A better / stronger shock cord or alternative?

[wiznut]

I went offshore to the rigs to chase AJ a couple weeks ago and shot a fairly nice one. It went one way around a cross member and I went the other to tie it off and finish it. After getting it on the stringer and putting my gun back together, I found a weak link in my setup... the nylon of the shock cord had just about been cut through on the crossmember and the bungie looked like a barracuda used it as a chew toy.

So my question is then.... is there a better shock cord solution for hunting rigs? I've got steel cable shooting line and slip tip, but the shock cord seems like a very weak link compared to the rest of the rigging.

[popgun pete]

Where is the shock cord in your rig? Usually it is the shooting line attachment to the muzzle and that should never touch underwater obstructions. To toughen it up I guess you could put a protective plastic spiral wrap cover over the rubber outer. In-line rigs with the gun tethered to a trailing float line sends the gun on a trip following the fish after it is hit, but I guess you don’t use that around oil rigs as your gun could look a bit worse for wear being dragged around pylons, plus the shooting line would most likely pop, even cable.

[wiznut]

Originally Posted by popgun pete

Where is the shock cord in your rig? Usually it is the shooting line attachment to the muzzle and that should never touch underwater obstructions. To toughen it up I guess you could put a protective plastic spiral wrap cover over the rubber outer. In-line rigs with the gun tethered to a trailing float line sends the gun on a trip following the fish after it is hit, but I guess you don’t use that around oil rigs as your gun could look a bit worse for wear being dragged around pylons, plus the shooting line would most likely pop, even cable.

I've got my gun set up with a riding rig. Shaft->Cable->Shock cord->1/2" rope. That places the shock cord about 4' up from where I'm holding the rope. Was hoping to figure out a way to keep it in the system, but may have to ditch the shock cord all together.

[popgun pete]

Originally Posted by wiznut

I've got my gun set up with a riding rig. Shaft->Cable->Shock cord->1/2" rope. That places the shock cord about 4' up from where I'm holding the rope. Was hoping to figure out a way to keep it in the system, but may have to ditch the shock cord all together.

The purpose of the shock cord is to minimise the acceleration on the line connection to the gun as the fish hits the afterburners, as a super strong jerk can part the line. I remember seeing a gun with a tension spring in the line, the line had a loop that paralleled the coil spring so that when the spring coils were stretched the loop straightened out limiting the stretch so the coils could not over stretch and bust the spring. More of a line tensioner as the tension spring was not that long.

[jfjf]

Originally Posted by popgun pete

The purpose of the shock cord is to minimise the acceleration on the line connection to the gun as the fish hits the afterburners, as a super strong jerk can part the line. I remember seeing a gun with a tension spring in the line, the line had a loop that paralleled the coil spring so that when the spring coils were stretched the loop straightened out limiting the stretch so the coils could not over stretch and bust the spring. More of a line tensioner as the tension spring was not that long.

Wow, I really don't agree with this. A line bungi has only like 5 or 8 lbs of tension from the latex and this elasticity is used primarily to just keep the shooting line taunt on the gun and line release before it is fired. A missed shot or a strong burst from a moderately sized fish is putting much, much more tension than the little bungi can help with?

[popgun pete]

Originally Posted by jfjf

Wow, I really don't agree with this. A line bungi has only like 5 or 8 lbs of tension from the latex and this elasticity is used primarily to just keep the shooting line taunt on the gun and line release before it is fired. A missed shot or a strong burst from a moderately sized fish is putting much, much more tension than the little bungi can help with?

Well they are called "shock" cords. We had them on closed muzzle guns that don't need a line tensioner to hold the spear on the gun. You certainly need one on a closed muzzle gun. The realisation of their function depends on how they are made, some are certainly just a line tensioner with little capacity to do more than hold line against the gun.

[jfjf]

Originally Posted by popgun pete

Well they are called "shock" cords. We had them on closed muzzle guns that don't need a line tensioner to hold the spear on the gun. You certainly need one on a closed muzzle gun. The realisation of their function depends on how they are made, some are certainly just a line tensioner with little capacity to do more than hold line against the gun.

On some guns at least, the trigger tension is a function of the tension on the line release. For this reason, it can be disadvantageous to use a bungi that applies a lot of force to the line release, because it changes the way the trigger feels or when it shoots.

[popgun pete]

I guess you could try a length of JBL Sea Vine which is designed as a stretchy float line. It reminds me of the stuff on Occy straps and has the rubber stretch element inside and a woven sheath outside, the sheath moves like those Chinese finger cuffs you had as a kid in a Christmas stocking containing cheap throwaway toys. I have never used it. How it would stand up to abrasion I don’t know, but may cut up less than rubber where cuts can rapidly grow.

[wiznut]

Originally Posted by popgun pete

I guess you could try a length of JBL Sea Vine which is designed as a stretchy float line. It reminds me of the stuff on Occy straps and has the rubber stretch element inside and a woven sheath outside, the sheath moves like those Chinese finger cuffs you had as a kid in a Christmas stocking containing cheap throwaway toys. I have never used it. How it would stand up to abrasion I don’t know, but may cut up less than rubber where cuts can rapidly grow.

Too bad they're not sold by the foot. That looks like it could be worth trying out.

[popgun pete]

Looks like the original "Sea Vine" has now been replaced by a "Sea Vine II" which has a stretchy extruded polymer sheath and a braided Dacron core thus being more like a traditional float line. The "Occy strap" material version is no longer available. Attached is a photo of both versions.

[MeTo]

I use 400# mono, no shock cord

[wiznut]

Originally Posted by MeTo

I use 400# mono, no shock cord

That wouldn't last long being dragged across oil rigs by big AJ.