Thinking about buying a speargun

[Empty V]

I know this thread is gonna go crazy but I need help on selecting a gun. Pro/Cons all that good stuff. I've never hunted but and getting a sling for this weekend. I'm a poor student , nuff said.

Thanks in advance!

Billy

 

[Hank49]

If you give a bit more info on the conditions (vis, bottom, depth) you're hunting in and what you're going after it will help others to guide you.

 

[Empty V]

Vis is anywhere from negative 5 to 80ft I'm in so-cal. Max depth around 70ft I will be mainly be going after large sheephead if I can find them. The bottom is mostly rocky reef, the majority of the time I'll be out at Anacappa or Santa Cruz Island.

Thanks

Billy

 

[tom wicker]

Vis is anywhere from negative 5 to 80ft I'm in so-cal. Max depth around 70ft I will be mainly be going after large sheephead if I can find them. The bottom is mostly rocky reef, the majority of the time I'll be out at Anacappa or Santa Cruz Island.

Thanks

Billy

I’m a little surprised you haven’t had plenty of suggestions here on the gun subject. First I would like to say when it comes to spearfishing there isn’t much cheap about it. Even after the cost of the gun itself comes the ever ending supply of shafts either lost or bent just last week my replacement on a 60" shaft and tip ran me over a $100.00

Taking a look at the gun itself is pretty much like a man picking out the type pickup that would suit his needs and how he would feel about it. The JBL company has a large selection of guns at about the cheapest price you will find and is available in most diveshops aa lot of spearos seem to start out with this gun but it dose have it’s drawbacks in my opinion the shaft is way to heavy for any long distance shots and the bands on most models seem to have the same occurrence of coming out of it’s hammerhead holder. Jbl did announce they were redesigning a few new guns to compete with some of the top end guns on the market thanks to a new owner of the company. The JBL might suit you for your needs the sawed off would make for a low viz easy to control gun but you may find you will soon outgrow it

The Riffe gun is a nice teak wooden gun that has several different sizes that was built for situation such as yours and along with bluewater guns I would suggest you take a look at their reefgun but mind you the price is a bit steeper

The seahornet is a pretty cool gun I purchased one of the Rhinos lately and so far I have no complaints with it I love the speed load on the line simple but yet one good idea. If you have an interest in one of the Seahornet check out www.spearboard.com and look up Kevin he is the builder of these guns. A pretty cool guy fast to send you him phone number to help you out or tp handle a problem you may have with one of their guns.

When it comes to shaft purchase do a Google search for Ray Ordor out of FL he builds shafts and polespears for less than half the price you can get them anywhere else.

 

[Hank49]

Vis is anywhere from negative 5 to 80ft I'm in so-cal. Max depth around 70ft I will be mainly be going after large sheephead if I can find them. The bottom is mostly rocky reef, the majority of the time I'll be out at Anacappa or Santa Cruz Island.

Thanks

Billy

I looked up sheepheads (I've never been in California waters) and it says they hang around kelp areas. A shorter gun (33-39 inches) would probably be more practical since swinging a longer (48-60") in kelp could be a problem. Plus you usually don't have that great of vis out there, do you?
I use Riffe guns. So far no complaints. http://www.speargun.com/spearguns.html
As mentioned though, they aren't cheap but I would recommend getting a decent gun because if you like it, you'll get another one anyway. I had a cheap gun when I first started (don't even remember the brand) and it ended up in the trash.
I personally like free shafting too. It's a lot faster reloading and I hit more stone shots with it. I do only free diving though due to Belize law.

 

[sk8rpj]

For out here get at least a Biller. They are close to the same price as a JBl and a nicer gun. If you really wanna get into hunting on the west coast get off of scuba. None of the real hunters out here hunt with tanks. Shooting sheephead is like shooting the family dog. They are just sad and pathetic. You can take sheephead with your knife, no gun required. If you are serious about getting into it then get a nicer gun in the beginning, you will be happy that you did. If you buy a JBL or something then in a few months your going to be wanting a Riffe or a Wong, or the likes. Save yourself the money in the beginnig and get something worthwhile.

 

[Empty V]

If you really wanna get into hunting on the west coast get off of scuba. None of the real hunters out here hunt with tanks. Shooting sheephead is like shooting the family dog. They are just sad and pathetic. You can take sheephead with your knife, no gun required.

You realize that this is SCUBAboard right? I'll be sure to tell all of the hunters that I've met that they aren't real hunters because of their tanks. I consider sheephead great eating, if that's the family dog then giddyup! I'm sure you're pulling in 24' great whites while free diving.

Billy

 

[sk8rpj]

Great whites are illegal to take in CA. Sheephead are the family dog, how many game fish will sit there and watch you for your whole dive? None. Get off of the scuba and start trying for real fish. This year has been awesome for yt and dodos. In florida and there they hunt on scuba because they are diving to 200'. Here the people who really hunt breathhold.

 

[Thalassamania]

Biller and JBL are the choices for rubber powered guns, Mares markets a nice line of pneumatics if that's your bent. If your working in kelp you'll need to keep the gun fairly short.

A lot of great advice is be had in the books by Terry Maas, David Sipperly and Carlos Eyles, especially "Freedive!"

 

[sk8rpj]

Freedive isn't a bad book, but if you want one that focuses a little more on hunting, then get with BlueWater Hunting by Terry Maas. It goes into detail of equipment, techniques and the like and it isn't a bad read.