Taimen - Russian pneumovacuum speargun

[popgun pete]

I was advised by the company to hold off on ordering the "universal" ambidextrous handle as another version is being produced (which may have a side line release), but it was then still under development, that conversation taking place a few months ago. An independent design group has already created such a handle, but that alternative grip handle lacks any family resemblance with the existing handle in my opinion. I quite like the original "Taimen" handle from the aesthetic viewpoint, its only drawback being the thick core at mid-grip height which was reduced in the current versions of the handle, identified by the larger trigger finger guard with a more vertical front post as seen above.

This is the "aftermarket" handle, in my view it does not reflect the traditional handle shape that tells you the gun is a "Taimen" at a single glance, but you can see it has a side-mounted line release and a reduced girth grip. I am now going to proceed with the "universal" handle and will buy the next version when it becomes available, however the side-mounted line release is only needed with a reel attached. As we know side-mounted line releases need to be well engineered to avoid synchronization problems where the rapidly departing shooting line can bust the line release lever or finger.

 

[popgun pete]

Here is a photo from www.apox.ru where the "aftermarket" handle has been fitted to the "Taimen". The owner has painted the handle for increased visibility. Shooting line can now bypass the attached vertical (but here is horizontal) reel, however the "Taimen" can use a secondary line hook system, the "Mohawk" or "Iroquois" depending on translator selection. Named after the haircut style no doubt. Reel has advantage of fast line retrieval by cranking handle on reel.

 

[popgun pete]

The "Iroquois" auxiliary line stowage system is a rather interesting gadget as it allows the gun to store more line than that which would normally be deployed unless the shooting line wraps have already been exhausted. So it functions like a reel in that respect, but wrapping the line back and forth in the comb-like fingers on the line wrap hooks is not something that you could do in a hurry. There is a front and rear hook, the latter is friction loaded to pull free at a certain tension while the front hook is fixed.

Images are taken from the "Taimen" website; how commonly used this accessory is I don't know, but guns are often seen fitted with drum reels and an alternate line clip position to avoid the shooting line snagging the reel from the standard trigger finger guard mounted line release.

more info on "Iroquois" here: http://taimen.pro/info/12-novyj-irokez

 

[popgun pete]

A further revision of the proposed magnetic power regulator uses a necklace, or a crown if you look at it in another way, of balls that form valves that close off the 8 bore holes in the "Taimen" receiver. Here the regulator uses no seals as such, only the action of the balls which act to throttle the flow. Only two of the 8 balls are ferromagnetic and these are attracted by small magnets in the outer controller which moves back and forth slightly and well as rotating by 1/16 turn. Low power the balls block the bore holes, high power the balls sit on the webs that separate the bore holes. Aim is low weight, simplicity and a full power shot comparable to the single power version of the gun.

 

[popgun pete]

A plastic front end for the "Taimen" two-part hub or muzzle has just been announced. This new item combines the muzzle line slide holder as an integral part rather than as a separate screw-in fitting which is now used in the all alloy version of the hub. The use of plastic allows a weight reduction and is less expensive to manufacture (once the tooling has been paid off), allowing a price reduction of 500 rubles from the basic cost of the guns. The rear hub section, which withstands the impact of the piston and holds the gun together, remains unchanged, hence the strength of the gun is not compromised. To remove the vacuum cuff the front section of the hub is first unscrewed and the cuff then pushed out using the spear tail if the cuff does not fall out of the front section. As with the alloy hubs you must not use sharp tools which will scratch the interior of the hub, in fact tools are unnecessary as everything can be done by hand.

 

[popgun pete]

Here is a short Russian video clip showing the new muzzle:
The narration is in Russian, but you can easily follow what is being demonstrated. The backing washer for the vacuum cuff is now metal, replacing the plastic version used previously.

 

[popgun pete]

Because the plastic front hub section is shorter than the alloy version the "O" ring that serves to grip the annular groove in the rear of the line slide/slider is mounted slightly further back, as with no threaded attachment for a separate line slide holder that space is now available to hold the "O" ring. In fact segments of that "O" ring's outer periphery are now exposed in the four bore holes that offer different locations for the carabineer line anchor clip, hence in the event that you want to change the "O" ring you can poke it out using something like a wooden toothpick rather than dig it out with an awl. I doubt that it ever needs changing, but doing so now will be much easier with access to its outer periphery.

Attached is my modified sketch of the longitudinal cross-section of the new plastic front hub. I had earlier left the 2 mm diameter anti-suction ports out, they are now restored.

 

[popgun pete]

I weighed the two front sections of the hub with their respective washers and the results are the alloy hub (with its plastic washer) weighs 36.4 grams and the plastic hub (with its metal washer) weighs 20.6 grams, a difference of 15.8 grams. That does not include the vacuum cuffs which of course weigh the same, so I left them out. Without the washers the weights are 36.3 grams and 20.4 grams respectively.

 

[tromic]

I weighed the two front sections of the hub with their respective washers and the results are the alloy hub (with its plastic washer) weighs 36.4 grams and the plastic hub (with its metal washer) weighs 20.6 grams, a difference of 15.8 grams. That does not include the vacuum cuffs which of course weigh the same, so I left them out. Without the washers the weights are 36.3 grams and 20.4 grams respectively.

Can the slider tilt for some degree while loading the shaft? Is there some additional friction while bending the shaft during loading the gun?

 

[popgun pete]

I don't think there is any tilt allowed for, the slider sits reasonably snugly in the socket of the line slide holder. The plastic version of the front hub section arrived with my "universal" (ambidextrous) handle, but I have not tried it on the gun yet, however the dimensions appear to be the same in terms of the bore sizes used in both versions. The vacuum cuff being a short conical rubber nozzle it can probably track the shaft even if there was a tiny axial displacement, however the shaft tail spigot has to sit on the metal core of the piston. My "Taimen" is a 600, so the shaft is relatively short, the gun being equivalent to a 550 as the raked handle adds to the gun length in terms of how it is measured.

 

[popgun pete]

Can the slider tilt for some degree while loading the shaft? Is there some additional friction while bending the shaft during loading the gun?

You would need to ask someone with a much longer model, say an 800 mm or 1000 mm, if they ever notice such an effect, but how could one really tell as the resistance against your loading effort goes up as the pressure elevates behind the piston which is being pushed down into the gun? Maybe submit the question on the "Taimen" forum at www.apox.ru.

 

[tromic]

I had noticed that problem with my Tomba 700, and solved it with Tomba 700X which has flexible insert in vacuum muzzle for the slider (and the cone ring) that allows shaft to bow without causing additional friction.

 

[popgun pete R]

The Taimen company has now produced a stepped loading gadget for their longer models.

http://taimen.pro/novosti/75-stupenchatyj-upor-dlya-zaryazhaniya-ruzhej-tajmen

 

[popgun pete R]

The Taimen company is now working on a revised handle for their guns which will have a side-mounted line release. In the interim they are selling handles with a side-mounted line release based on the existing handle with modifications made to it by hand, however these manually converted handles are only available with new gun orders from the company. If you search on this topic at the apox.ru website then you will see guns converted by individual owners, hence I expect the handles being converted by the company will be very similar in the layout used. This change is being made to cater for those divers who wish to mount reels on their guns and follows a general industry trend to side-mounted line releases.

http://apox.ru/forum/forum/35-taime...sort_key__last_post__topicfilter__all__st__30

http://taimen.pro/novosti/76-bokovoj-linesbros

 

[popgun pete R]

Here is a Taimen gun that has been converted by the owner.
http://apox.ru/forum/topic/3293-katushka-na-taimen-pravilnoe-ispolzovanie/page__st__100

 

[popgun pete R]

The handbooks/manuals for the Taimen were updated in 2017. As before there is both a Russian and an English language version. They are available as PDF Acrobat files for downloading.
http://taimen.pro/support/manual

 

[popgun pete]

I have taken the table of gun technical specifications from the Russian version of the Taimen handbook as it is a more recent update than is the case for the English language version, particularly as it now includes the longest 1100 and 1200 Taimen models. If you always wanted a longer model gun then they can now accommodate you.

 

[popgun pete]

Photos are now available of the side-mounted line release handles. The line release can be fitted to either the left or right hand side of the gun. Note that synchronization of the line release and shaft being driven from the gun is important. In the "Taimen" the trigger transmission pin and sear "lever" are one and the same item, hence there is no extra travel as you have in say a Mares "Sten". Air pressure in the latter pushes the trigger transmission pin down onto the trigger, thus there can be a gap between the top of the transmission pin and the lower surface of the sear lever which allows some tuning of the release action. Ideally the line release lever is freed from the trigger blocking it just before the sear lever tilts sufficiently in order to release the piston tail.

I have now added a photo of the new trigger, note the metal extension that the line release lever leans on just in front of the trigger's integral axle pivot.

 

[popgun pete]

The polyurethane bush on the "Taimen" spear tails is molded directly onto a recess machined in the spear shaft and provides a "soft" stop for the line slide. This innovation from the "Taimen" Company prevented sharp edges developing over time due to repeated impacts on the shoulder of the spear shaft stop diameter which may have damaged the muzzle seal if the stop itself was manufactured from stainless steel. "Taimen" line slides are made from softer aluminium, hence the polyurethane bush also prevented these line slides from being hammered out of shape. A problem with these spear tails is that the polyurethane bush eventually wears out and there is no easy way to replace it.

A new fabrication method utilizes the spear tail as a separate item that screws onto the rear end of the shaft, thereby trapping the polyurethane bush in place between the two metal parts. The polyurethane bush now being a replacement part this new design extends the life of shafts which previously may have been discarded when the bush wore out. A photo of the new shaft tail design is attached below.

 

[popgun pete]

Here is a short Russian video clip showing the new muzzle:
The narration is in Russian, but you can easily follow what is being demonstrated. The backing washer for the vacuum cuff is now metal, replacing the plastic version used previously.

This plastic muzzle nose is no longer available as it was not a very popular item and it was thought that it may break due to the shooting line anchoring on it. Russian spearfishermen are very wary of plastic speargun parts due to unhappy memories of some less than durable items in the past. Shape of the nose may not have helped as it has connotations of something else which may have provoked ribald comments.