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Closed vs. Open Muzzles, Why Closed?

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DivingNomad

Well-Known Member
Sep 21, 2015
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I don't see any real benefit of closed muzzles vs. the open type and I am wondering why people use them. Is it because closed muzzle are less expensive or is there more to it? I know that in the US they use some sort of closed muzzles when spearfishing on scuba but this isn't the case in the Med. Please let me know why you use a closed muzzle over open type
 
Currently we don't offer any guns with a closed muzzle, primarily because they were not very popular with our customers. One of the benefits of a closed muzzle that people often mention is the fact that there is no need to wrap the shooting line over the end of the shaft to secure it downward.

Another benefit might be for scuba hunters who may want to shoot without a line (i.e., free shaft). The closed muzzle allows this application.
 
Reactions: DivingNomad
closed muzzle has some benefits. For one, I find loading more convenient and a touch faster with closed muzzle. Secondly, and this is big one, closed muzzle guns are easier to aim as they usually have some kind of open sights molded into pistol grip and muzzle. And of course, as Mako pointed out, no need for securing shaft onto the track with shooting line, and you can use slider just like you would on pneumatic gun. I like enclosed track guns because they somewhat replicate goodness of closed muzzle, without having one. There is practically not a single offering of closed muzzle guns anywhere, besides entry level guns, otherwise I would have a hard time choosing between the two.
 
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Yes, closed muzzle guns are limited to the "cheap" guns in the mfg's gun product line, this is why I thought they are being made and sold just because they are cheaper for the people who can't afford the open muzzle guns. I don't see any advantage for them at all. Their bands are more expensive to replace and they don't accept spear shafts with regular size shark fins and require use of metal wishbones. I tried to use spears shafts with short shark fins but they still hit the top part of the closed muzzle and actually broke it in one gun. I have changed all of the muzzles to open type and spear shafts to ones with shark fins (or pins) and use dyneema wishbones on all of the guns I have, no more closed muzzles or notched shafts.

I have used both types and don't see a significant advantage in speed or anything else to the close muzzle guns myself.
 
The first spearguns all used closed muzzles as the gun is quick to load and the spear cannot fall off the barrel before you string the shooting line. Open muzzles first appeared with the use of shark fin tabs as there was a probability of the tabs striking the muzzle hoop on the way out. You can use a high hoop muzzle as Riffe supplied as an option on their guns which will let the shaft tab through. Taking a shot with you and the gun inverted is a problem with a loose muzzle hoop as the shaft flops down at the tip. With wishbone notch shafts the slide ring used to fit snugly in the muzzle hoop and that system was commonly used for decades. A closed muzzle allows you to load in a hurry and take a second shot without stringing the line and leaving it hanging free after an initial missed shot. I have done this on a number of occasions as you can get a second shot away very quickly.

Shark fin tabbed shafts came about to strengthen shafts by eliminating the wishbone notches as shafts have been broken at the notches with rear set ears on the shaft to stop the lineslide ring. This problem was partly overcome by placing the ears in front of the wishbone notches so the fish pulled from forwards of the notches. Another reason for tabbed shafts was to use semi-enclosed tracks on high power guns with four or more bands.
 
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Reactions: MAKO Spearguns, DivingNomad and Andrew the fish
One more big advantage of a closed muzzle is that the bands are aligned with the shaft (and the tube) allowing easiness in aiming.
Add the easiness in loading and for small guns(<95cm) I think this is an ideal type of muzzle.
 
Reactions: DivingNomad
On the Biller speargun, which is based on the Sea Hornet, you have an open top muzzle where the shaft can be pressed down through a slot rather than inserting the spear by threading it through the muzzle. The slide ring on the line slide then fits into the front of the muzzle moulding to lock the spear in place. If you don’t use tabbed shafts then you may as well use a closed muzzle. When they first appeared open muzzles were called pin muzzles due to the line wrap pin that the line has to wind across to hold the shaft down onto the muzzle.
 
Other than the use of pin or sharkfin shafts I see no advantage of open muzzles. They are messy and slow to setup, especially when the water is not calm. I have had them come undone at times too (especially when the water is rough). I suspect the higher price of spearguns that have open muzzles is mostly due to the shaft being more expensive rather than closed muzzle concept being cheaper. I have a Beuchat Marlin Revolution which is an open muzzle speargun but it has a mechanism that pinches the shaft to keep it put. I find this is a nice setup/compromise.
 
Obvously, you don't see much further than your nose ! This is a common problem with the young generation....
 
vladosub said:
Obvously, you don't see much further than your nose ! This is a common problem with the young generation....
Click to expand...
..wow, this is your first post in ten years of membership. congratulations to your late coming out..
 
vladosub said:
Obvously, you don't see much further than your nose ! This is a common problem with the young generation....
Click to expand...

Better than your nose being up your ass. I didn't know before that your getting old as dirt makes you such a jerk.
 
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