Q: Roller speargun recommendation for UK waters & fish?

[popgun pete]

There is a video here:

Shortest roller in the video is 34 inch, but the above guns in the previous post look even smaller. In fact they are 28" and 30" as I just found out.

 

[Mr. X]

Searching the past there is this small one here; https://forums.deeperblue.com/threads/mini-rollergun.59969/

Yes, I saw that thread at the weekend. Very nice little rollergun.

One the 2 roller models I am looking at is available now in 35cm, 45cm and 60cm sizes, among others.

 

[Mr. X]

It occurred to me today that a long rollergun might be a bad idea, in general and particularly for me. I used to use a muzzle-heavy, fairly heavy speargun which also had a fair bit of hydrodynamic drag and I developed a painful and somewhat debilitating shoulder tendonitis. I'm not sure if it caused the problem but it was certainly a significant aggravating factor. Switching to a shorter, slimmer, far lighter speargun helped a lot.

A rollergun is about as muzzle-heavy as you can get. And a rollergun 5cm longer than the speargun mentioned above, seems like it could be asking for trouble. Hmm

 

[popgun pete]

You have to use what suits you, but the simple rollerguns are not too bulky or heavy in the muzzle. Large diameter muzzle rollers keep bending losses in the rubber lower, but their size can be reduced to keep the drag down when moving the gun around, so a compromise is achieved. Best approach is to try a gun out by borrowing one just to swim with it and check the loading effort.

 

[popgun pete]

Another smallish rollergun http://scorpiospearguns.com/red-claw/

The 3 times pulley system I have my doubts about as it means more rubber on the gun as like a block and tackle the wishbone force is lowered by sharing force with the anchors on the muzzle for the cables. Total length is 96 cm.

Just to explain further, a 2 times pulley system halves the force in the wishbone cable, so to obtain the power of one band the band battery needs double bands, i.e. two strands on each side. With a 3 times system the force is down to a third on the wishbone, that means the bands on either side need to be triples. If you don't have the extra bands then you need thicker bands to bump the force level up. Mathematically it is Work/Energy equals F x d (standard gun) or F x 2 x d/2 (inverted rollergun) or F x 3 x d/3 (inverted rollergun 3 times system). The letter "d" in each case is the band travel, on the demultiplied guns the distance is half and a third respectively.

 

[Mr. X]

It occurred to me that a rollergun 60-70cm long *might* be able to cover the majority (80%?) of UK conditions, having a length less/better than the popular 75cm size and power comparable to the popular 90cm size.

I'm not convinced though. I find it easier to aim a longer gun for longer shots. I am more accurate/lucky using a longer gun for long shots.

For Dorset eastwards, where visibility is often poor, perhaps it would be a good size. For Devon and further west, perhaps 70-85cm might be a better all round choice? For Cornwall/Pembroke perhaps 75-95cm?

 

[Kodama]

Maybe consider building one of these Roi Sub like spearguns.
Quite a lot of spearos around Denmark and Sweden use these. They are after the same as you.

 

[popgun pete]

Here is a better look at the MVD 55 cm rollergun that sells for 94.8 euro (body only). https://www.mvd-retail.gr/product-page/predator-zeso-55-invert-roller

1. Body Only setup includes: body, free camera mounting kit
2. Ready to use setup includes: body, reel Vertical Soft Touch Arrow Extra Small black, Line, Inox Shaft 6.5mm 90 SharkFin 1-FlopUp, 2x 40cm - 14mm rubber bands, free camera mounting kit

 

[Mr. X]

BTW I like the look of the handle on your rollergun Pete, reminds me of something, perhaps a modern take on a classic mech (Rabitech?). I've seen that unusual style of line release somewhere before too.

I
View attachment 54962

 

[popgun pete]

The humpy handle on the Seatec is to house the 3 lever trigger mechanism that turns a cam lock design into a hooking mechanism, which in itself is not a great idea and does nothing for the gearing. What it does do is separate the sliding release surfaces as now there are two. The line release has been used elsewhere as the spear's presence controls it. The trigger mechanism forced that design on them, plus it gives the option of using either side of the gun for the line wraps.

 

[Mr. X]

I watched a video of a spearo fishing off Portland Bill & in Cornwall this week. He sometimes used a 110cm speargun, in conditions which reminded me of why I've been hankering after a longer speargun. Even a 120cm speargun would not have looked excessive. Although he struggled with it in strong currents at one point. So perhaps I should remain open to the option of a regular band gun 95-110cm, with single or double bands and reverse trigger mech?

BTW Watched a video on C4 Graphite speargun . Beauriful. Great shape. Very slim at tip but with a novel metal muzzle that could take 1,2,3 or 4 bands! Much wider at rear to help combat recoil. A partial rail that ends well short of the muzzle in order to reduce lateral drag when swinging it round sideways (one of the reasons I opted for the rail-less Omer XXV over the railed Gold XXV).

 

[foxfish]

I recently built an inverted roller, that sorted out the muzzle heavy issues associated with a full size roller head but there is quite a lot of rigging involved!

 

[Kodama]

I recently built an inverted roller, that sorted out the muzzle heavy issues associated with a full size roller head but there is quite a lot of rigging involved!
View attachment 55139

Fascinating design! It would be nice if you could show some more pictures and share the background story. It would be worth it’s own tread.

 

[foxfish]

Fascinating design! It would be nice if you could show some more pictures and share the background story. It would be worth it’s own tread.

Well it was built for a 1st prize in our annual deeper blue specimen hunt held each year in Guernsey.
It did take a lot of work and time to build but as far as I know (apart from me setting the balance) it has not been in the water as yet.....

 

[foxfish]

A few more

 

[foxfish]

And finely..

 

[popgun pete]

Some of those G-clamps look like old-timers, they don't make them like that these days. In the old days everything was built to last, I inherited some similar ones from my grandfather.

 

[foxfish]

Some of those G-clamps look like old-timers, they don't make them like that these days. In the old days everything was built to last, I inherited some similar ones from my grandfather.

Ha ha I did not inherit them I bought them about 45 years ago!
Most of my hand tools are around that age.
I left school at 15 and started an apprenticeship as a boat builder.
I had to take out a 5 year loan to buy a tool set (as all the other apprentices did) but I still use many of them today!

 

[popgun pete]

Tools have changed for the worse with much coming out of China and Taiwan being more brittle than what they are copying. Good tools will last a lifetime and can endure being whacked with a hammer and torqued up with impromptu means of adding longer levers on the twist handles.

 

[CCspearo]

Hi Rollergun users, I've come across a rollergun that interests me and it is on sale. Firstly, what would your recommend as a good length for a rollergun for UK waters (35cm, 45cm, 60cm, 75cm, 82cm, 95cm, 105cm or 110cm)?

BTW They are simple, single rubber rollerguns.

Hi mr x
I have 3 rollerguns 50, 75 and 100cm I find I use the 75 the most, it is a great allrounder. Good for caves and general reef work. The 100cm is a bit long for caves but great in open water the range is amazing. All my guns have adjustable preload so they can be dialed down when shooting in caves and it makes the 100cm gun easier to load with 18mm rubbers. I have 5 non rollerguns which I have not used since getting the rollers. Once you change you'll never go back. I am unsure about british conditions as I have not dived there but going by utube vision I think a 75 to 80 cm gun is what you would need.
Good luck in your quest.