Hey guys, I know this is an old post, but I thought I'd throw my two cents in. The Phantom series gun is actually a very accurate gun. It is flexible and this is by design. This is probably a little contradictory to what you've been told, or have been lead to believe, but if designed properly a little flex is not bad. In the case of the phantom, the gun flexes and when fired the flex helps to absorb some of the energy, causing the gun to be more steady and ultimately accurate. This is explained by our engineers, so you can take it for what it's worth. The reality is, I have heard testimony from many divers, dive shop owners that suggest this is the fastest shooting, most accurate gun they've ever had. Don't knock it until you try it.
As far as the plastic line release, it is cheap plastic. If you are careful then there are no problems. If you are abusive and throw the gun around, it could break. For .50cents you can purchase another to replace it. In future production we are shifting to a higher grade material and any breakage should not present a problem.
If you haven't done so you can see a short 5 minute video comparing Phantom Carbon speargun to others in a static enviornment. Shows accuracy (shaft deviation with a laser line), noise, vibration etc.. I think you will see whether the flex of the barrel is a problem or not. This testing is unbiased and essentially robotic, eliminating variance of human deflection.
Best regards,