Speargun Accidents?

[miketsp]

"The tourist beach was crowded and according to the newspaper it wounded 5 and killed 1 before the spear stopped."

Huh?.... oh yeah, that's kinda like the time I killed a buffalo and wounded two goats and a sheep with a single shot from my son's daisy bb gun. :1poke:

If you think you're talking energy levels comparable to a bb gun you have obviously never seen a fully pumped pneumatic spear gun fired out of the water.

I used to have the Nemrod Clipper which is the shorter version of the one I saw in the newspaper. I fired it out of the water once just out of curiosity with it pumped to a fraction of its normal pressure. I fired it against a piece of wood propped against a wall. It cost me a new spear because the one I fired just curled up on itself.

The muzzle speed and energy was absurd. If it wasn't a concrete wall it would have gone through.

 

[PapaBob]

If you think you're talking energy levels comparable to a bb gun you have obviously never seen a fully pumped pneumatic spear gun fired out of the water.

I used to have the Nemrod Clipper which is the shorter version of the one I saw in the newspaper. I fired it out of the water once just out of curiosity with it pumped to a fraction of its normal pressure. I fired it against a piece of wood propped against a wall. It cost me a new spear because the one I fired just curled up on itself.

The muzzle speed and energy was absurd. If it wasn't a concrete wall it would have gone through.

Right on Mike! Noone should underestimate the power of a speargun, any speargun. Banded guns or loaded pneumatics do not belong onboard. In case it is not obvious, any speargun is to be banded or loaded underwater and pointed in a safe direction, is unbanded or discharged in a safe direction before surfacing, and is never pointed at another diver. My hunting buddies and I have cardinal rules, always know where your gun is pointed, keep the safety on until you are lining up a shot, never put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to shoot, and always know where your spear will end up if you miss (ie don’t take the shot unless all your buddies are well out of your field of fire). There is only one warning given in our circle to any diver who carelessly breaks any one of these rules. This sport can be very safe if its participants are always religious about safety.

It should also be obvious that negligence in the handling of any speargun can have serious consequences. The following were taken from film given to me by a retired doc years ago who knew I liked to spearfish. I am not sure where or when they were taken, but I believe they involved a diver who was waiting to enter the water on a dive platform when his gun accidentally discharged. It is a miracle that the diver lived. The doc wanted me to use them as an object lesson to anyone who does not take speargun safety seriously. I have, several times, and they are being provided only for that purpose.

—Bob

 

[Chad Carney]

If anyone has any verifiable stories of speargun accidents I would be interested in them for a future article.

No old memories please, just the contact information for the person who was shot, to get the first hand story.

I've been assembling a few stories for publicaion and could always use a few more if they're legit.

Thanks, Chad

cubera@ij.net

 

[shaxs]

Yep that was the one. Blair the owner of underwater excursions in visalia used to work at blue water ocean sports. If i ever get by that way again i'll have to ask about any updates to his condition if he has kept in touch with him.

Visalia? Thats from my neck of the woods (lindsay ca, went to school and worked in Visalia) untill I moved to San Diego. Wow, such a sad story.

 

[scubapro5]

It should also be obvious that negligence in the handling of any speargun can have serious consequences. The following were taken from film given to me by a retired doc years ago who knew I liked to spearfish. I am not sure where or when they were taken, but I believe they involved a diver who was waiting to enter the water on a dive platform when his gun accidentally discharged. It is a miracle that the diver lived. The doc wanted me to use them as an object lesson to anyone who does not take speargun safety seriously. I have, several times, and they are being provided only for that purpose. —Bob

That is one lucky person. That xray is unbeleivable.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Murphdog]

A buddy of mine who was a very experienced spear fisherman bought a new Riffe Hawian which is a big gun with very strong bands. He aimed by holding his trigger arm out straight and looking down the gun. He took his first shot and the gun had such recoil that it slammed into his mask and almost knocked him out. I guess this is good to remember when using a new or borrowed gun. The big Riffes are great but they do have a powerful recoil compared to other guns.

 

[miketsp]

..snip..
It should also be obvious that negligence in the handling of any speargun can have serious consequences. The following were taken from film given to me by a retired doc years ago who knew I liked to spearfish. I am not sure where or when they were taken, but I believe they involved a diver who was waiting to enter the water on a dive platform when his gun accidentally discharged. It is a miracle that the diver lived.
..snip..
—Bob

I get the impression that the diver shot himself at short range, ie. the spear was just starting to accelerate and not up to full speed. Otherwise I don't think it would have stayed inside the skull.

 

[Quetzal]

Ok, But does any body got any fish killing stories.

 

[BluewaterRocket]

If you think you're talking energy levels comparable to a bb gun you have obviously never seen a fully pumped pneumatic spear gun fired out of the water.

I am fully aware of the amount of energy a speargun can deliver out of water- this story just seems like an anti-spearfishing lurban legend made up by some tree hugger that wants to impune our sport. No doubt in my mind that a spear can kill a human, but explain to me a scenario/trajectory that wounds 5 people before it kills this 6th?

 

[miketsp]

I am fully aware of the amount of energy a speargun can deliver out of water- this story just seems like an anti-spearfishing lurban legend made up by some tree hugger that wants to impune our sport. No doubt in my mind that a spear can kill a human, but explain to me a scenario/trajectory that wounds 5 people before it kills this 6th?

On a crowded beach where most people represent round or oval objects the tendancy is to produce glancing blows with surface flesh tears and small direction changes until it finally hits somebody square on. A surface tear caused by a 2lb spear coming into soft flesh at high speed and at a shallow angle is going to produce a very messy wound without a lot of energy absorption.

The newspaper gave a list of the victims and showed a photo of the remains of the gun.