How is this for a starter gun?

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SH,

Since you appear to be hitting Atlantic waters, FL to NC, it's not a bad choice, given the budget idea. JBL 24 Exporer gives you a lot of gun for peanuts. A favorite at my shop for the low end buyer.
I'd bump to the 4d24-L however, and add another band. I think they are 5/8" and you'll want a stonger one anyway. The threaded head system is the weakest part of the standard 4d24 IMO. The 48" tahitian barb style of the L model is much faster and stronger. JBL Spearguns

Chad
 
If you go to the trouble of giving a little more info I'm sure you'll get some good advise. Where and what will you be hunting? For now, don't spend any money till you know what you need.

Willem

Thanks very much Willem.

I have not been in the sport long enough to know what I would be hunting and where those hunts will take me. I am looking for a speargun that would help me find answers to those very questions. Questions like:

Q1. what I like to hunt?
Q2. where I should go for it?

By the time I have answers to those questions, I need to shoot fish with "SOMETHING" right? What should that "SOMETHING" be is what I was asking :D
 
Thanks very much Chad. I will see if my local stores here carry that.

Regards,

S H

SH,

Since you appear to be hitting Atlantic waters, FL to NC, it's not a bad choice, given the budget idea. JBL 24 Exporer gives you a lot of gun for peanuts. A favorite at my shop for the low end buyer.
I'd bump to the 4d24-L however, and add another band. I think they are 5/8" and you'll want a stonger one anyway. The threaded head system is the weakest part of the standard 4d24 IMO. The 48" tahitian barb style of the L model is much faster and stronger. JBL Spearguns

Chad
 
Another thought in the same general budget might be to look for a used Biller or Seahornet 48"or 52"/54" gun.

The JBL Explorer 24 is about the minimum gun that I'd recommend for the following hunting:

For most of FL and many states close by that have decent visibility, the general best bottom fish are hogfish, snapper and grouper.

Hogfish being the easiest and often most available, then red grouper & mangrove snapper. Gag & black grouper, mutton & red snapper are all more difficult but desirable prey.

There are lots of other bottom fish like sheepshead, porgies, grunts, etc. but we're not talking prime here.

The pelagic variety such as jacks, kingfish, cobia, and any bluewater species are best left alone for a pretty good while.

Chad
 
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as some one who has used smaller guns on big fish (AJ's) if you get a break away tip it will keep the fish from bending your shafts.
 
Guys with big guns also shoot detachable heads on AJ's, cobia, etc.
Slip tips are the detachable head of choice for big pelagic fish shooters. Most of us have one or two threaded 5/16" shafts set up with slip tips, just in case.

Detachable heads (read "large & bulky") need a gun powerful enough to drive the shaft through at the usual mid range distance. There is no substitute for shaft length and band stretch.

The OP did not have a gun at the time of posting, so I'm recommending he get one big enough to handle varieties of fish species. Bottom fish are likely his primary targets so keeping the spear sleek and fast is a good way to start.

Chad
 
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Guys with big guns also shoot detachable heads on AJ's, cobia, etc.
Slip tips are the detachable head of choice for big pelagic fish shooters. Most of us have one or two threaded 5/16" shafts set up with slip tips, just in case.

Detachable heads (read "large & bulky") need a gun powerful enough to drive the shaft through at the usual mid range distance. There is no substitute for shaft length and band stretch.

The OP did not have a gun at the time of posting, so I'm recommending he get one big enough to handle varieties of fish species. Bottom fish are likely his primary targets so keeping the spear sleek and fast is a good way to start.

Chad

true detachable tips are better for biger fish, but i would recomend getting a gun more powerful than you think you need. granted you will be shooting bottom fish but when that AJ or cobia roles by you'll want to take the shot. and a bent shaft is a real downer if you dont have an extra, or lossing a fish.
 
as some one who has used smaller guns on big fish (AJ's) if you get a break away tip it will keep the fish from bending your shafts.

Don't waste the money here if you get a gun 48" or bigger...... You can shoot 50lb fish all day long without a slip tip if you have the right gun and place the shaft correctly.

As for what gun is right...... post your budget along with where and what you plan on hunting. Scuba or freediving, species, etc....
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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