# "railguns" ?



## below me (Jan 13, 2012)

browsing crigslist, i found a spekter railgun for sale locally. it got me thinking...most people i talk to around here use wood RIFFE/JBL/BILLER's and some use metal JBL/BILLER's.

how come you don't see many "railguns" like spekter, cressi, mares, etc? what purpose do they serve? ...and how the heck do you load them?...my only experience with spearguns has been with wood guns that you prop against yourself to pull the bands


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

Generally the railguns are considered too light duty for our local area. They are very accurate and fast, but the shafts are usually considered too thin to hold up to the larger snapper, grouper, cobia, and AJ's that we shoot here. Most serious spear fishermen would wind up with a pretzel pretty quickly.

The rail guns are designed to be "chest loaded", european style.


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## below me (Jan 13, 2012)

thanks for the reply. they do look pretty flimsy. i was just wondering since i never see them around this area.


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

Hammerhead spearguns has released a railgun that has an extended butt which allows for hip loading, which makes it much more suitable for most folks around here. It's still a little on the light side, but it's well made and a great deal for around $150 or less.


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## skram (Dec 25, 2007)

Made the switch from biller to rob Allen and then to Aimrite carbon/kevlar rail guns. I'll never go back to anything else. Streamline, eAsy to swing, plenty of power, not noisy. I love rail guns and it's Hard to convince other people, but once they fire a real, (non jbl) rail gun they never go back. Definitely look into rob Allen or Aimrite, I've heard good things about the newer makos too. Never had one feel flimsy, but they make the carbons which are solid as a rock and ultra light. Thin shaft = speed. Tons of people take down large tunas/billfish with 7 1/2mm shafts


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## below me (Jan 13, 2012)

interesting. maybe i'll find a steal on one one day or dive with someone who has one. thanks for the input, yall.


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## toobad4u (Feb 13, 2012)

I am using a Mako rail gun, and love it. It is inexpensive, easy to load, and shoots plenty of big enough fish in the waters here in Panama City.
Check out Mako guns if you are interested in a great quality gun at an even better price. Besides, their warranty is the best in the business.

Stephen


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## NHManontheMountain (Aug 1, 2011)

Mako makes a package for $300 that involves a float line, reel and shaft. Great deal, not a railgun. as stated rails can be just too small for this area


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## El Kabong (May 9, 2012)

Evensplit said:


> Generally the railguns are considered too light duty for our local area. They are very accurate and fast, but the shafts are usually considered too thin to hold up to the larger snapper, grouper, cobia, and AJ's that we shoot here. Most serious spear fishermen would wind up with a pretzel pretty quickly.


I respectfully disagree, as do the 50+pound amberjacks I've skewered with my Mako Oceanic. My shaft usually goes completely through snapper under 12-13 pounds if I'm double banded.

The real reason people don't like railguns is because they're hard to wrap/reload, and it's harder to pull the bands back. Like ridiculously harder than a wood gun. Once you flatten out the learning curve, it's a different story, but it takes patience to get to a point that you can easily load a railgun. Having a mentor would probably help, but I had to rely on my own hardheadedness, and some trial, and a whole lot of error.


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## below me (Jan 13, 2012)

lol interesting. maybe i'll try one out one day.


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## toobad4u (Feb 13, 2012)

I agree, my Mako rail gun has plenty of power for any fish around here. My dive partner and I both shoot Mako guns and haven't ran into any fish we were scared to shoot because of the gun. 30-40lb AJs, 65lb cobia, and a ton of snapper and grouper. We use a closed muzzle railgun which is easier to wrap the line on than an open muzzle. Both muzzles are easy once you do it a few times. 
We aren't close enough to the blue water and all the pelagics, so I don't see a need for a bigger/ more expensive gun. 

Stephen


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## Paolo (Jul 15, 2011)

I have a cressi geronimo pro 95 and it has surprised me once again. I went diving 2 days a few weeks ago and dove the allen. I shot two nice sized AJs. I must admit, i lost them both, but not because of the gun. It was my first time shooting big fish like that, and i was hesitant because of my shafts, more then of the gun power. And in fact, the gun is more then plenty powerful for even big AJs, but i would recommend a slip tip, to take away the stress off of the shafts. My shaft is only 6.5mm thick, and bent on the first shot because i horsed him too much. A friend of mine was luckily able to bend it back so you couldn't tell there had een been a bent in it. The second fish ripped off, disregarding a good shot placement. Anyways, i love cressi, it's a great brand and i've never had any problems at all with my guns or gear. In my opinion, people in the GoM just like to have an overkill gun and are used to the big wood guns. Next time i go shoot some AJs i'll def bring a bigger shaft and a slip tip. I'm sure i would have landed both if had a slip tip.
Just my 2cents


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## ocddeerhunter (Jul 25, 2012)

*chest loading is harder but worth it*

I've got a rob allen and a mako I even chest load my riffe (metal tech 3 with enclosed track ) I cut 2 office depot neoprene mouse pads in half and stack them then stuff them in wetsuit right on top of chest area where I load.to load you hold wishbone in left hand then push handle till you can get the gun butt on chest then cock with both hands then do other band .check Mako's site they list 3 different band lengths for each size gun I'm using the med size and it has way more power than any biller or jbl .the shafts are a little thinner but I've never bent one when the gun is so accurate that the fish is dead when hit it wont get bent .but the main reason I switched to euro style guns is how your shooting LINE attachs to shaft. billers and jbl have a slide ring that slide down the shaft a slammes into a stop as you fire that is noisey and has fish move just a little before the shaft gets to it(ginda like a deer jumping before the arrow gets to him)but the main advantage is the line is connected to a crossed drilled hole at the very end of the shaft so if you shoot under a ledge or in a wreck you have a better chance of pulling the shaft back to you without the shaft getting hung up in rock or wreck .also euro shafts are not stainless so you can glue a magnet to tip of muzzel to hold shaft while you free shaft .and the shafts are CHEAPER.


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## Baker8425 (Jul 2, 2012)

I've got a Cressi railgun I picked up in Guam. Used it on large snapper and 15-25lb grouper with no problems. Havent used it in in the gulf of mexico yet... Been using a JBL magnum for years, no problems with it other than getting drug around by AJ's bigger than me...


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## ocddeerhunter (Jul 25, 2012)

Stay safe Baker.Hope you get to come home soon.THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!!!!!!


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## Baker8425 (Jul 2, 2012)

thanks OCDDeerhunter! the finish line is coming quickly! Get home then pack out and head to Milton. get to tro turn in the Colt M4 and get the JBL and stick some fish and maybe find a decent place to find a decent buck!:thumbup:
Once I get out that way I'll be looking for people to Dive and spearhunt with. the old lady said no to getting her SCUBA quall...


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## sloticus (Sep 23, 2010)

*Rail gun shafts*

Mako makes its shafts out of carbon steel, which is supposed to be significantly stronger than Stainless. They require a little more maintenance than stainless but I think the extra strength is worth it. The coating on the steel wears off the tip and needs to be oiled to prevent rust, but it's not a big deal.


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## El Kabong (May 9, 2012)

sloticus said:


> Mako makes its shafts out of carbon steel, which is supposed to be significantly stronger than Stainless. They require a little more maintenance than stainless but I think the extra strength is worth it. The coating on the steel wears off the tip and needs to be oiled to prevent rust, but it's not a big deal.


I've taken 50-80lb amberjacks with my Mako and never bent a shaft (I was sweatin' a bit with that 80 though  ).

I've also noticed light surface rust at the tip, which simply reminds me that it's time to run it across the sharpening wheel. I like to keep a mirror polish and a razor's edge on it :thumbup:


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