Clam guns

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I got the razor clam thing down pretty good.
Usually leave the beach with my limit before I forget where I parked.
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But my old clam gun is rusting out.
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I thought it was getting sharper, but seeing how easy some people pull them with those fancy long tubes, and vents on the side, I am thinking about buying one.
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Are they worth the money?
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My style goes for less than $40.
The next one is like mine, but has a "vent" on the side.
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$70...
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The next one is $140, and is supposed to be an awesome tool.
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But I see screws, seams, and other design flaws (IMHO) that seem like they would fail.
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Anybody have an opinion on the best razor clam gun?
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Or, should I just use a shovel?
 

[trophyhunt]

Curious what people say on those fancy ones, last time we dug we went to the green lantern pub and there was a guy selling them in the parking lot. Can’t remember the price but don’t recall them being over $100. Going digging late feb.

[Mtnwalker]

I was always a shovel only guy but the wife likes a gun, we used to use the cheap pvc guns. After getting a Clamhawk for the wife, the shovel almost seems silly. The difference is incredible

[branches]

My family and I went on Saturday and My oldest daughter and I used a shovel and my other daughter and her husband used a gun. The gun out did the shovel 10 to 1. I broke my shovel handle after the second clam. After walking the dogs and watching everybody get clams it looked like the clam guns that had a outside vent were working best. Yes I know that some people like a shovel and also some people like this brand of gun over another. We are going to order a Murffs  Claminator. When watching people use this gun it looked like it was better to use.
We all got our limits but we ended up using the clam guns to get them.

[KNOPHISH]

The cheap ones work fine but the clam hawgs are easier on an old back. 

[Bullkllr]

I actually prefer a shovel. The shovel I use was my uncle's and is older than me; it has that special razor-clam curve to the blade. Part of it is the nostalgia, part is what I'm used to, and part of it is feeling more "one with the clam". And when the clams aren't too deep I'd say more efficient.

[branches]

Yes, We want to use a shovel but we must need more practice and time on the beach with it. I am looking for some sort of new handle for the one I broke and will use it next month. I do know a shorter handle is better than a longer one.

[Stein]

The cheap ones work fine but the clam hawgs are easier on an old back. 

 

If you are going to do it for years, it will pay itself back time and time again.  I'm using the Danielson ones, the aluminum ones with vent are pretty decent, but I think they have gone up in price.  I have a steel one, son has the alum and his is 10x easier to push and pull.  Some day I'll pick up the hawg and be done with it.

[Jpmiller]

I bought one of the expensive claminator guns and I don't really care for it. The barrel is pretty short on it and I find myself really stopping to get it sunk down all the way. They've got some longer ones but if I was going to buy another I'd go with one of the models that's all barrel all the way up to the handle. The vent does seem to be pretty slick though.

[baldopepper]

True story. Had a cousin transferred to Seattlesome years ago asked some friends about fun things to do here. Was told he should try clamming and a friend told him to go to Big 5 and get a clam gun and he'd take him. So he went to a Big 5 and as he entered a clerk asked if he could help. Cousin told him he wanted a clamm gun and was told no problem, did he need anything else. In complete innocence he replied that probably should also get a box of shells for it.  We teased him about that for years, and he took it well as he said it was worth it to see the look on the clerks face.

[branches]

It was fun to walk around wand watch all the people getting clams and how they were getting them. I guess 90% were using some sort of clam gun. It just seemed to me that the Claminator  was not as hard to pull out of the hole as some of the others.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

I can tell you the main flaw in the Clam Hawks and Clam Hogs. It's the PVC handles.  My digging partner has one and the handle came loose where it fits through the fitting that connects to the metal part of the gun. This causes the gun to lose it's suction as it allows air to enter the tube. He repaired it with silicone but it just came loose again on yesterday's dig.  Recently both of my brothers also got either Clam Hogs or Clam Hawks and the are running into the same problem.

For the kind of money they charge for those things, they really need to make the whole thing out of metal instead of going cheap on the handles.  I use an aluminum gun that a friend welded a tube to for me when I use a gun.

I have a stainless long handled shovel from Astoria Prop many years ago that I prefer. It's faster to dig with and I rarely crack a shell with it. But in the winter when it's really cold, it's nice to use the gun and not get cold, wet hands. With the gun I can wear insulated gloves and keep my hands warm and dry. And with a 15 clam limit, there is no need to be fast to get your limit.

[JKEEN33]

Get the one from the guy at the green lantern!! I still have my shovel I bought for 3.00 50 years ago. Use to love it until my hands started hurting being in the cold sand. Hated the guns until I bought one of his about 8 years ago. I don’t think I ever bust a clam with it. Easy to push an pull. Everyone who tried mine stops and gets one. Friend bought one two weeks ago. I think they are 120 now. All aluminum. When I bought mine he said if I ever have an issue he would change it out. No issues yet! Great gun and a really nice guy. He’s been building them and selling theme there for a lot of years.

[branches]

Send me or post a picture of the clam gun. That place was very busy Saturday. We did not stop in.

[GWP]

Got an old aluminum one with no side vent. That one is for people to borrow. Got a clamhawk and will be getting another. Vent on the side works good!

[NRA4LIFE]

We haven't left the beach without limits for 15+ years with a variety of guns or shovels.  I have only bought one gun for more than about $20, an aluminum one for my wife 10 years ago or more.  Our first ones were homemade out of PVC. I have an old steel gun I have been using for many years.  I have several nicknames for the old boy.

[fowl smacker]

I finally broke down a few years ago and bought the Murfs Claminator.  My only regret is not doing it sooner.  It is so much easier, my 2 girls can even pull it out of the sand without problems.   My only small complaint is the tube seems short.....but, I always get a clam when I pull it up, so apparently it's long enough.

[trophyhunt]

Just remember, if you hear a crunch going down, take your thumb off the hole and move to the next one! lol

[Parasite]

Bought me a Murffs Claminator when I first moved here about 3 years ago. Love it except the stainless steel walls tend to bend easily if you bang stuff around. If you take care of your equipment, then no issue.

[Magnum_Willys]

Just remember, if you hear a crunch going down, take your thumb off the hole and move to the next one! lol

....you don't cover the hole going down of course...... 

[2MANY]

Just porked out on fresh clams last night. Yum!

You want a thin stainless tube with a full length vent tub on the out side.
All joints in the beast need to be sealed well.
Match that with a good tapping stick and your off to the races.

Good luck.

[Bullkllr]

Looking at some of those guns' prices makes me wish I would have invested in on the ground floor. Not saying they might not be worth it, but...wow. At bit surprising.

[GWP]

Just porked out on fresh clams last night. Yum!

You want a thin stainless tube with a full length vent tub on the out side.
All joints in the beast need to be sealed well.
Match that with a good tapping stick and your off to the races.

Good luck.

I put my thumb over the hole and hit the sand with it. Works good.

[trophyhunt]

Just porked out on fresh clams last night. Yum!

You want a thin stainless tube with a full length vent tub on the out side.
All joints in the beast need to be sealed well.
Match that with a good tapping stick and your off to the races.

Good luck.

I put my thumb over the hole and hit the sand with it. Works good.

same

[2MANY]

What you will find is it will bullnose the ends of the thin sheet metal guns if you keep doing that technique.
Then they no longer cut the sand like butter.
I pealed the vent right off the bottom of one of mine.
Been there.

Obviously if you are using a thick wall model it's a non issue.

[GWP]

Good to know! Thanks!

[CaNINE]

I finally broke down a few years ago and bought the Murfs Claminator.  My only regret is not doing it sooner.  It is so much easier, my 2 girls can even pull it out of the sand without problems.   My only small complaint is the tube seems short.....but, I always get a clam when I pull it up, so apparently it's long enough.

Same here. Bought a murff unit this year. So easy we were laughing the first time we tried it. Should have bought in years ago. No more sore backs for me.