Mares Miniministen- help :(

[c0xy_2003]

Hi everybody, i'm pretty new to spearfishing...to be entirely honest i havent been yet but have got my first gun and will be going out this weekend to have a go, i cant wait.. i am using a cheap bauchat for now but i have got a mares miniministen that my girlfriends dad found whilst he was snorkeling. It worked for a while but now has broken completely. for a while the trigger was jammed but i have fixed that. There is no compresion and when you run the plunger down you can hear air escaping from the back. I do not have the charger for this gun and was wondering if anybody here knew of a generic charger or any way to fix this lovely little gun.... Heres a pic of the miniministen.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a47/c0xy_2003/mares.jpg

And has anyone got any good tips for bass spearfishing?

 

[spaghetti]

Hi,
you may just check any mares or sporasub dealer to purchase an air charger. Then it's easy: let all the residual air get off and than pump new air in with the charger just like you do with a bycicle tyre, until you reach the desired pre-charge pressure.
For miniministen:
50 pumpstrokes=10 atm
75 pumpstrokes=15 atm
120pumpstrokes=18 atm (and that's even too much for ministen in my opinion).
Be careful anyway: if you're not sure that the gun is okay, let it be repaired by qualified persons. As you know, an accidental shot at 18 atm could be a Pulp Fiction issue...

 

[SurfnSpear]

And has anyone got any good tips for bass spearfishing?

Nice find that...as long as you can get it serviced. Anyway try looking at this link...Basically it is always good to click on the search button located on the light blue bar at the top of the page. Type in the drop down box some key words and you will get plenty of bedtime reading back.
http://forums.deeperblue.net/showthread.php?t=50970&highlight=bass+tips

Cheers

 

[Spaniard]

Try the boys at Blandford Sub Aqua who are Mares/Sporasub distributors in the UK. DO NOT charge this gun or attempt any DIY, you do not know the history of the gun or what state it is in. The Sten series was discontinued but Sporasub make the Rafal which is almost identical. Chargers, spares etc. should fit.

 

[spaghetti]

Be careful anyway: if you're not sure that the gun is okay, let it be repaired by qualified persons. As you know, an accidental shot at 18 atm could be a Pulp Fiction issue...

Yes, Spaniard's right and I should have put this on top of my post. Airguns are complex toys that can be dangerous. Fix'em yourself only if you're competent, but don't mess with compressed air if you're

 

[Fondueset]

Particularly in light of the fact that you know it had trigger problems I'd definitely get it to an authorized repair place. A bad trigger on a pneumatic can be a really ugly thing - particularly on a short one. Having it launch right after you've loaded it can have a negative impact on the rest of the day.

 

[Groupermadness]

Hi Coxy.
What you will have to do is completly strip the gun down and probably renew the piston because the earlier ones were steel and rusted very badly at the muzle. you will have to renew all the O rings, the reason for the trigger sticking is probable a perished O ring in the release mech, and the air coming out the back is probably the same reason, its probably taken in water if under for a period of time and if no air was in it so check the barrel also for rust.. you will have to also refill with oil. your best bet is send it away for a complete service. its a small but handy gun, very useful for small holes and finishing off a fish(remove floppy though). ive been using a cressi the same size for a few years now and even if you dont need it it makes you look cool when you strap it to your leg.LOL.

 

[spaghetti]

and even if you dont need it it makes you look cool when you strap it to your leg.LOL.

rofl rofl rofl :thankyou

 

[c0xy_2003]

wow thanks for all the help guys, i think i will take it to blanford to get serviced but i will probably just use it for fishy's hiding in rocks or somthing because ive just purchased a beuchat mundial carbon pro model and i love it, so for i havent caught anything bigger than 6 inches yet, it seems to be really murky everywhere at the moment and as soon as i see big fish they are gone. funily tho i always see them in two's swimming away from me! i used to beach fish and boat fish but being under the water along side all of the animals is fantasic, i was swimming along the other day and a group of small minnows were being chased by some other little fish and it was so great to watch. Next time i go out i think i'm gona get a small basket with a weight on the bottom fill it up with bait and hide behind some rocks! I am completely converted i love spearfishing!!! Thanks angain everyone.

 

[SurfnSpear]

Next time i go out i think i'm gona get a small basket with a weight on the bottom fill it up with bait and hide behind some rocks!

I think thats Alisons trick with crushed crabs...can't find the story though.