Need help choosing new spear gun

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dunedin,fl
getting back into slinging some steel.i had an 54'' biller a long time ago(5yrs) and was wondering if they r still the same.i liked my old one killed many grouper and hogs out of clearwater fl.ive been also looking at the ss(rhino commercial 52'')at my lds nice guns but sort of pricey.anyway like i said its been a while and any input on purchasing a new gun will help........thanks
 
I have no idea about the hunting in your area but if you need a gun that will shoot distance's with power and accuracy check out Riffe. Thats what I shoot and love.
 
While I'm not familiar with the SS Rhino (very similar to Biller's guns which I do have an AB Biller), any of the 2 piece stocks will be less expensive than a single piece of wood stock gun.

I now have a Daryl Wong speargun myself, and while the cost is definitely more than 2 AB Biller guns, I will say that the accuracy is increased, and the noise the gun makes is much less. I can say the same for my wife who shoots a Riffe now - also in comparison to a Biller. Same results as me. More accuracy at greater distances, and less noise.
 
Now a wong is one of the best guns... If you are looking at the wongs you should really look at sea sniper ... They have some of the nicest guns I have seen!

If you are not ready to dump a grand or more into a gun a Riffe is the next best thing... no way will I ever shoot a Jbl or similar again.
 
As a fellow Gulf shooter I think you will love the 52" commercial. It is designed to be a freeshaft gun with quick and easy lineshaft capabilities. While some of the other have recommended wongs and or riffes (I also have a Wong GR gun) these are not ideal for scuba shooting in the gulf and frankly silence of the trigger mechanism is a silly concern on scuba. I'll get to that though. While Wongs and to a lesser degree riffes can certainly shoot a lineshaft further than any other production gun they take a significant time to reload, especially contrasted with freeshafting or a Biller/Sea Hornet with a speedload kit (200# monofilament and an elastic loop). Most shots taken on scuba are less than 10' from the end of the gun anyway so really all that range is just extra line to deal with. With regards to noise; bubbles make alot of noise, inhaling makes noise, all the metal on metal on your gear makes noise, but most importantly the cavitation from the bands contracting when you fire a gun makes alot of noise. The minimal amount of stealth added by having a "quieter" trigger mech isn't going to cost you any fish in the gulf on scuba. Freediving for white sea bass in Cali I say wear a camo suit and have mirrored lenses in your mask as well as
have a quite trigger mech, Clearwater is not in Cali though.
The biller 54 or the 52" commercial will both be good guns for scuba shooting but I'd change the line on the biller to the speedload kit if you are going to be lineshafting. I am pretty sure Biller has started using the shaft length fired to determine the number on the gun. A 52" commercial on the other hand fires a 60" shaft. Both fire 5/16" diameter shafts, which I like over the skinnier but faster 9/32" favored in riffes. Wong also makes few 5/16" shaft guns.
 
.......they take a significant time to reload, especially contrasted with freeshafting.......

Pat hit it right on the head. The reload time on freeshafting is the key to boating more fish in the gulf with minimal current and concise structure that hold the fish.

I also shoot the 52" SS Commercial Rhino and 98% of the time freeshaft. The Biller is also a very good gun. On the SS commercial, the old style was a one piece solid stock. The newer ones are 2 piece stocks. There has been some debate on this change.

If you like the Biller before, then go back to it again. Comfort, familiarity, and shot placement is what's going to land fish.
 
Most of the expensive guns are way over-rated and many are fragile.I have friends with JBLs who would outshoot anyone on a given day.As a very good spearfisherman elsewhere always points out "it is the indian,not the arrow" Most of the successful shooters in Fla shoot Billers,SS or Seahornets,JBL and no one seriously considers pneumatics.:no

Look at Pat's pix or mine to see what can be done with simple set-ups.:eyebrow:

99.3% of spearfisherman and maybe more are simply not good enough to get the maximum out of any gun and should focus more on technique.:D

For pelagics the big guns are great,but shooting multiple times in a dive requires simplicity.
 
If you caught the Speargun Hunter Episode with the commercial guys in the Gulf, Simple short range shots with a single band gun free shafted, with a couple of extra shafts mounted on the side. quick re-loads.
 

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