Posts by Peripatetic

How deep do you plan to hunt? That should be the main consideration in determining depth

Nice film. Way more interesting than one kill shot after another

Harasho

I really like this handle; I have used it on several builds. Because it does not depend on screws, but is Mortised and pinned in place, I feel it is a stronger connection than screw in types. There are a number of after market grips that, too me, are more comfortable and ergonomic than the stock AR 15 grip.

I really like the AR 15 grip; I have used it on several guns now.

Don't ever grow up Marco; it's a trap

Nice work!

Thanks Dan. I saw that right after I posted but did not know how to move it. I'm still getting used to the new format

The game is on. I dove last sunday with local diver Solomon on a number of his favorite spots. Sierra were everywhere, mixed with Pez Gallo, Jack Crevale, Pompano, etc. Later in the day we found hundreds of Pargo Comelon mixed with big roosters and grouper. Even saw a Blue Mariln in 8m of water but passed on the shot with my 115 cm gun and single float

I have only done a little spearing in Cuba, both times off the beach with a borrowed home-made pneumatic gun, but the potential is enormous. The lack of private boats means the local spearfishermen but swim long distances with their catch in sharky waters. For the boat based freediver with modern gear your options are wide open. Large parts of the island are very difficult to access, and many have never been dove.

The island is changing, as more and more people visit it will become easier to get to remote places, but for now at least, Cuba is a fisherman's/divers paradise.

I have commented before about people posting videos from gun mounted cameras. The shaft should never be able to hit your own body. Holding a loaded speargun by the end of the barrel is the same as holding a loaded gun in the same position. A speargun is not a selfie-stick

It sounds like you live in a good place for it!

My point was that math can get you close, but knowing roughly the specific gravity of the blank, you can build the gun you want, and adjust buoyancy to fit the exact properties of your gun.

Every piece of wood is different: That is why specific gravity is generally listed as a range rather than an exact value. Math can give you a good approximation, but perfect weight and, equally important, balance, are best achieved in the water

If you are spearing in Wyoming lakes a short gun, like a 60cm will be more effective than the longer ones as visibility is usually limited in lakes like Boysen, Pathfinder, etc.

I have an AB Biller 54 that started miss-firing repeatedly all of a sudden. After the fifth time the same day I retired the gun. Biller sent me a new mech several months later, but now I don't trust the gun. I have yet to load it since.

Now I build my own guns using METAL parts. No more plastic crap for me.

Check out Spear Shack in Ocean Beach.

After laying out the mech I decided to build the stock up in the mech area, so I cut a 30 degree bevel and epoxied a new piece of Satine in place. The dutchman came out perfectly, and is now a design feature adding contrast to the stock.

I re-routed the mech mortise and extended the grove then finished routing on the stock last night.After mortising in the break-away snubber anchor and line anchor I put a first coat of epoxy on the stock.

After months of waiting I finally ordered the parts to assemble a new 100cm euro gun. I glued up a stock several months ago, but had a router accident (with the stock) while doing the final roundover, so I left it hanging.

The stock makes a dip where the mech sits as the router bit dropped in to the mech mortise and took off two much wood. The mech will sit a little high, but I should still have enough material for the line release mortise. I will shoot it as is for a while, but may glue up a new stock and re-use the parts.

Pictures will follow

I have had a few months to hunt with the gun now. Originally I started with the bands at 300% stretch, but have shortened them till I now have 350%. With three bands and a double wrap the shaft now pulls the breakaway every time, so I will either be using two bands, or adding a wrap.

The gun (115cm) seems to be better suited to light blue water than it is to reef hunting. With that much power it could bang up a shaft pretty easily, and shafts are expensive and hard to get in Mexico.

My next gun will be a 100cm, two band gun for reef use.