predator 314,314 cat,314-2,314-3?????????

ronfor0603

Registered
Hello all pool friends.
i have just started to play with 314 shafts. I have a 314 cat and a 314-2 shaft both shaft have a 12,75 mm tip.
I have always played with regular mapel shaft and my question is.
What difference is it between the first 314 shaft to the latest 314 shaft?
Please let me know your experience with these shafts.
My own reflection is that i think the 314 cat have a little bit more deflection then the 314-2 shaft and does not feel as "dead" as the 314-2 can feel. But that is my personally thoughts about these shafts. I am very interested in the other 314 shaft that predator makes. My dream shaft would be a shaft that feels like a regular mapel shaft, but behaves like a LD shaft, is there any shaft that could live up to that???

Please explain why you prefer the 314 shaft you play today.

I know that my is English is not the best in the world, so please respect any typos 😂
Regards / Ronnie
 

KJ Cues

Pro Cue Builder & Repair
Silver Member
Hello all pool friends.

Please explain why you prefer the 314 shaft you play today.

Regards / Ronnie

Greetings Sir,

And welcome to the forum. Your English is easy to understand, not to worry.
You may have hit the jackpot right out of the box.
I have built several thousand Predator shafts for every make and description of cue.
I do the custom work for the largest Predator dealer in the world; Seyberts.
I have been with them since Jan. 2001. I enjoy my work.
But you want to know about Predator shafts.
It's my experienced opinion that the Predator 314 shaft is the greatest advancement
in billiard equipment technology since the leather tip. That's my honest opinion.

I agree with you in that the Gen-2 has slightly less deflection than the Gen-1 and that
it has a slightly different feel. The shaft itself is basically the same as the Gen-1
with a couple of differences. A smaller and lighter ferrule yields lower deflection
and the greater use of phenolic at the joint-end both contribute to a different feel.

You have chosen wisely. Many have tried to copy Predator. None have quite gotten there.

KJ
 

ronfor0603

Registered
Well I have only tried predator shafts so I can not speak of any other . I have been reading a lot of of different reviews in the cue and shafts section, and many prefer either predator, OB, Jacoby or some custom made by a cue maker. It's quite difficult when you don't have a store where you can try out many different shafts, so I have to go with my gut feeling.
It doesn't have to be a 314 shaft that I will buy to another cue that I have (how has a Radial pin)
I just want a LD shaft that can be as close to a regular mapel shaft when it comes to the feeling, but behave like a Predator 314 shaft, or a any other manufacturer for that reason.

I think after reading many reviews that a OB+Classic can be a good choice next time....... Maybe?
/Ronnie
 

shouse10

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've played with all versions of the 314 shaft. Always told folks the newer ones seem to have a dead spot type of hit to them. Some folks that have only started playing with the 2nd gen up have called me nuts until I tell them to hit a few balls with my 1st gen 314 and they can tell a small but noticeable difference. I was glad to read someone else think about the dead spot on newer ones. I see it like this , Predator had a great thing going with the 1st gen shafts but knew they couldn't just sit on that forever and had to keep trying to make changes to make the shafts better or stay cutting edge so to speak.
 

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’ve played almost all of the predator offerings from the mid 90’s up until the -2 models. To include the 314’s, (even the ones with 1” ferrules), the z’s, the break cue.

IMO, there is not much difference in hit or deflection amongst any of them. I think the people wanting the older ones are over reacting to some mystic feel:)

Ymmv.
 

Grilled Cheese

p.i.i.t.h.
Silver Member
The newer the Predator, the lower the deflection. However, it is very relative. Compared to other shaft types - the difference is minuscule.

As far as feel....Don't really like the 2nd or 3rd gen. Pre-cat 314 originals are best. But again, it is relative. The "deadness" of these are almost all the same compared to a regular shaft. Splitting hairs here.


My favorite is my pre-cat 314. Strictly because of the shaft diameter and taper. The original 314 had (for me) the absolute perfect taper. 2nd gen and 3rd gen get thicker, faster. This was because we suffered listening to whiners for many years complain about the shaft not being stiff enough. It's plenty stiff, it's the different feedback that LD shafts give.


I know this is definitely not common, but the BK2 shaft with a regular tip is a heck of playing shaft.

That is stiff and solid, while being low deflection. Also has a strong ferrule. Best of all, no need to run a separate break cue.

I remember they used to sell partials. Ideal to get it tapped for a radial or modified 3/8 x 10 joint and a normal collar on there rather than that heinous branding.
 
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