Need help on a DIY mod on open muzzle

[kipliq]

Can any spear gun be converted to a open muzzle? I have a sea hornet and would like to replace the shaft with one with out a sliding ring. Could this be done? I would need help placing the pins to help hold the shaft line and cutting the muzzle. Thanks!

 

[Pastor]

I suppose in principal any gun could be converted. Can you post a couple of pictures to help us who aren't familiar with the Hornet out

 

[alexrom1207]

I though about doing that same thing to my 48" biller. I'm not sure how close they are but in the end I was afraid that cutting the muzzle may have damaged some of its strength, and the idea of 2 5/8" bands being attached to the spear when the muzzle snapped and the bands came rocketing off was enough to make me reconsider. It would probably be just fine but if you're looking for a quicker mod just to increase accuracy and speed I would suggest buying a thinner spear and getting rid of that stupid rock point tip that Biller/JBL/Sea Hornet use, as well as the bulky slide ring. If the gun is similar enough to a biller (which from looking at pictures it seems to be) you can probably order a new spear from biller (just make sure that they are compatible first and that spear will fit your trigger) If they are the same then go with a 9/32 hawaiian flopper style (biller calls it the floridian....just cut off that stupid small flopper as it only causes aggravation) and get the low profile slide ring that biller makes. I did that and it made a world of difference. Gun is more accurate, faster, and I miss fewer fish. If you do decide to modify that muzzle though here is a link to a thread where a guy modified a biller (same basic muzzle as the seahornet I think) should help you out a bit if you want to put the time into it. It's not a pure open muzzle but it was good enough to get rid of the slide ring. http://forums.deeperblue.net/american-spearguns/52596-biller-caribbean.html Hope this helps.
Good luck,
Alex

 

[kipliq]

Thanks for the help. I'm not a big fan of slide rings So I may try this mod and just cut more and use the mono line. I will go to a local dive shop and have them make me a spear tip of the size you specified. What do you think it will weaken the tip? I pressure isn't on the top but on the back end of the muzzle. I'm actually going to copy this biller open front. Need to scroll down. I don't know where to place the pins.

Speargun Parts and Accessories

 

[mishu1984]

pics make it a lot easier to follow. but being the not so proud owner of a biller i can tell you that as far as accuracy is concerned, close muzzle or open, when compared to a euro, the biller can miss the broad side of a barn. that aside, cutting your muzzle in the right places will not affect its strength provided that none of the load from the rubbers are on the segment that you cut. ive cut two of my muzzles with no ill effects, and one of the guns has 2x16 and the other had 2x18 and i reduced it to a single 18 for accuracy and ease of loading, not to mention it was overkill

 

[kipliq]

Hi Mishu, mind posting a pic of both the cuts? I would like to model mine to someones cut. Where did you place the pins to help the line tie down? I will be replacing the shaft and getting rid of the slide ring.

 

[mishu1984]

well, with my muzzles i didnt really place any pins or anything. i just cut off the bridge. in all honesty i only cut them because i was switching to shark-tab spears, otherwise i would have left them alone. i suggest that when you cut yours you use a saw, like the one on a leatherman, which is what i used. it was a pretty clean cut

 

[mishu1984]

no pins. all you have to do is sort of a "figure 8", it doesnt tangle or form knots

 

[kipliq]

http://bluewaterhunter.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/media/biller_openmuzzle.jpg

This is kinda sorta the way my muzzle looks. On mine, I was going to cut it straight with the track and use 2 pins on the left side top and on the bottom side bottom. I try get a pic of the pin placement. Do you think with me cutting it down flat it will weaken the muzzle?

 

[mishu1984]

its the exact same muzzle my biller has, although i havent shot that gun in years.
in all honesty, i dont know. i just pickep up my biller, and by the looks of it the muzzle is meant to be kept as is, it looks like the sides or whatever it is that you want to call it, to take some load from the rubbers.
to err on the side of safety, i would not cut that particular muzzle, plus it is an open muzzle as is. temporarily what you can do is always wash your gun with freshwater when you finish diving, and spray your shaft and ring, along with trigger mech with WD40 or a similar lubricant

 

[kipliq]

my main goal is to get rid of the slide ring.

 

[mishu1984]

i know. the problem isnt your muzzle, its your shaft. the slide ring is there because its the only way of attaching a line to your shaft. you have three options:
1-keep current setup
2- find shaft with hole for monofillament taht will fit in biller/hornet trigger mech.
3- learn how to free-shaft. look up "fishkilla" in Spearboard Spearfishing Community - Powered by vBulletin
he has a few videos where many of the fish are taken freeshafting

g'luck

 

[kipliq]

Getting a new shaft isn't a problem, my local dive shop can make the shaft for me so my problem is more on the muzzle cut and pegs. hey thanks for all the info it really helps

 

[irtrogdor]

Hey kipliq, I just did the exact same mod like two weeks ago.
I changed my biller from closed muzzle + slider ring to open muzzle + hole in shaft. It works sooooo well. I changed the muzzle by taking it off the gun and holding it down to a belt sander. Very clean looking and it left enough the plastic on there to keep it strong. Then I just took my shaft to a machine shop and had them drill a hole in it far enough up the shaft that the trigger mech wasn't an issue (that was a little nerve wracking).

As for the pins, my dad had a welding rod laying around which has a brass center. I drilled a hole of (slightly smaller diameter than the pin) through the muzzle into the wood. Then I just tapped the pin in with a hammer. You want to angle the pin mostly down (to hold the mono) and slightly forward (so the mono doesn't just catch on the pin upon fireing).

After all that I had a that slider laying around (not the spiraly one) so I put a JBL slip tip on the shaft and used the slider as the tip's line anchor (like a riffe ice pick tip). It works beautifully.

 

[kipliq]

Hey irtrogdor,
Have any pictures?? I would love to see the cut and the pin placement. It would really help me out. I going to try and completed my gun soon.

 

[irtrogdor]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3082/2697313794_dd341cea6f_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3245/2696498535_def3e360f5_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3057/2697313566_810cac3f80_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/2697313458_d3ef9371f4_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/2696498211_a5d0c98b30_o.jpg




and some of my jerry-rigged sliptip.



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3128/2696499107_d04693e2c8_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3219/2696498931_0cae066c14_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/2696498767_4814c526af_o.jpg