# .357 bangstick trouble



## caveman168 (Aug 28, 2011)

This is my 4th year hunting gators, and we have always used a pistol. Due to safety reasons we decided to get a bangstick this year. Well I bought the power head and mounted it on a steel nipple on a wood dowel rod and tried it out this afternoon. What happened kinda scares me a little. I shot a piece of 1/2" plywood, (which was my mistake, someone else talked me into it) and the wood shattered (probably just like bone will) and since I was only 6' away the plywood splinters cut me in several places and put whelps on my chest. (Good thing I had my safety glasses on) Another thing I noticed was that the shell casing was busted and the primer had a very deep indention in it where it must have gotten blown back against the firing pin. I have never seen a shell casing bust and this concerns me. I was shooting Hornady personal defense magnum loads. Has anyone had similar results? 
Its pretty ironic that a bang stick is supposed to be so much safer but how can it be when you are standing so much closer. I think GA should definitely make it legal to use rifles after the gator is hooked then we could all carry the 22 mags and be alot safer. Tip for anyone using a bangstick for the first time, wear safety glasses and test it on something soft like a water melon. Good luck to all and be safe out there.


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## REDNECK1 (Aug 28, 2011)

Bangsticks are designed to be fired underwater I don't know if you fired in or out of water for sure. If you did it out of the water you screwed up theater acts as a dampner when fired below the surface. The pressure of a .357 out of the water is like holding it in your hand and hitting it wth a hammer. Did you fire it out of water? They are not designed to be fired out of the water.


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## caveman168 (Aug 28, 2011)

REDNECK1 said:


> Bangsticks are designed to be fired underwater I don't know if you fired in or out of water for sure. If you did it out of the water you screwed up theater acts as a dampner when fired below the surface. The pressure of a .357 out of the water is like holding it in your hand and hitting it wth a hammer. Did you fire it out of water? They are not designed to be fired out of the water.



Heck yeah I fired it out of the water! That would have been good to know! Do you think that is why the casing busted? Ive seen alot of videos with people banging watermelons and also of people banging gators with their heads out of the water. I guess you have to be a little more patient and make sure that a gators head is well under the water.


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## ben300win (Aug 28, 2011)

Would probably use a 38 special for that with a full lead bullet not a hollow pointed bullet as it will expand too quick and maybe not penetrate the skull before it expands. Good luck.


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## frydaddy40 (Aug 28, 2011)

*Bangstick*

Where did you get you power head - bang stick?  Caveman


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## Boar Hog (Aug 28, 2011)

Sounds like the chamber is slightly oversized and allowed the casing to expand beyond it's limit . Also you don't need a hot load to be effective, the expanding gasses kill the gator, the bullet just goes along for the ride. Firing out of the water will throw bone, blood and fragments everywhere. The water also acts as a silencer. Be safe! Good luck!


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## REDNECK1 (Aug 29, 2011)

No if the chamber would have been properly sized it would not have busted the case. I have made some of my own from a .357 to a 12 guage and never have I had a problem and have been using them since the first gator season ever started. As far as videos they are very foolish to be doing that with a bang stick. I have worked with metal all my life and making a bang stick it is something you have to know the dynamics behind it. Handled properly they are the safest way to dispatch a gator. All we need is a bunch of people running around firing rifles off in the middle of the night ricocheting bullets off water.


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## caveman168 (Aug 29, 2011)

frydaddy40 said:


> Where did you get you power head - bang stick?  Caveman



Bangsticks.com
Has anyone ever had trouble with theirs.


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## caveman168 (Aug 29, 2011)

REDNECK1 said:


> No if the chamber would have been properly sized it would not have busted the case. I have made some of my own from a .357 to a 12 guage and never have I had a problem and have been using them since the first gator season ever started. As far as videos they are very foolish to be doing that with a bang stick. I have worked with metal all my life and making a bang stick it is something you have to know the dynamics behind it. Handled properly they are the safest way to dispatch a gator. All we need is a bunch of people running around firing rifles off in the middle of the night ricocheting bullets off water.[/QUOTE
> Well I wasn't exactly talking about shooting from long distances, more like point blank.


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## caveman168 (Aug 29, 2011)

caveman168 said:


> Bangsticks.com
> Has anyone ever had trouble with theirs.



Sorry, this is where I got it from,                                  http://alligator-hunting-equipment.com/products.html


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## REDNECK1 (Aug 29, 2011)

Even at close distance a bullet fired into the water it is unpredictable. The swamp people guys will tell you that one of them caught a ricocheted bullet. Not to mention bone fragments if you miss just by a little bit, most of the time they are not going to sit still for you to shoot them. If you know a good machinist get him to check the dimensions for you the tolerance does not need to be more than .008 for any caliber. when making a bang stick head.


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## frydaddy40 (Aug 29, 2011)

*Bangstick*



caveman168 said:


> REDNECK1 said:
> 
> 
> > No if the chamber would have been properly sized it would not have busted the case. I have made some of my own from a .357 to a 12 guage and never have I had a problem and have been using them since the first gator season ever started. As far as videos they are very foolish to be doing that with a bang stick. I have worked with metal all my life and making a bang stick it is something you have to know the dynamics behind it. Handled properly they are the safest way to dispatch a gator. All we need is a bunch of people running around firing rifles off in the middle of the night ricocheting bullets off water.[/QUOTE
> ...


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## caveman168 (Aug 29, 2011)

REDNECK1 said:


> Even at close distance a bullet fired into the water it is unpredictable. The swamp people guys will tell you that one of them caught a ricocheted bullet. Not to mention bone fragments if you miss just by a little bit, most of the time they are not going to sit still for you to shoot them. If you know a good machinist get him to check the dimensions for you the tolerance does not need to be more than .008 for any caliber. when making a bang stick head.



Yep you are right. I just talked with bud from buds bangsticks and he told me to check the dimensions. He said that the front end should not be bigger than the back end and that they shoot for a 2% taper. Of course the buisness end should measure .357". I'll check it with a set of calipers. He also told me that he has seen a shell casing bust before but it is uncommon, and yes, a bangstick is designed to be shot underwater according to Bud. I will be extra careful to always push their heads underwater with a pole before shooting. We'll see how well it works, I may end up selling this thing after the season is over.


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## caveman168 (Aug 29, 2011)

frydaddy40 said:


> caveman168 said:
> 
> 
> > Well you may not but some people would.   I also don't
> ...


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## frydaddy40 (Aug 29, 2011)

So far in testing, it works very well. We have tested in and out of 
 water on wooden and heavy rubber targets. It has penetrated everything we shot with it.  In the water there is very little sound,
 great on ears.  It is custom made from stainless steel, with a
 8' handle.


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## REDNECK1 (Aug 31, 2011)

If I were you I would find a welder and a piece of stainless preferably 17-7 or 321 series tubing 7ft long machine a plug to fit inside stainless tubing a couple of inches thead the center to the threads of the powerhead and tig weld the plug in the 1" stainless tubing and that should do it. Don't trust wood dowels I recommend cold steel.


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## Drexal (Sep 7, 2011)

Use blanks.


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## gatorstick (Sep 12, 2011)

As said before, they are made for UNDERWATER USE ONLY! When properly used, they are the best, quietest & safest method to kill a gator.
 Also, never bang a thrashing gator. Tire him to the point he stops thrashing (don't tie him to the boat-bad thing to do) then load the stick & drop him underwater.
 As any tool, when not used properly, less than good things can happen.

Bang Stick Tips

* You can never be too careful with them. This is the most dangerous part of the harvest. Misuse may cause injury or           death!
* Never fire above the water! It will damage your eardrums and could send bone fragments flying! Let him tire, bring  him up, get a good look at his lay out, pick your spot behind the head and drop him down under 8" of water. When you hit him, HIT HIM HARD as he’s going down!
* Never load a bang stick until you are ready to use it. Once loaded, always keep it pointed over the side. If you don’t immediately fire it, unload it!
* Never bang a big gator on the head. A .44 mag. won’t penetrate the top of a 10' gator, but it will spray lead & bone.
* Remington brass shells seem to work the best in bangsticks. Keep a screw driver handy in case a shell lodges in the barrel or use your harpoon driver.
* It’s a good idea to tie a lanyard onto your stick. Drill a hole about 8" to 12" from the end of the stick and attach about 
   16” to 18”of line. Put your hand through the loop when you grab the stick for use.
Attach power head kit to 5' – 6’ of 1-1/4" or 1-1/2" wood dowel. The Home Depot stocks this item. Drop pipe, cap & power head snugly against the dowel. Secure with the two enclosed wood screws. After each use, inspect wood screws, cap and mounting nuts for firmness.
 With a 5' – 6’ dowel handle, the stick should float with the end about 4" out of the water. Remember each dowel is different, so confirm its float-ability before use. Attaching a length of foam pool noodle (Walmart) will assist in floatation. Tape the noodle onto your pole.
 * Silicone spray will help keep the barrel sliding smoothly in the base.


            ******Never fire Bang stick ABOVE WATER!*******


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## caveman168 (Sep 12, 2011)

gatorstick said:


> As said before, they are made for UNDERWATER USE ONLY! When properly used, they are the best, quietest & safest method to kill a gator.
> Also, never bang a thrashing gator. Tire him to the point he stops thrashing (don't tie him to the boat-bad thing to do) then load the stick & drop him underwater.
> As any tool, when not used properly, less than good things can happen.
> 
> ...



Well said! I learned my lesson about firing it out of the water. I think I'm sold on it now that I have tested it underwater. Still haven't banged a gator with it yet, but were goin after him again for the third time next weekend. He has tasted the harpoon (didn't penetrate), the crossbow (wrapped around a log and pulled out), and two treble hooks (broke the line twice by running to the nearest log jam). But he will taste the bangstick SOON!


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