Posts by Dan

  • Riffe 4x

    Then why would you need a rest tab and finish loading with your chest? Hip loading is done in one motion. You can feasibly use the same technique as chest loading and grab the bands then push the butt into place on your hip (in the case that you can't reach the bands when the butt is already on your hip) but to me that's defeating the purpose which is the convenience of hip loading. I want the longest possible hip loading gun where I can reach the bands when the butt is on my hip. I'm 6' but I have proportionally longer arms. I can go longer than a C3X but the C4X is too long. So I made an in between size (custom gun).


    The gun for you would be a C4X then if you can handle the size. I would say the C3X is a better choice. It's not always about power, more often it's about ease of use and besides the C3X has plenty of power. Pantoja on this forum got this 49lb grouper and this 40lb cuda with a C3X and two 5/8 bands. You can see the gun at the bottom of the second pic.




    seaweed's friend Kris (apneaspearo) also uses a C3 and got some very big fish.


    You can't have a gun that will do everything. I would use three guns. A short 70cm gun for holes and really bad viz, a 120 for reef and occasional big pelagics that might cruise through, and a dedicated bluewater gun which I haven't defined yet but will probably be bigger than a C4X if I ever get around to it.


    Don't worry about range at this time. With two wraps of line on a C3 you can get 20' range and good power with two 5/8 bands. You will find however that %99 of your shots will be under 15'.


    Quote from monster slayer

    I have the C3, and i am very happy with it, i guess i would be happier with the butt extension of the x series.

    I think you could easily make an extension for that gun. It will look something like this.


  • Float Line Vs. Reel

    I never get tangles in my own float line. The only foul ups occur with other peoples float lines. This happens for a few reasons. First people insist on getting a fancy tube style float line. This kind of float line is unnecessarily thick and doesn't handle or coil up well. Consequently people who use it don't use a spool and let the full length of the float line drag behind them. The float line is usually purchased at maximum length for the possibility of deep diving. It is then 120' long. Users of this line will then let the full length trail behind them even when diving in 30'. This is inconsiderate IMO if you're diving in close proximity to other divers. All for what? To have a fancy float line that is more expensive and doesn't perform any better than a regular polypropylene rope.


    The other thing that float line users (especially tube style float line users) fail to do is gather up and coil the float line while on the surface in between dives. The benefits coiling the float line are; When it's time for the next dive you let loose the coiled float line and you have zero drag on your descent as opposed to dragging your float on the surface the whole distance. You eliminate a long trailing float line which can cause foul ups with fellow divers. The motions of gathering up the float line into a coil are relaxing and provide a rhythm for your breath up which times and prepares you for the next dive.


    There is one exception that I learned of where a reel is a better option and that is diving in California kelp. A float would get hung up in the kelp when diving through it. But even for this a float line with a very small streamlined float is a viable option.


    I haven't even gotten into all the scenarios where a float line will save your or your buddies life, or at least your gun. Just think of how lucky Steve Bennet and Cameron were that by fluke the spear on that one dive was attached to a downrigger.

  • Speartip testing?

    First it's pretty much accepted that a tri cut has better penetration, the downside of a tri cut is that it will deform more easily if you shoot it into a rock. But I'm sure you knew that. Then logic dictates that increasing the size of the projectile by any means, larger diameter shaft/floppers/basically anything that would make it less streamlined, will negatively affect penetration.


    When you first said testing 8mm vs. 7mm I thought a pendulum weight that will give about 1" penetration will be sufficient to give an accurate idea. Once you're talking about testing with floppers obviously you will need a force that will cause penetration at least past the flopper. I have a hard time imagining that you can achieve that with drywall. Of course I'm thinking of a solid piece, not just penetration through one sheet. Maybe better would be a type of Styrofoam. I used to use something for archery targets that was blue sheets of Styrofoam. Some people use them for making floating docks or maybe insulation. The sheets are about 3" thick and maybe 4x8'. Not expensive and much denser than regular white Styrofoam.


    With your type of test of course you're eliminating the variable of momentum which comes into play when the spear travels over a distance to the target. But then you're only testing for penetration based on shape.


    PS. What's a hollow ground point?

  • Riffe 4x

    You are a little confused and I'll try to clear it up.


    The competitor series (C) is a line of lighter guns as opposed to the standard series, the stock is thinner. So the model you're looking at is C4X


    The X stands for the butt extension which means the C4X is a hip loading gun as opposed to the C4 which would be a chest loading gun. I like hip loaders.


    The S stands for an upgrade of a 5/16 shaft, a threaded tip, and a third power band. All of which you don't need so forget about the S. The threaded tip is too heavy and so is the shaft. A 9/32 is good for our kind of hunting unless you're consistently going after fish in the 50lb range and even then there are advantages to the 9/32. You can buy a third band at minimal cost for the 9/32 shaft set up, it works very well. You could also scrap the 9/16 bands and use two 5/8 bands like some of us do. It reduces loading time and has almost the same power as three 9/16 bands. The range is also dependent on the number of wraps of mono. You can easily re rig the gun for two wraps of mono instead of the one that comes with the C4X (no S).


    So in conclusion you should be looking at the C4X if at all.


    Next thing is how tall are you? I'm 6ft and the C4X is just outside my comfort range for hip loading. Meaning when I put the butt on my hip I can't reach the bands.


    The C4 is also the only gun out of the competitor series that has a beefier stock than the rest. This means swimming with it for a long time your grip will get more tired than with the other competitor series guns.


    I would use the C4 for blue water hunting here in Florida not reef hunting. It may however be a little light for that application.


    The classic gun for our waters out of the Riffe lineup is the C3 or the C3X depending on whether you like hip or chest loading.


    Used Riffe guns are just as good as new. You may want to look at a used one and save yourself some money. Maybe Oscar will want to sell his.

  • Float Line Vs. Reel

    I think all the opinions you will get here will be for freediving. Do scuba hunters even use floats or reels? I'm not sure what they use. If I was scuba hunting I'd try a leash on the gun with a loop over my wrist.


    For starters it's not just about the float line but float as well. At times you can get away with a small float that will be just enough to keep your gun and a decent size fish from sinking. I look for the maximum flotation possible at the same time keeping the drag minimal. Remember that it's a law in some SE Florida counties that if you're, what is it 300ft?, away from a boat with a flag you must have a dive flag. When beach diving the float will double as a place to keep the fish and of course a required flag. Many people use a modified boogie board for this. Since in most cases you're gonna have a float it follows that you'll be using a float line.

  • PB Fish- "Sweet Dreams" knocks 'em out

    Jim, How could it be a bait post? I was under the impression you don't read anything I say <img src= " height="23" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x"> Besides there are at least two more guys on this forum who lost a gun or blacked out because of no float line. I didn't lose a gun on two occasions that I'm sure about due to the float line. Most of the time I simply don't worry about it and only in retrospect do I think what would've happened if I didn't have a float.


    I really should and will now start a floatline vs reel thread so we can refer our friends that are just starting out to information that will be very helpful to them IMO. Of course reel fans can then post too and make us feel like the elite below the elite as usual :)

  • Palabras distintas en español

    Actualmente una pinga es lo que esta utilizando en esa imagen para cargar los cubos. Se puede endender la relacion entre el palo y el organo sexual. Una vez escuche a un tipo de Gerorgia (son unos salvajes) alardiando que cuando era joven la tenia parada tan dura que podia caminar con un cubo colgado alli LOL


  • PB Fish- "Sweet Dreams" knocks 'em out

    I just realized we don't have a reel vs. floatline debate thread yet. Quit being so politically correct guys, you know a floatline is the way to go <img src= " height="23" srcset="https://spearfishing.world/forum/images/smilies/emojione/1f606@2x.png 2x">

  • He doesn't get to sleep by the fire for free...

    Aaron I think you have the right idea. It's much more probable you'd get a dog of similar temperament if you buy from the same breeder as opposed to breed out to a female from a different line. She could be a great worker and so can your male but that doesn't guarantee similar offspring, although you could get lucky. Fortunately when it comes to working retrievers there's not as much BS as with dogs who are bred for the show. There is no opinion with working capability as there is when it comes to aesthetics. The dog either does the job or it doesn't.


    My question to you was if you take all the edible meat from a chicken, a goose and a duck, all the same weight, which will have the most yield/edible meat?