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Old 12-17-2013, 08:09 PM   #1
Amazz
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Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

Every time I go into Florida Freedivers I check out the Koah Euro they have on display. Beautiful gun. I currently shoot with a Riffe Standard #2 and considering a change. What I like about Koah is that I can load it without a rest tab. I'm a girl and small and just don't have a lot of reach.

Riffe euro vs. Koah euro vs. keeping my standard #2, which kills fish. Suggestions? Price doesn't matter. They aren't that far apart.
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Old 12-17-2013, 09:36 PM   #2
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

chad palan recently got a custom koah euro and couldn't be happier with his. I shot it a couple times, shoots like a charm! his first shot of the day was on cobias. I say cobias because he lined up two in one shot! got them both to the surface but the smaller one tore off. it wont be long before I order mine and will most likely leave my rob allens in the closet from then on.
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Old 12-17-2013, 09:44 PM   #3
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

I'm biased, I own a Koah. I will tell you this though. I bought a 50" mid-handle for multiple reasons, I usually dive in low viz situations so I wanted something smaller that, had great power, handle placement for getting into tight hole positions. Also something that I could use in clear water and have some good distance etc. I'm used to shooting a standard gun and after using the mid-handle for maybe 10 trips I determined that I suck at shooting it. It felt uncomfortable, little arms made the gun feel to close to my face and I really didn't like it. It was extremely accurate and way to easy to load. I was very impressed with the gun and really wanted to keep it and get used to shooting a mid-handle. Anyway, I called John (owner of Koah), told him my issues and he said ok send it in I'll give you a credit on your gun, we'll swap out for a standard, and that should fix your problem.

I bought a Koah because I like John. When I call him he calls me back. He doesn't try to sell me anything or talk me into buying what he thinks I need. He doesn't act like I'm a pain in the ass when I call him and ask a million questions. When I told him I wanted a mid-handle he told me that its a different beast and it'll take time to get used to and if I didn't like it I could trade out for a standard.

I don't think that if I bought a 50' mid-handle riffe, and used it on ten trips that they would let me trade it in.

That's why I use a Koah and will continue to buy Koah for the rest of my life.
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Old 12-17-2013, 10:22 PM   #4
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

ive seen and shot some new koahs, don't konw if the same one you are referring to....it was a 130cm fully enclosed track rearhandle wooden gun, much better than a riffe euro by far.
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Old 12-17-2013, 10:46 PM   #5
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

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Originally Posted by TheMackDaddy View Post
ive seen and shot some new koahs, don't konw if the same one you are referring to....it was a 130cm fully enclosed track rearhandle wooden gun, much better than a riffe euro by far.
What attributes made it better? I am curios.
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Old 12-17-2013, 10:51 PM   #6
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

I too have a Koah 58 euro speargun. I use it often down in the keys and is one of my favorite guns. Its a very versatile gun, and will work for shallow or deep water. I use it in 4 feet of water in 400 feet, and will without hesitation. I have mine coupled with a Tuna Merou Reel(nautilus spearfishing) and have turned this gun into an absolute killing machine. The range, the power, the tracking, and the stopping force this gun has is great. Plus you really cannot beat the price. I was considering a Riffe Euro as my bigger gun and decided that i didnt want an off the shelf gun, and that a custom gun wasnt THAT much more expensive...it was nice to be able to put the small deposit down and then pay the last chunk off when the gun was complete. I use it for both freediving and scuba.

John is a great craftsman and has been making koahs for a long time now. He recently stepped up his business and volume by moving into a larger warehouse and adding a second craftsman that has been woodworking for over 30 years. I got to meet him at the bluewild convention, great people. Just recently they both put their brains together and tweaked a few aspects of the gun and started working with different woods and adding new muzzle profiles and shapes to the overall gun, new wooden handle, and much more. Another very notable characteristic is the new 3 part epoxy that he uses now. His older epoxy was nice, but this new coating he has is literally one of the clearest, flattest, most absolute perfect finish you laid eyes on(next to herranens of course).

While i do love my Koah and would recommend it to just about anyone. You should make sure that what you get will not only fit your specific needs but a gun that can also do a little more. If that is a Koah, then great. If its not a Koah, then great...however, definitely keep it in mind. A 3 banded gun will allow you to reach out and touch a fish, but also let you get into a hole and not worry about ruining the tune on your flopper or killing the edge on your spear. Also the environment that you will shooting in will determine the length. There are TONS of people killing fish with their 52 backs and just as many doing with their longer 65 inch guns, so be sure to keep that in mind. If you have questions or things you want to know about, call john up and speak with him directly. You can also email him and he will usually answer the same day or the next.

That small grouper in my avatar was taken just recently with a Koah.

Last edited by kwtony; 12-18-2013 at 01:00 AM. Reason: tittysprinkles
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Old 12-24-2013, 12:30 PM   #7
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Joke's on me, new owner of a Koah Euro +

I didn't know why it was such an emergency for Chuck to go to John's workshop on Christmas Eve to replace the bands he bought that were too short. I offered to go along because I wanted to see the wood varieties for my upcoming Koah purchase. John handed me a 110 Euro and said see how this feels. I'm shipping it out for a girl about your size. I played with it for about 20 minutes, loading it a couple of times...happy that this gun wouldn't require a rest tab. Chuck said we better get going. I placed the gun back on the table and turned toward the door. Chuck then told me, take that with you. It's yours. I about melted. This entire time my Christmas/Anniversary present was in the Koah workshop being crafted. I spoke to John at two holiday parties about options and him telling me that the earliest he could make me a gun was March. Funny!
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Old 12-24-2013, 01:05 PM   #8
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

Thats one hell of a Christmas gift, no doubt you will kill a lot of fish with it!!
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Old 12-24-2013, 01:13 PM   #9
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

Love my Koah You are going to love it too I am sure. Congradulations
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Old 12-24-2013, 04:41 PM   #10
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

Love my "fairly" new KOAH! And John is the bomb! I like the way he custom designs a gun to your specific needs, and the fact that he's a perfectionist. He took my new gun down to test drive it, it had a slight crack, so he re built another gun for me.
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Old 12-24-2013, 08:08 PM   #11
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

I bought a Bluewater Koah from John a few years back.

Couldn't be more pleased with the gun. Excellent craftsmanship, balance and a straight shooter. Not shot many others to compare it too, but it was my choice when I was digging thru different manufacturer's available.

I'm sure the newer models are even better.

I did spot these guns after I bought, and would have considered one of them.

www.herranenspearguns.com

Phil looks be on his game as well. Just food for thought.
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Old 12-24-2013, 08:26 PM   #12
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

I own a Koah Euro 130mm and I love it! I'm not discrediting Riffe but I like the fact that bought from a local builder, a true artisan. The gun is solid, beautifully built and fires like a cannon. There is no dialing in these guns.... they are amazing.

Also, John is a stand up guy that will always stand behind his product. I'm glad I was able to spend my money with him. No regrets.

Peace, Errol
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Old 12-26-2013, 09:59 AM   #13
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Linghunt View Post
I bought a Bluewater Koah from John a few years back.

Couldn't be more pleased with the gun. Excellent craftsmanship, balance and a straight shooter. Not shot many others to compare it too, but it was my choice when I was digging thru different manufacturer's available.

I'm sure the newer models are even better.

I did spot these guns after I bought, and would have considered one of them.

www.herranenspearguns.com

Phil looks be on his game as well. Just food for thought.
These are bad ass guns , another level.
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Old 12-26-2013, 11:18 PM   #14
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

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Originally Posted by TheMackDaddy View Post
ive seen and shot some new koahs, don't konw if the same one you are referring to....it was a 130cm fully enclosed track rearhandle wooden gun, much better than a riffe euro by far.
Hmm, I don't know if I agree with that, bro. I think Alfredo's Koah is a great gun, but "much better than a rife euro by far" I'm not sure about that. I think it is a bit of step up as far as quality goes. It is definitely a more attractive gun (as a custom build should be). The big thing to me is the enclosed track, this is definitely something that sets it apart. The ability to put three 5/8 bands on a 130 euro style wood gun is a great characteristic. Having said all that I still think the Riffe euro is a great gun. It's not as pretty, maybe not the same quality as the Koah and definitely not as powerful but it is still a very capable and very reliable gun. I love my Riffe euro 120. I think it is one of the best reef guns out there.
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Old 12-26-2013, 11:57 PM   #15
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Re: Koah Euro gun, anybody tried it?

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Originally Posted by Apneaphile View Post
Hmm, I don't know if I agree with that, bro. I think Alfredo's Koah is a great gun, but "much better than a rife euro by far" I'm not sure about that. I think it is a bit of step up as far as quality goes. It is definitely a more attractive gun (as a custom build should be). The big thing to me is the enclosed track, this is definitely something that sets it apart. The ability to put three 5/8 bands on a 130 euro style wood gun is a great characteristic. Having said all that I still think the Riffe euro is a great gun. It's not as pretty, maybe not the same quality as the Koah and definitely not as powerful but it is still a very capable and very reliable gun. I love my Riffe euro 120. I think it is one of the best reef guns out there.
If the Riffe Euro didn't have such a small handle, it would be a much better gun in my opinion. Too hard to swing side to side comfortably because your pinky hangs off the bottom edge of the handle, giving you little leverage. Also, it shoots low, not sure why. I tried many different band setups with the stock shaft and it shot low every time. Approximately 6 inches low at 15 feet. This was a Riffe Euro 130 by the way which I expected to shoot accurately at that distance. I gave it to my brother about two years ago and he's been using it in California. It's his only gun so he either compensates by shooting high or aims differently. Either way, he's killed a mess of fish with it. Basically what I'm saying is some people love it, some don't. In the right hands, it kills fish.
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