sharpshooter shaft for pechauer

[guest]

hello, i own a pechauer jp05 cue that i have been playing with for several months now. It has been playing very well but i just can't get comfortable with it. The butt of the cue is lovely so i'd rather not scrap it entirely. I have played the 314 and was not a big fan, but have heard some very good things about the "sharpshooter" shaft from american cowboy billiards. has anyone played, or heard anything about this one? thanks.

[DEATHTRON]

Dags_Lax has had a sharshooter shaft...he too liked it more than the 314 but perfered the pedator Z-shaft to the sharpshooter shaft. Im sure he will chime in later tonight when he reads this....

Zach

[LWW]

I would like to know about that as well.

LWW

[dags_lax]

In over 25 years of league play I had my best season ever last year using a Sharpshooter.

If you are like me and feel more confident that the cue ball is going to end up where you intended when using a stiff shaft then the Sharpshooter could very well be the shaft for you.

The Z shaft is another option. Even with a small tip the strong taper gives it a hit that is much stiffer than the 314 shaft. I just got a Z shaft two months ago and so far am favorably impressed. But I have just been banging the balls around and shooting practice drills at home. I'll let you know how it stacks up against the Sharpshooter when I see how the Z shaft works for me after a season of league and tournament play.

(I have a Kamui tip on both shafts)

[LWW]

dags lax, in your opinion what is it in the design of the sharpshooter which lowers it's deflection in comparison with other shafts?

I find the 314 more accurate than the Viking shaft I used before but I've liked the "feel" as well.

At least with the 314 I can follow how the deflection is lowered but with the SS I don't get it.

Not trying saying it isn't, just trying to figure why it is?

Your input on the issue is appreciated.

LWW

[guest]

thanks for the replies. did you opt for the pro or euro taper? does the laminated shaft feel like the cuetec sst tru-glide shafts? I am more inclined to go with the euro taper because that is the style that i grew up playing with, but the pro taper seems a more common choice among players today... why is that?

[dags_lax]

what is it in the design of the sharpshooter which lowers it's deflection in comparison with other shafts?

I'm not sure that it does lower deflection.

My thoughts on deflection: Predator shafts do not eliminate deflection. One website that has been referenced in this forum has tested the 314 and Z shafts against other stock shafts. And while the following numbers may not be exact they are representative. In there test the 314 shaft deflects 1.25" verses 1.5" for some other cues. So adjustments still need to be made for deflection even with the 314 shaft. Now don't get me wrong, the less you have to adjust for the better. In the case of the 314 and other low deflection shafts I don't think a design that marginally reduces deflection at the expense of a stiffer shaft is a good trade off. But that is just my opinion and I could be wrong.

I have had players tell me that a shooter may accidentally get more english than intended but because of reduced deflection they will still be within the margin of error and pocket the shot while that may not be the case with a different shaft. And they are absolutely right.

But with a stiffer shaft and slight miss hit you are more likely to be within the margin of error when it comes to speed on the cue ball. And for me that is the trade off that I am unwilling to make.

The thing that has intrigued me about the Z shaft since it came out was the strong taper that should give a stiff hit even with the smaller tip. When the Z shaft became available as a partial I decided to get one even though I had never tried one before.

Time will tell if the Z shaft with Predator's technology, while not a stiff as other shafts I have, will work for me.

[Cecil B.]

First off, when comparing, do the shafts have the same tips? The Pechauers come with (I believe) LePros, unless you spec something else and the Sharpshooters with Hercules mediums (laminated).

I have a P10 and love it. I was unsure of the taper (proprietary) that came with it. Sort of a Euro taper with a 13mm tip, and I wanted a smaller (diameter) shaft. So I bought a SS, 12.5mm, with a parabolic (modified pro) taper.

It's nice and slender way back, and very precise. I think the hit is stiffer in spite of it being smaller in diameter, and I think it is because the laminations of the shaft make it stronger, much the same as plywood (not particle board but real ply) is stronger than a plank. I also think the tip is harder.

I think a shooter could use either one and be very successful. One is smooth and creamy and the other has a bite to it. Isn't it great to have choices. I still use both, but when I get serious, I use the SS.