What is Florida's legal stance on powerheads?

[Texasguy]

Just saw some at piranha mfg, trying to justify what caliber is better for an open underwater carry...

Beco PowerHeads

Seems similar on youtube:

 

[snowdog61]

I'm sure the caliber will have an effect on overall damage but it is my understanding that the concussive blow of the shock wave is what really incapacitates the fish. My commercial buddies use them regularly but pretty sure they are illegal to use in state waters. A definite no-no on charters

 

[Johnoly]

..... trying to justify what caliber is better for an open underwater carry...

Usually this is a 'flash-point' topic so if not a troll........
A) What speargun do you own ?
B) What size shaft and what tip is on your shaft ?
C) Is your main focus for the Beco to harvest or personal protection?
D) How many times a month do you spearfish ?
E) Do you dive from a private boat ?

All of the above can help answer your original question.
But I can add this,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Out of the hundreds of spearo's I know and dive with I can count on one hand those that use a Beco.

 

[100days-a-year]

.38 as you can use a big variety rounds to vary power.

Beco,Torres,or B&B are favored by my commercial friends due to durability and ability to carry a lot of rounds.

You can land PH shot fish if shot in Fed waters.

Legal for protection just about everywhere.

Slower for me than my paralyzed filled shafts so I don't use them.I am about production and nothing is faster.

 

[Waterwulf]

The ATF does not list any restrictions on them as a firearm. That means that the Feds are not interested in a Bang Stick with the emphasis on the Stick but a Powerhead by itself in your pocket or close at hand when you're driving around Miami will be considered by local LEO's to be a Concealed Weapon. I'm pretty sure you can still buy them via a dive shop or even mail order with no paperwork. I don't believe that they're legal to use for taking game fish unless you're a commercial fisherman or gator hunter. I also don't know about carrying one in a Park, underwater or otherwise. Check with Game and Fish. I carried one for years while diving in the Gulf but it was only ever used to pull stuff out from under the reef. It had a rake attachment. I dove with a buddy who built a "Shooter". It was a a tube with a CO2 cartridge that he could trigger when he wanted to. It would fire a stream of bubbles out the end but the water that was in the tube would come out first as a short range water pulse. It looked cool when he fired it but I have no idea how it would effect an attacking sea monster.

 

[Texasguy]

A) What speargun do you own ?
- Just handguns
B) What size shaft and what tip is on your shaft ?
- n/a
C) Is your main focus for the Beco to harvest or personal protection?
- Personal
D) How many times a month do you spearfish ?
- Never
E) Do you dive from a private boat ?
- I wish but I do most of my dives by shore diving

 

[Texasguy]

a Powerhead by itself in your pocket or close at hand when you're driving around Miami will be considered by local LEO's to be a Concealed Weapon

I have a paper from the department of agriculture that says that I am exempt.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I'm sure the caliber will have an effect on overall damage but it is my understanding that the concussive blow of the shock wave is what really incapacitates the fish. My commercial buddies use them regularly but pretty sure they are illegal to use in state waters. A definite no-no on charters

Power heads & bang sticks--there is a difference !!!

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Lorenzoid

I noticed the thread and was immediately reminded of an ancient post I made so many years ago on the Power Head and the Bang Stick- Thank you for retrieving it and posting.

Sam