Choosing a speargun

[Misael]

Hi everyone
I want to buy a 75 cm speargun, but for my budget I´m not sure whether get the mundial competition (Beuchat) or the apache (Cressi).

I will use it in the reef of Yucatan, Mexico at 6m - 10m depth.
Wich one do you prefer?

 

[foxfish]

They are both good guns, never heard a bad thing about either.

 

[Mr. X]

Either would likely work fine but the Beuchat would be my choice. It looks slightly higher spec. with the nice articulated wishbone vs. a rather cheap looking bent wire(?) one - although I would likely switch the wishbone on both to Dyneema anyway! Also like the nice loading butt, which I find a useful feature. The rigging cord, if included & ready rigged as shown, is well worth having. The extra plastic bits are probably more of novelty value that necessity (esp. the mid-barrel spear support on a 75cm barrel) - but the supplementary line holder on the side might be handy (e.g. for fast competition loading?). Also, I like my Beuchat gloves & fins & Cressi masks seem good but overpriced to me - does that make me biased?

I'm not a huge fan of (proprietary) screw-in rubbers (but most good euro-brands use them), so the bulk rubber on the Cressi is fine - although the simple muzzle looks a little under-designed, even for my simple tastes; probably works just fine though.

For a cheap but good Cressi, the Cressi Comanche would be more appealing to me - and is IMHO closer in spec. level to the Beuchat Mundial Competition shown above. You don't have to break the bank to get a decent speargun and they can last decades. I would be equally delighted with either of those.

[You can now get a more expensive "pimped" version of the Comanche, the Commanche Pacific: http://www.tsourosmarine.gr/products_en.asp?prodid=2744 . Similarly Beuchat offer the Marlin. Ideas for possible future upgrades perhaps ]


Just came across a model called the Beuchat Marlin Sport 75cm which also looks like a nice spec. (slim 28mm barrel & shorter spear like my Omer XXV) - at a similar price to the Commanche (~£70-£75) & considerably cheaper than the bigger, fancier Marlins.

What is visibility like in your area (Yucatan, Mexico). If it is very clear 75cm might be too short -- for murky British waters it is a size that works well though. Speargun length is an important choice.

 

[grantl]

Hi everyone
I want to buy a 75 cm speargun, but for my budget I´m not sure whether get the mundial competition (Beuchat) or the apache (Cressi).

I will use it in the reef of Yucatan, Mexico at 6m - 10m depth.
Wich one do you prefer?

Either will do the job. There is an awful lot of time spent considering the very small differences between different guns, brands, lengths etc. It's almost a hobby in itself for some people. I'd say the gun is really one of the least important factors in reality.
The best gun you can get is the one in your hand

Sent from my D5503 using Tapatalk

 

[Mr. X]

Either will do the job. There is an awful lot of time spent considering the very small differences between different guns, brands, lengths etc. It's almost a hobby in itself for some people...

And I expect you just grabbed the first one off the shop wall when you got yours

I'd say the gun is really one of the least important factors in reality...

That's true.

 

[Misael]

Either would likely work fine but the Beuchat would be my choice. It looks slightly higher spec. with the nice articulated wishbone vs. a rather cheap looking bent wire(?) one - although I would likely switch the wishbone on both to Dyneema anyway! Also like the nice loading butt, which I find a useful feature. The rigging cord, if included & ready rigged as shown, is well worth having. The extra plastic bits are probably more of novelty value that necessity (esp. the mid-barrel spear support on a 75cm barrel) - but the supplementary line holder on the side might be handy (e.g. for fast competition loading?). Also, I like my Beuchat gloves & fins & Cressi masks seem good but overpriced to me - does that make me biased?

I'm not a huge fan of (proprietary) screw-in rubbers (but most good euro-brands use them), so the bulk rubber on the Cressi is fine - although the simple muzzle looks a little under-designed, even for my simple tastes; probably works just fine though.

For a cheap but good Cressi, the Cressi Comanche would be more appealing to me - and is IMHO closer in spec. level to the Beuchat Mundial Competition shown above. You don't have to break the bank to get a decent speargun and they can last decades. I would be equally delighted with either of those.

[You can now get a more expensive "pimped" version of the Comanche, the Commanche Pacific: http://www.tsourosmarine.gr/products_en.asp?prodid=2744 . Similarly Beuchat offer the Marlin. Ideas for possible future upgrades perhaps ]


Just came across a model called the Beuchat Marlin Sport 75cm which also looks like a nice spec. (slim 28mm barrel & shorter spear like my Omer XXV) - at a similar price to the Commanche (~£70-£75) & considerably cheaper than the bigger, fancier Marlins.

What is visibility like in your area (Yucatan, Mexico). If it is very clear 75cm might be too short -- for murky British waters it is a size that works well though. Speargun length is an important choice.

Thanks for the advice. The water here is murky almost all year, that´s why I prefer 75 cm

 

[Misael]

Well. I´ll go for the Beuchat, thanks guys

 

[Mr. X]

...[You can now get a more expensive "pimped" version of the Comanche, the Commanche Pacific: http://www.tsourosmarine.gr/products_en.asp?prodid=2744 . Similarly Beuchat offer the Marlin. Ideas for possible future upgrades perhaps ]...

Cressi Comanche Pacific
Nice spec.: Bulk-rubber (inexpensive & powerful), Open double-rubber Muzzle, 7mm spear (thick), shark-fins rather than notches (tough), dyneema wishbone (soft & quiet, cheap to replace)
but higher cost & perhaps aimed at more experienced users.

 

[Pinniped72]

I like the look of that Cressi Comanche Pacific, I had an Omer Cayman 110cm that I cut down to 60cm, upgraded the rubber to a bulk 18mm and 7mm spear. Vis is generally bad near me so distance isn't an issue (obviously with a 60cm!) and bulk 18mm is good with a 7mm spear at short distance. My next upgrades would be an open muzzle and sharkfin spear which would pretty much mirror the Comanche pacific, ticks my boxes for sure

 

[Mr. X]

Sounds perfect! Funny that you should write that: I was mulling over what I was looking for in a speargun currently and came to the conclusion it was something a lot like the Cressi Comanche Pacific but preferably made by Omer (at reasonable price) with the Cayman or T10 trigger mech. I'd quite like a longer gun, so a 100-110 cm Comanche Pacific would likely fit the bill quite well for that but I have recently come to the conclusion that my current spearguns (75 + 90) already cover 90% of conditions I encounter very well. If anything a shorter gun rather than a longer gun would likely get more use (e.g. 55 or 60cm, rather than 100cm/110cm) because I encounter good visibility so infrequently -- is that the reason you cut down your 110cm? Presumably you then just needed to buy a new shorter spear & re-rig the spear-line.

In truth, my Omer XXV 75 (with bulk rubber & Dyneema wishbone) already covers close-in quite well, as well as the broader ground of a traditional 75cm speargun. Most likely what I am thinking of is an even smaller (& cheaper) version of that gun, 55cm/60cm barrel, for night fishing - if ever I get the opportunity! But there are several cheap options that probably cover that already, e.g. the 50cm Coralign Orphie @ just £25.45

Not very fancy but doesn't need to be at close range I suppose.

 

[Pinniped72]

The 110cm was the first gun I ever bought and I didn't do enough research when I got it, I came over all American for a while (the bigger the better) sorry to any American's watching, I do like your aircraft carriers! I took the head off, cut the tube, re drilled the fixing holes and it was ready! Then I bought a shorter spear and it was as simple as that. When I think about it, getting a 110cm speargun for me was just stupid, that's a 140cm spear (roughly).................. I'm lucky to see that much viz most of the year! I do like the Omer trigger and spear release, it just seems smoother than some of the other brands that I have looked at.

 

[Reeve Mathers-Cyr]

Hi everyone
I want to buy a 75 cm speargun, but for my budget I´m not sure whether get the mundial competition (Beuchat) or the apache (Cressi).

I will use it in the reef of Yucatan, Mexico at 6m - 10m depth.
Wich one do you prefer?

Hey there,

I just joined the forum and am looking at buying a budget efficient speargun as well!

Misael, Im really glad you posted about this issue asking for beginner gun advise, because now i don't have to haha

While i was hunting for guns online I found myself deciding between the same two guns as you (one of the cheaper Beuchat guns & the Cressi apachi)

Please keep us updated on which gun you end up purchasing and let us know of any pros/cons you have found. As i would like to learn from your experiences to help me in purchasing my first gun.

Right now I am probably going with the Cressi Apachi because from what I have read I can put multiple stronger bands on it (if i need to ) and I can also put a reel on it.

Just FYI I will be hunting the Georgia Straight mostly around Campbell River B.C. diving 4-20m hunting mostly greenlings,rockcod as well as other small rock fish (they rarely get bigger than 10 pounds or 20 inches long).

Once I get a little more comfortable and find some properly trained safety/hunting buddies that i can trust, I plan to go to deeper spots (15-30m) where I know we can get some giant halibut! Hence why I like the Cressi because I can slap a reel on it.

If anyone has advise or recommendations for myself or Misael please shoot away! Also if anyone currently owns a Cressi Apachi please share your comments on the gun.

Cheers.

~Reeve MC

 

[Pinniped72]

I have an Apache and there is nothing wrong with it at all, it is designed for a single rubber although you may be able to squeeze two rubbers through the head, I have done this with an Omer Cayman and it was fine The stock rubber is 13mm and I would recommend changing that, I put an 18mm bulk rubber on mine. I broke the head on mine but that was entirely my fault, I shortened the pipe and couldn't get the head back in and got over enthusiastic with the hammer. After that experience I can definitely say that you will not break the head on a Cressi Apache through normal use, you will have to attack it with a hammer................ vigorously!! To be honest, I have various Cressi products, the Apache (minus head!), a Totem knife and a Cressi wetsuit and I would definitely buy Cressi again based on my experiences with their products The Apache has a minimalistic look and slim pipe, its a smart looking, effective, easily upgraded speargun, there is nothing to dislike really. Dive safe and have fun

 

[Reeve Mathers-Cyr]

Pininiped72,

Thanks for the response, I think I will go ahead and buy the cressi apache now, seems like a pretty safe choice.

 

[outdoor.mne]

Are you buy Apaache on the end ? Please, share your expresion because I intend to buy the same gun.

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[Mr. X]

. . . there are several cheap options that probably cover that already, e.g. the 50cm Coralign Orphie @ just £25.45

Not very fancy but doesn't need to be at close range I suppose.

Incredibly, the Orphie is only £20 now! The 50cm option £21!