They can run, but they can't hide . . .

[Tin Man]

I wasn't happy with any of the previous muzzle light iterations that I tried, so here's where I am now . . .

I have used the Pelican lights at work for years, and they're definately tough. I like that this style uses 2-AA batteries (easily available anywhere), and the lights themselves are not terribly expensive. Less than $10 for the incandescent, and about $20 for the LED. If I'm going to be sticking this down into holes, I don't want to be worried about damaging an expensive light. Also, I've noticed that on many small lights, the beam doesn't really shine straight ahead. So if you rotate the light, the beam will be slightly to the left or right. I found the ARC light that I tried before to be especially bad. The Pelican doesn't seem to have that problem, and this arrangement will hopefully make it easy to just point and shoot to the center of the spot beam, for those awkward angled shots.

Also, I flipped the flopper, so as not to hang down in front of the light, and so that I could shorten the shaft a bit. I just have a single band on it for the pics, but it can hold two.

I probably won't leave the line wrapped around the light like it's shown. It may work, but I'm a little afraid it might snag the lense housing. I just haven't figured out exactly where I want to place a pin or two.

Now I just need to get it wet . . .

 

[foxfish]

Interesting, what sort of fish do you find in holes & do you ever go night diving?

 

[Tin Man]

Not night diving exactly, but I hunt mostly our inshore bay waters, where visibility can be pretty poor, and it's quite dark.

The bottom in my area has no natural rocks or other structure. Just barren sand. Rather, the spots that we hunt are mostly man-made debris that was dropped in years past as intentional (if unregulated) reefs. Old boats, culverts, washing machines, etc. Our gag grouper and red snapper here just love a blind hole (like a washing machine or barrel) that they can hide in.

I do enjoy night diving on scuba sometimes, but I don't spearfish then.

 

[azapa]

thats a very short spear, the flopper over the muzzle, great for caving, but does it not alter your instinctive aim point? Euro gun spears are about 30 to 40cm longer than the muzzle.

 

[Tin Man]

I generally like shorter overhangs, though this is shorter than normal. I'll need to do some target practice to see how significant the difference is. But remember that I hunt in low visibility. Very few shots are longer than 2m from the speartip.

 

[Bill McIntyre]

Thanks Jeff. We are lucky we have guys like you who are always pushing the envelope and trying to build a better mousetrap.

 

[Mr. X]

A muzzle torch --- that's one of my dreams come true! But where to put the switch button? :hmm