Knowledge is Power

It’s not like I’m trying to sway anyone away from Euro style guns, I just want everyone to be aware of all the choices out there to reduce the misinformation, assumptions and the infamous “I should’a, would’a, could’a…if I only knew.” The fun part about my job, being around these toys all the time, is I have the opportunity to play around with dozens of different set-ups for each gun. And believe me when I say, some of my experiments are horrible failures, but sometimes a small modification or even a different way of looking at the same thing we are use to seeing everyday can make all the difference in the world!

Why is it so far fetched to make a Euro style gun out of a Riffe? Because most people think of Riffe when they think of Big Blue Water guns. Think again…

Did you know?

1. Riffe’s comp. 2X and comp. 3X is about the same length of a 100 cm. and 115 cm., respectively, Euro style gun?
2. The comp. series Riffe has an almost circular “round” barrel so maneuverability is very similar to a “pipe” gun?
3. A Riffe 1/4” shaft is the same as a standard Euro 6.5mm shaft?
4. The use of a 1/4” shaft on a Riffe gun will significantly increase the maneuverability of the gun rather than the thicker 9/32 and 5/16 dia. shafts that Riffe guns often times come with?
5. A Riffe shaft is made with Hardened, Stainless, Spring Steel while a Euro shaft can vary from Nickel Plated steel to Hardened Stainless, but never or rarely Spring Steel, due to the lack of “standards” and the manufacturing company they are using in Europe at the time?
6. The Riffe comp. 2X and comp. 3X has an extended but end, which means fast reloading the rubber bands, is much easier?
7. The extended butt end also greatly increases maneuverability due to the increased fulcrum point distance AND reduces inaccuracies caused by recoil when two hands (optional) are applied?
8. The Riffe mechanism is designed to hold upwards of EIGHT (8) 5/8” dia Gorilla Rubber bands (over 960 POUNDS)? Which means, realistically, using two (2) 5/8” bands (equivalent to two (2) 16 mm Euro bands) at approximately 240 pounds, you will essentially NEVER wear out the mechanism and it will pull smoothly, evenly and quietly every time your finger hits the trigger?
9. The typical Euro mechanism lasts approximately two years before it starts firing on its own?
10. An Aluminum barrel, Euro style gun, uses Stainless Steel pins and/or screws which inevitably will cause electrolysis ( similar to rust, it’s the white powder you see around the S.S. pins/screws ). Eventually, electrolysis will weaken the barrel and cause it to bow and to cause the muzzle and/or handle to begin “wobbling” which will further degrade the connection and ability to break or cause inaccuracies or even personal injury?

Now for pricing:

One of the most significant reasons people are attracted to Euro style guns is PRICE! An average Euro 100 cm gun at approx. $170.00, for an Aluminum barrel, when compared to a Riffe of comparable length (100 cm Euro gun = Riffe 50 inch Competitor 2X gun) at approx. $350.00, the Euro guns start looking pretty good even if you’re thinking of “some” upgrades.

HOWEVER:

The first thing a guy wants to do after buying a Euro gun is to put more power on it to “make it shoot better.” Minor upgrade at approx. $10.00 - $12.00.

Another minor upgrade is the addition of a “bungee swivel,” which will allow the line to be unclipped from the gun if it becomes entangled in a rock with a fighting fish. The bungee also allows the line to be kept snug against the gun and for simplicity of winding the cord … at a cost of approx. $20.00.

Second thing to do is to add a poly track, which helps expedite loading and reloading and improves accuracy at a cost of approx. $15.00 - $20.00.

After the metal articulated wishbone accidentally releases enough times, hitting one’s finger and causing a significant gash, one may consider changing to a “line” or “soft” wishbone on the rubber band. But to do this, since the stock shaft has sharp notches cut into the shaft for the wishbone that will instantly cut a line wishbone, you will need to replace the shaft with a “pin” or “tab” style shaft at a cost of approx. $40.00 - $50.00.

Now that you have a tab style shaft you can retie your old metal wishbone rubber bands or purchase new “line style” ones at a cost of approx. $5.00 – $25.00.

Oh wait… To use a “pin” style shaft you will have to purchase an aftermarket “open muzzle” so the pins don’t hit the “closed muzzle” while loading or firing the shaft at a cost of approx. $50.00 - $70.00.

Oh man… Now that one fixed up ones' gun, one may notice the barrel bows slightly due to the strength of the two (2) bands, exerting approx. 240 pounds of slightly diagonally oriented pressure on thin walled Aluminum. Well, you could always get the carbon barrel version Euro gun at an additional cost of approx. $100.00.

So now let’s add up all the modifications and upgrades we did to make a stock Euro gun shoot the way we like it to:

• An average Euro 100 cm gun at approx. $170.00
• To add a poly track at a cost of approx. $15.00 - $20.00
• The addition of a “bungee swivel” at a cost of approx. $20.00
• A “pin” or “tab” style shaft at a cost of approx. $40.00 - $50.00
• New “line style” rubber bands at a cost of approx. $5.00 – $25.00
• An aftermarket “open muzzle” at a cost of approx. $50.00 - $70.00
• Carbon barrel at an additional cost of approx. $100.00

All the above with standard Aluminum barrel:

Best-case cost scenario for the upgrades for you do-it-yourselfers: Total $300.00

Worst-case cost scenario for the upgrades for you with jobs and a family: Total $355.00

All the above with optional Carbon barrel upgrade:

Best-case cost scenario for the upgrades for you do-it-yourselfers: Total $400.00

Worst-case cost scenario for the upgrades for you with jobs and a family: Total $455.00

Remember our original comparison with the Riffe 50 inch Competitor 2X gun at approx. $350.00? Well, the price isn’t starting to look so bad now, especially when you take into consideration that Euro style guns are a bit fragile and should be handled with care not to bang the thin-walled barrel or break the many plastic parts, compared to Riffe’s Laminated Teak wood stock and all hardened stainless parts and accessories. Also, it’s pretty typical that when combined with two (2) 16mm or 5/8 high-grade bands that the trigger mechanisms last about two (2) years before they start firing on their own. Not good! Well, you could always buy an “upgraded Euro mech.” that some Euro companies sell… at another additional cost of approx. $100.00. With your new total you might be able to afford the big Blue Water guns Riffe is famous for.  :)

Contemplate this… To use a scuba mask for freediving isn’t good, but to use a freediving mask for scuba is fine. Well, to use a Riffe Comp. 2X or Comp. 3X with a 1/4 inch (6.5mm) single flopper hardened stainless steel shaft and two (2) 5/8 (16mm) high-grade bands as a Euro style gun is fine, but to use a Euro style gun and load up the power like you “can (but you don’t have to)” on a Riffe, isn’t good.

My point… If you want a Euro gun, keep it cheap and simple. If you want to fix-up your Euro gun to shoot “like a Riffe,” then BUY A RIFFE. To those of you that already have Euro guns than I’ll tell you that all the upgrades are awesome and really make the guns worth using! Really! Please remember, this is only one guys opinion… It’s just something to contemplate.