inspired bamboo mid handle hole gun

[kdefty]

inspired by the reef geek's bamboo shorty gun, i got a couple strips of a bamboo plank a friend of mine (left over from cabinets).. and it was free! gunna be a 33" mid-handle with a single band, thinking about a partial deep track..

reefgeek, how did your gun end up handling in the water? ballasting necessary for this wood? did it float at all?

any advise would be appreciated

[Sierra Bravo]

sounds like a cool build. from what i remember, rich's bamboo gun sinks like a rock

[thereefgeek]

I ballasted it heavy as an ab marker on the end of a floatline, so it's sinks like a rock. Normally, the bamboo I used would float with out any lead. With the handle so far forward on such a short gun, combined with the amount of power it has makes it a really tricky gun to shoot. It fires o.k. with 1 band, but 2 makes the muzzle jump like crazy. Last season I added another couple ounces of lead up behind the line anchor and it helped considerably. It's still a great gun for poking up into holes and blasting fish at point-blank, but for free-swimming fish near the end of it's range it's a bit harder to deal with. This winter I built a 33" single band rear handle that feels a lot more ballanced. I haven't had a chance to target practice with it, but I think more barrel out in front of the handle is going to help with the jumpy muzzle.

[Ron S]

Originally Posted by thereefgeek

This winter I built a 33" single band rear handle that feels a lot more ballanced. I haven't had a chance to target practice with it, but I think more barrel out in front of the handle is going to help with the jumpy muzzle.

So, you built yourself a C-0??? Sorry brother, just couldn't resist...
Ron.

[thereefgeek]

Originally Posted by Ron S

So, you built yourself a C-0???

Let's hope it's as accurate as my old C-0 was. I should've never sold that gun

[Ron S]

Originally Posted by thereefgeek

Let's hope it's as accurate as my old C-0 was. I should've never sold that gun

I really like my little C-0 and find it plenty accurate, especially with the KJ, 7mm, single flopper shaft I bought. However, it is just a lightweight gun compared to the custom guns you've been building. Therefore, I'm pretty sure your new gun will be at least as accurate, if not more so, than the C-0.
Ron.

[kdefty]

so i got the blank all squared up on the planer, and ran the track..
got all the hardware ordered from neptonics this morning, but still cant decide on a handle design that i like, possibly laminate some bamboo and mahogany..

[thereefgeek]

Post up some pictures of your progress.
As for handles, I'm inclined to keep it simple.
Not sure what size material your using, but if the gunstock is bamboo, then my vote is for bamboo handle scales.
Be sure to use an epoxy coating on the bamboo.
It will swell and de-laminate if you don't.
Good luck, and keep us updated.

[kdefty]

so i'm keepin it real and going with a bamboo handle, just lam'd some pieces up for it an hour ago! hopefully that will keep me busy until the mech and such gets here..

a perfect way too spend a rainy spring break

[kdefty]

some mock up pics
i'm in love with this new auto-reset line release!

["Yard-Sale Josh"]

Crap dude that looks sick.

[kdefty]

got it done just in time for more crappy conditions

[one_drake]

Is that the reverse mech from neptonics? How was the install, pretty easy?

[kdefty]

its just a reef mech with a remote trigger. i am however eager to use a reverse mech soon tho.
the epoxy really changed the appearance of the wood, the stock is carbonized bamboo and the handle is white bamboo.

[thereefgeek]

Looks nice!!

I hope you fastened that handle securely to the gun stock.
The last thing you want is to pull the trigger and have the butt of the gun provide you with some unexpected dental extraction.......