, I handled it. I think he got good use out of it but eventually got rid of it.