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Dummies guide to Spearfishing - Part I
- Thread startermiles
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
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Hello.
I am new to spearfishing.
I am looking for a speargun and many people suggested that a 75cm is the best for a beginner.
However I am not clear about the size of the band that I should use.
The speargun can use even 2 bands.
Can someone tell me which is the difference between a single band and a dual band in a 75cm speargun and what size should be the bands?
Any information or suggestion will be appreciated.
I am new to spearfishing.
I am looking for a speargun and many people suggested that a 75cm is the best for a beginner.
However I am not clear about the size of the band that I should use.
The speargun can use even 2 bands.
Can someone tell me which is the difference between a single band and a dual band in a 75cm speargun and what size should be the bands?
Any information or suggestion will be appreciated.
Probably worth starting a separate thread for this type of discussion. I reckon 75cm is a good size for Uk waters were visibility is usually quite poor - in clear tropical waters this might not have enough range to reach wary fish. For the most part, visibility determines range/size, but with the normal size range for your waters, I would recommend starting with a smaller gun, as it will be easier to load and handle, and likely be more versatile.
The bands fitted to the gun when new will be the correct length. Most suppliers include information on rubber-to-barrel length (e.g. apnea.co.uk, Sumora.com). Rabitech & Rob Allen publish tables of recommended bulk-rubber lengths for their powerful/heavy-duty railguns, which have different requirements to most European spearguns, which use screw-in bands.
It's always nice to have the option of fitting a 2nd band later, if required, but most use a single band - it's quicker to load and cheaper & simpler to maintain. So maybe buy a single-band gun that can accept a second band later, if necessary (requires room for a second band at the muzzle, a second wishbone notch in the spear and a trigger mechanism of sufficient strength and quality to hold 2-bands).
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Thanks for the reply Mr.X
In fact I was thinking to purchase a cressi siux 75cm(some people say they are not accurate enough and lack power, but get better with dual bands) , or maybe cressi comanche with single 20mm or dual 16mm.
They are easy to load, to aim, to manuever and has little recoil compared with longer guns. These are very important for a beginner. The visibility of the waters where I am going to spearfish is about 5-6 meters.
I have heard many bad and good things about them.
Some people say that there`s no logic using dual bands in 75cm gun (though both of them have a free slot to add an extra band).
Now I am thinking to get probably a Cressi SL 70 (pmeumatic) and add a vacuum kit.
However,I am really confused between a cressi comanche 75 or SL 70
.
In fact I was thinking to purchase a cressi siux 75cm(some people say they are not accurate enough and lack power, but get better with dual bands) , or maybe cressi comanche with single 20mm or dual 16mm.
They are easy to load, to aim, to manuever and has little recoil compared with longer guns. These are very important for a beginner. The visibility of the waters where I am going to spearfish is about 5-6 meters.
I have heard many bad and good things about them.
Some people say that there`s no logic using dual bands in 75cm gun (though both of them have a free slot to add an extra band).
Now I am thinking to get probably a Cressi SL 70 (pmeumatic) and add a vacuum kit.
However,I am really confused between a cressi comanche 75 or SL 70
.
If it is power you want then be very wary about the trade off!
2 x bands on a 75 is not a recommended set up as the added band can cause all sorts of accuracy problems.
Air guns are measured in a different way to band guns & in fact a 90 air gun is the same length as a 75 band gun!
A 90 air gun with a dry barrel kit will have more power than a 75 with twin bands & still remain accurate.
2 x bands on a 75 is not a recommended set up as the added band can cause all sorts of accuracy problems.
Air guns are measured in a different way to band guns & in fact a 90 air gun is the same length as a 75 band gun!
A 90 air gun with a dry barrel kit will have more power than a 75 with twin bands & still remain accurate.
Y
Yeti
Guest
Second that. Double banding through the eye shoots low. It can be compensated for, but if its a reflex shot on a nice fish, missing can be a pain in the ass! :head
Re. short guns with double bands. I asked Rob Allen about that some years ago and he mentioned that it was a popular configuration in some former eastern-bloc countries -- perhaps for shooting v. large fish in poor visibility (sturgeon? carp?). [BTW If you can get a SA-style railgun locally (e.g. Rob Allen, Rabitech, Mako, Orcas, Pelaj, Freedivers, Hammerhead), I think the bulk rubber-loop/muzzle design offers more power and strength for a given barrel size than a typical euro-design with screw-in rubbers - but it will likely be bulkier, heavier &, possibly, more expensive].
For the most part, I think folk over-estimate the need for power and under-estimate other factors, such as ease of handling in & out of the water, accuracy, etc. Your needs may differ though.
5-6m (15-18ft) sounds like good visibility to me. But it is hard for me to judge w/o experiencing it. A 75cm gun might almost reach to that range (with your arm out-stretched + the barrel length + the spear length + 3 x the barrel-length for the spear-line). It also depends on how far away the fish are from you, if the fish are 5-6m away, I would consider getting a longer gun, a band gun 80-100cm (e.g. 90cm)?
I think the table provided at Sumora.com is very good *guide* to speargun-length vs. visibility/terrain: sumora, official distributors of Rabitech and Rob Allen
Alternatively perhaps, as foxfish said, a 90cm pneumatic might fit all your needs and desires, being both short and powerful (but probably more expensive). I only use band guns. For band guns, the Cressi Commanche apparently offers world-class performance at, usually, reasonable price - it is available in 60,75 & 90cm sizes - might also be available in 80cm & larger sizes. The Omer Excalibur is also said to be a decent, inexpensive speargun.
For the most part, I think folk over-estimate the need for power and under-estimate other factors, such as ease of handling in & out of the water, accuracy, etc. Your needs may differ though.
5-6m (15-18ft) sounds like good visibility to me. But it is hard for me to judge w/o experiencing it. A 75cm gun might almost reach to that range (with your arm out-stretched + the barrel length + the spear length + 3 x the barrel-length for the spear-line). It also depends on how far away the fish are from you, if the fish are 5-6m away, I would consider getting a longer gun, a band gun 80-100cm (e.g. 90cm)?
I think the table provided at Sumora.com is very good *guide* to speargun-length vs. visibility/terrain: sumora, official distributors of Rabitech and Rob Allen
Alternatively perhaps, as foxfish said, a 90cm pneumatic might fit all your needs and desires, being both short and powerful (but probably more expensive). I only use band guns. For band guns, the Cressi Commanche apparently offers world-class performance at, usually, reasonable price - it is available in 60,75 & 90cm sizes - might also be available in 80cm & larger sizes. The Omer Excalibur is also said to be a decent, inexpensive speargun.
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Yeah.
Cressi comanche is as perfect as spaghetti are
An italian guy won the world championship with that kind of gun.
I have seen that gun already and it has only 1 band (I believe 20mm).
But there is still one more slot for an extra band.
I think that`s the best in my case and I am going to buy it soon.
Cressi comanche is as perfect as spaghetti are
An italian guy won the world championship with that kind of gun.
I have seen that gun already and it has only 1 band (I believe 20mm).
But there is still one more slot for an extra band.
I think that`s the best in my case and I am going to buy it soon.
Good point. The makers usually spend some time selecting configurations that work well. I changed the articulated metal wishbone on my Omer XXV to a screw-on dyneema wishbone - mainly to protect my fingers - but I reckon it shoots a little high now (hard to be certain tho'). Similarly my RA railgun was great from the factory - changing to a 20mm band made the thing much harder to load, I preferred the 16mm band which was plenty powerful enough for my needs.Bluemate:
if you buy a Cressi Comanche 75, or a Cressi Geronimo 75, it will come ready with bands and everything. You don't need to modify the set-up of that gun: it's tuned to be perfect. Do you know perfect? PER-FECT.
Ok, something about guns...
I practice spearfishing for 15 or so years, and I changed a lot of equipment, including guns.
Now i mainly go with wooden guns, 90cm and 112cm of effective gum elongation.
On my 90cm gun atm is 2 x 16 gums setup, cut on K = 3.4.
On 112 cm gun atm is 2 x18 gums setup, cut on K= 3.3.
K means how many times band stretches over its length until it reaches place on harpoon where wishbone sits.
112 cm wooden gun is massive gun, but well balanced, and is easily carried in water. since it's massive, u can load a stronger setup, and it doesn't have a big recoil, as plastic/aluminium/carbon guns have. With recoil, u loose precision.
This gun is for open sea hunting, don't know how else to call it
90 cm wooden gun has holes in it's body, thus making it even lighter, and more moveable, and this holes act as an extra ''weight'' when filled with water. Since water enters into them when gun is submerged, water acts as a part of gun's body, thus making it more compact.
This gun is for hunting in shallower waters, more smurky, and near the rocks.
Anyway, what I wanted to say, do not overload your gun.
You have several risks... it will break your gun or distort it, gun will loose it's accuracy because of a recoil...
Anyway, here are these guns, and if anyone has any specific question, just ask, since I can probably write a book about guns, and still not explain everything
Here is 112
here is 90
I practice spearfishing for 15 or so years, and I changed a lot of equipment, including guns.
Now i mainly go with wooden guns, 90cm and 112cm of effective gum elongation.
On my 90cm gun atm is 2 x 16 gums setup, cut on K = 3.4.
On 112 cm gun atm is 2 x18 gums setup, cut on K= 3.3.
K means how many times band stretches over its length until it reaches place on harpoon where wishbone sits.
112 cm wooden gun is massive gun, but well balanced, and is easily carried in water. since it's massive, u can load a stronger setup, and it doesn't have a big recoil, as plastic/aluminium/carbon guns have. With recoil, u loose precision.
This gun is for open sea hunting, don't know how else to call it
90 cm wooden gun has holes in it's body, thus making it even lighter, and more moveable, and this holes act as an extra ''weight'' when filled with water. Since water enters into them when gun is submerged, water acts as a part of gun's body, thus making it more compact.
This gun is for hunting in shallower waters, more smurky, and near the rocks.
Anyway, what I wanted to say, do not overload your gun.
You have several risks... it will break your gun or distort it, gun will loose it's accuracy because of a recoil...
Anyway, here are these guns, and if anyone has any specific question, just ask, since I can probably write a book about guns, and still not explain everything
Here is 112
here is 90
Hi again GoranSV, cool looking speargun. Why don't you create a new thread for this, under Hunting Equipment -> Homemade Spearguns : Homemade Spearguns
You have some interesting and unusual design features going on there e.g. slots/holes in the barrel, water chamber.
cool looking speargun. Why don't you create a new thread for this, under Hunting Equipment -> Homemade Spearguns : Homemade SpeargunsYou have some interesting and unusual design features going on there e.g. slots/holes in the barrel, water chamber.
When you mentioned a few pages back that its a good idea to ready your belt on acsent, so if you pass out you will release your weight belt. I thought that was a great idea at first, but I have heard stories about divers who shoot their spear guns after they SWB, and they also clench there snorkel afterward. That divers who SWB clenched so hard on the snorkel, that those performing cpr on them, have to yank out the snorkel. So wouldnt your hand on your weightbelt also become clenched, and then your strategy wouldnt work... ?
You should spit your snorkel out of your mouth when you dive anyway. Please never dive with it in your mouth. Not because you could clench down on it (though I guess that is a concern now), but because when you come up to the surface, what is the first thing you want to do? Breath! Not push all the water out first.
I know exactly what you are referring to in this....I call it "broadcasting"....I do it in a big way. When hunting on land or in the water I absolutely MUST think of ANYTHING but my prey. Or it all just disappears.
I know reel vs floatline is a personal preference, and as mentioned at the beginning of this thread and that some even combine both.
My question is for reel users, do you attach the gun to your body in anyway if not using a float line with it? Maybe a wrist bungee leash, or to your weight belt? I know fixed line guys wouldn't want a leash in case a fish took off and didn't let them surface. I don't plan on starting deeper then 30', so 100'+ of line should allow me to surface even if the fish is running. I'll be most likely be going for 5-10lb fish, not those 100-200lb monsters I see some of guys catching. I'd hate to either drop or have the gun pulled out of my hand and watch $300+ get drug away, but better that then blacking out from getting drugged and not being able to surface. Having the surface in a hurry might be easier if the gun was tethered too.
Thanks for your opinions!
My question is for reel users, do you attach the gun to your body in anyway if not using a float line with it? Maybe a wrist bungee leash, or to your weight belt? I know fixed line guys wouldn't want a leash in case a fish took off and didn't let them surface. I don't plan on starting deeper then 30', so 100'+ of line should allow me to surface even if the fish is running. I'll be most likely be going for 5-10lb fish, not those 100-200lb monsters I see some of guys catching. I'd hate to either drop or have the gun pulled out of my hand and watch $300+ get drug away, but better that then blacking out from getting drugged and not being able to surface. Having the surface in a hurry might be easier if the gun was tethered too.
Thanks for your opinions!