65cm Salvimar Predathor

[Bobc]

Hi
I was hoping someone could help me with my decision to buy a Predathor.
I was hoping to buy a 65 cm predathor with power adjuster and vacuum muzzle but after lots of studying I believe that this combination is not made.
As far as I can work out It seems to be either a choice of the predathor plus with power adjuster or the predathor vuoto with vacuum muzzle but no power adjuster.
Could I buy the predathor plus and fit a vuoto vacuum muzzle to it? if so does anyone know what parts I would need, I've studied the Salvimar website but can't work it out for myself.
Many thanks
Bob

 

[popgun pete]

Look in the Salvimar catalog which can be found on-line. You can buy the vacuum muzzle as a spare part, but on a short gun like the 65 cm it is not really necessary as you can load the gun off your thigh and apply maximum effort on the loading handle. Slim tank guns like the Taimen and Pelengas guns use vacuum muzzles to boost the gun's performance without resorting to too much pressure as with small volume tanks their compression ratios are higher than those used in the 40 mm diameter tank guns.

https://www.salvimar.com/downloads/CATALOGO%20SALVIMAR%202021.pdf

 

[Bobc]

Look in the Salvimar catalog which can be found on-line. You can buy the vacuum muzzle as a spare part, but on a short gun like the 65 cm it is not really necessary as you can load the gun off your thigh and apply maximum effort on the loading handle. Slim tank guns like the Taimen and Pelengas guns use vacuum muzzles to boost the gun's performance without resorting to too much pressure as with small volume tanks their compression ratios are higher than those used in the 40 mm diameter tank guns.

https://www.salvimar.com/downloads/CATALOGO%20SALVIMAR%202021.pdf

Hi Pete
Thanks for the reply and link. I had been looking in the speargun part of the website and not the full catalogue
Do you mean that the vacuum muzzle is not necessary on the 65cm predathor Or the power adjuster ?
Thanks again
Bob

 

[popgun pete]

The shorter guns don't really need the power regulator unless you are shooting into holes and the vacuum muzzle is not needed. I used wet barrel guns for years and only bought vacuum barrel guns to try them out. However shooting near rocks I prefer threaded tip shafts with double flopper tips and such spears and tips are listed in the Salvimar catalog. You can easily replace damaged tips by screwing a new one on and I used to carry a spear tip in my wetsuit boot cuff, but they are lost if rushing water bells the cuff out. You can also store them on your float and put a rubber chair leg foot over the point to protect you or anything else from being stuck by it. Use stainless steel shafts as the zinc coated ones are less desirable for pneumatic guns, although in the old days it was either that or cadmium plated shafts.

Because marketers want to push newer products they are always coming up with new features, but the older style guns still kill fish just as they have for decades. When you need to shoot further at faster moving fish and need to handle a lot of line then more advanced guns certainly offer advantages, plus fish are then capable of putting up a larger fight rather than coming along quietly.

 

[Bobc]

Ok I understand
Thanks Pete

 

[stefpix]

The vuoto has a thinner shaft that may bend more easily.
I mostly use the 65 basic model, I also have the 55 vuoto and I have as a spare, still unused 65 vuoto.
the 65 is actually about 75cm or so. The 55 is actual 55cm. The vuoto comes with a stainless steel shaft, the basic model with a galvanized shaft. The stainless steel shaft after a while needs maintenance or it rusts, but it is easier to load as it does not bend easily like the stainless steel shaft (that seems to never rust, just a rinse with fresh water).
I am happy with the basic model, I pump it to 19-21 atm. I have the manometer gauge, that is really nice to have to not need to really count the pump strokes, or to make some adjustments. I wonder if the power regulator is something that can easily fail.
If you install the vuoto muzzle you have also to get a 7mm shaft instead of the 8mm shaft and washer for the wet muzzle.
I would get one of the 2, a spare shaft, as you never know if you may bend or lose one. When I bought the vuoto I was disappointed it had no power regulator, but then in the water I never really cared to have that feature. I imagine as someone else mentioned, that for a longer speargun you need to load using your foot for support it may make a difference.

 

[popgun pete]

In my experience the Salvimar guns come with cadmium plated shafts unless they are stainless steel, either plain stainless or heat treated spring stainless steel. The latter are a dark bronze colour when new, although over time this can wear off, but it takes a very long time. Cadmium plated shafts are a pale gold colour with pale rainbow reflections as sunlight is reflected from them when new, but this soon disappears as the cadmium oxidises. At one time cadmium plating was discarded due to the nasty chemicals used during the plating process, however in recent years it has made a comeback. To keep shafts free from rust as long as possible it is sufficient to hose them off and then let a spray of WD40 run down the shaft with the shafts propped up against a wall. The WD40 will chase the water off the shaft and onto whatever it is sitting on.

The Vuoto muzzle can be used with 8 mm shafts provided you have the right size shock absorber insert for the muzzle. This is because the shaft tail stop is larger by 1 mm for the larger shaft diameter, see attached. Salvimar use the same vacuum cuff or gasket for all shaft sizes, somewhat unwisely. These muzzles are teemed with stainless steel shafts as they retain a smooth surface finish which if roughed up from corrosion would soon damage the sealing lip of the vacuum cuffs.

 

[stefpix]

Thank you. My non stainless (i thought it was carbon steel, but as you wrote it is carbon steel) shaft turned a dark grey and even if I rinse it it tends to rust. I bought a 8mm stainless Salvimar shaft, which does not seem to oxidize at all, I always rinse my gear in the bath tub and let it soak a bit in fresh water.

In any case I feel the power regulator is not really that necessary, I rarely feel the need.

The stainless steel shaft I got from the Salvimar predathor 65 from the distributor (original Salvimar part), can be pulled out with little effort when the gun is loaded. I wonder if the tail is slightly different. Does it impact accuracy?

 

[popgun pete]

The spear tails use a gradual taper to hold in the piston nose’s bore, so that controls how hard they are to pull out, i.e. the angle of the taper. As things gradually wear the taper can penetrate further into the piston, but we are only talking about very tiny amounts. In old guns with metal pistons the spear tail taper gradually wore down and would eventually allow the spear to fall out in which case you replaced the spear, or its tail. Rarely would a spear last this long before being bent or lost. With the advent of plastic pistons it is more likely the piston fails before the spear tail taper ever becomes worn. The accuracy is unaffected by the grip of the piston on the spear tail as when the piston slams into the shock absorber anvil the spear with its considerable momentum jerks free of the piston nose and exits the gun.

 

[stefpix]

Thanks you. The shaft easy to pull out is the new one. It said it also fits mares spearguns. I was wondering if the tail was slightly different than the original shaft. Anyway it is not a big deal so far.

 

[popgun pete]

There are a few spear tail variations, but Salvimar and Mares are the same, as is Pelengas for their original and Magnum models. Their Zelinka has a different tail with a tiny, rod-like projection. Cressi has a smaller taper tail which you can easily detect when viewed alongside the others. Nemrod and Technisub have different tails again, being slightly more bulky, but those guns are no longer made.

 

[tassie_dan]

Hey Team,

i have a 65cm predathor plus and the required vouto muzzle parts. i'm wondering if theres any instructions or manuals available on the procedure to fully remove the standard muzzle? i can't find any and salvimar is non responsive.
any help much appreciated
warm regards, Dan

 

[popgun pete]

You release all the air from the gun via the rear inlet valve, push the piston back slightly and then push a screwdriver blade through opposing muzzle relief ports. A Phillips head driver as you don't want a blade tip. Using the ends of the screwdriver as a wrench you undo the muzzle from the inner barrel. Put a dab of grease or some oil on the screw threads and screw the new muzzle on, then tighten it up. There are flats on the side of the rear part of the muzzle, use an adjustable wrench or crescent spanner to tighten it up, then screw on the front part which traps the vacuum cuff or seal.

 

[tassie_dan]

thanks pete, wanted to check before reefing on the ports.

 

[popgun pete]

When releasing the air make sure the gun power regulator is forward and down in the gate (full power) as that drains all air from the gun.