I'm weak as piss but can still load a 1.3 with a short rubber. Practice makes perfect... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yntRCxEWknY

Been diving all my life but only got a RA last year (always used wood guns till then) and it took a bit of getting used to.  As said above it's a lot more about tecknique and practice than strength.

My two pieces of advice would be (1) try swapping hands - it sounds obvious but for ages I was trying to load with my right hand on the butt of the gun (I'm right handed) and couldn't do it very well at all.  Swapped hands and 'tis a piece of cake.  Just try both ways and see what works for you.   and  (2) get the butt as far up on your chest as possible.  If you've got a spearo's wetty with the chest pad it easy (I don't) but otherwise just make sure its up high on your chest (on your sternum).  If the butt ends up in the guts area it makes it really hard to load.

Good luck - I'm sure you'll get it.  I struggled heaps and nearly gave up and just then a big cobia swam my way and 'shabbang!" all loaded and ready to go in about o.ooo1 seconds.  Just needed the right motivation.

Wal

Where do you live as i would agree its lots to do with tecknique would be happy to show you

Also,

Pays to make sure the barrel is vertical on to your body. You want to avoid the barrel pointing downwards relative to your chest, as this increases the risk of it slipping and you will end up with an uppercut from the handle. I also know of one guy who's old RA came apart where the barrel meets the handle while loading, and the barrel punched through his cheek and took some teeth with it. Nasty stuff.

 If you dont have a loading pad whack a thong underneath your wetsuit. Works good!

face ur hands toward urself and force it, makes it easier to hook. aslo strength is a big issue with ra guns.. have u tried loading it underwater? it gets much easier

Yeah, underwater makes a world of difference. Not advisable to load on land anyway.

I load my R/A 1200 off my hip resting the butt on my weight belt. Easy to load.

i used to do spearing a few years back with my work partner , he did a lot of diving in queensland in his younger days and they used to mount a small block of wood or alli across the end of the gun head and you put your feet/ fins on that and pull up the rubber away from your feet, made it very easy when i tried and simply idea, you dont end up with the gun but in your chest whilst loading because your actually in a standing position

I've just bought a woody 1.4 and I can't even reach the rubber with the butt of the gun up in my chest.

Is it really easier underwater? Why?

yep heaps easier underwater, can't explain why but I am sure some gun spearo's on here might explain the mechanics. I have a 1.8 railgun which doesn't budge all that much out of the water but takes 2secs underneath... with right technique of course