new diver with spear gun questions

Hey all i just got into diving and i love it, i got a question about spearguns hoping to get an answer here.

When the speargun is said to be a 48 like lets say a jbl 48 is that total length or shaft length? I have been told for florida waters look for a 48 or bigger speargun, would a jbl sawed off magnum fit that bill?

My suggestion is that you wait on a spear gun and get used to looking at the fish first. spear gun + new diver (-24 dives) = really risky life threatening behavior that you will not even know you are doing.

I agree on the wait. You need to have your bouyancy down to where it is second nature and you need to be VERY comfortable in the water while diving. There is plenty of time for multi-tasking. Using a speargun means that one or both of your hands are occupied taking attention away from monitoring your depth and gas management. Take your time.

Agreed. Get comfortable diving first, then start hunting with a pole-spear. Then once you're safely diving your polespear think about a gun.

mathauck0814:

Agreed. Get comfortable diving first, then start hunting with a pole-spear. Then once you're safely diving your polespear think about a gun.

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oops sorry guys guess i should have been more specific i am new to diving but i am not a brand new diver, i already go a few dives under my belt, been out hunting a few times also, at night for lobster, and day with pole for lionfish. I am starting to get tired off all the damn snapers around here swimming around me teasing me, hell i even grabbed one by the tail a few dives ago. Bottom line i need to spear me some fish.

Anything under 50 dives, I think, is a brand new diver. Like said before, get some experience and just enjoy diving for a bit. If you have to spearfish, learn to freedive. Not that freediving is easier, but there are fewer doohickies and stuff to go wrong. And further, if you have to spearfish, start with a pole-spear. It will hone your stalking skills tremendously and you will be a much better hunter when the time comes to get a gun.

I'm sure you'll hear that we're full of it. Spearfishing is easy, you don't need more experience, blah, blah, blah. There is a lot of experience on this board, so take it for what it is worth. Also consider, no one here is trying to sell you a gun. Whereas, I don't know who is advising you, I could only guess it is a shop saying what size gun you need.

Anyway, preachy stuff aside. Welcome to the board. If you're in the S. FL area, shoot me a PM and you can come out on my boat and we'll get you that experience you need.

Spearboard is all about spearfishing, you might want to check it our

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OBXDIVEGUY:

Anything under 50 dives, I think, is a brand new diver. Like said before, get some experience and just enjoy diving for a bit. If you have to spearfish, learn to freedive. Not that freediving is easier, but there are fewer doohickies and stuff to go wrong. And further, if you have to spearfish, start with a pole-spear. It will hone your stalking skills tremendously and you will be a much better hunter when the time comes to get a gun.

I'm sure you'll hear that we're full of it. Spearfishing is easy, you don't need more experience, blah, blah, blah. There is a lot of experience on this board, so take it for what it is worth. Also consider, no one here is trying to sell you a gun. Whereas, I don't know who is advising you, I could only guess it is a shop saying what size gun you need.

Anyway, preachy stuff aside. Welcome to the board. If you're in the S. FL area, shoot me a PM and you can come out on my boat and we'll get you that experience you need.

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thanks for the offer man i am already set up for a dive this weekend but after that when you are free would love to take u up on it, i'll hook u up with gas money, (ur not a commercial captain are you?) No it's not a shop telling me to go for a 48 or bigger it was actually something a read on this board just can't find the post now actually it said min size 43 but 48+ was better. I deff don't have 50 dives but i am working on it probably somewhere in the twenties i don't always fill my log book specially if i am just diving for fun from the beach or something.Anyways guys i am working on getting my control down i just need to know how the gun measurements are done so that i don't get screwed on a deal online or something like that.

i use a Biller 48 and a Cressi SL Star (pneumatic gun). The Cressi (and most pneumatics) are very easy for newer divers to maneuver.
Either gun works well for most dives though the Biller is what i use for more "serious" hunting.
The number one safety run...as afar as i'm concerned, is that it is a spearGUN. Gun being the operative word. Treat it like a firearm. It is not a toy and it is dangerous.

sheeper:

i use a Biller 48 and a Cressi SL Star (pneumatic gun). The Cressi (and most pneumatics) are very easy for newer divers to maneuver.
Either gun works well for most dives though the Biller is what i use for more "serious" hunting.
The number one safety run...as afar as i'm concerned, is that it is a spearGUN. Gun being the operative word. Treat it like a firearm. It is not a toy and it is dangerous.

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guys i appreciate that you guys are trying to look out for a fellow diver, but i have been hunting on land for years and have been around firearms, i know i need to be careful because i will die if the wrong mistake is made. Even after hunting for a while and being around firearms i still make dumb mistakes sometimes. The fact that i have been doing it for a while lets me id bad situations before i get in them so that i don't shoot my self on accident but having said that i am still human and make mistakes.

I know hunting underwater is different that wading through gator filled waters in the glades but i am a careful guy. I still don't know all the details of underwater hunting, and i know i will get my self in some hairy situations, just like i know you guys have as well. Tell me you never did and we both know you are lying. Part of being outdoors men and sportsmen is the trill of doing what we do. Yes we do it carefully and never beyond our level of skills but if you don't do it at all you will never develop the skills plain and simple.

Once again i am not trying to be a smart @ss i do appreciate the cautions it tells me that this place is a good place to seek advice, as you guys seem to be knowledgeable and have experience in the field. I would venture to say one or two here are divemasters or tech divers by the way you guys talk, having said that anyone know the answer to my question.