The Great Gun Question

I have read some opinions on this question on other boards, but since my registration with SpearBoard isn't quite working out (anyone a member, PM me), I haven't been able to post there. Therefore, I wil ask my question here, in our brand-spankin' new, shiny, state-of-the art SB faciltiy.

What should I look for in a beginner spear gun? Should I even buy a "beginner level" gun, or should I save my pennies & buy a longer gun with a "big" name & proportionately big price tag?

Here is what I am looking at at this point in time. LP sells a JBL Sawed-Off Magnum around $170. Local LDS sells the same gun ~ $220. LDS 30 miles away sells the same gun ~ $170-$180. Local LDS has a long(I think 54") JBL they will let me have for $240. MY boss has a Riffe "Competition" (whatever that means I don't know) with some upgrades that he will sell for $300. He claims he has shot the gun a grand total of one time, & then gave up diving because of back problems. Does that mean that the gun is super-heavy or the fish that he shot @ 1/4 mile was super-heavy? Hehehehe. I might be wrong here, but I don't see myself getting out of spearing once I get into it. So what should I buy from the above list? If none of the above, what else?

I will be watching this thread with great interest. If I ask at any LDS around here about guns.... well you know the look.
Is there any online spearo shops?

cheers,

Depends on what you intend to hunt - and how good a shot you are. The short JBL is adequate for most fish up to about 15 pounds (biggest I've killed with one was 22 pounds but I was very sure of the kill shot before I made that shoot decision). If you want to make sure your spear goes through bigger fish then get the longer gun... the speed of the shaft, and therefore it's penetrating ability, is affected at least as much by the length (stretch) of the power stroke as by the strength of the rubbers.
Of the guns you list, personally I'd get the Riffe.
Rick

The sawed off magnum is one of those in between guns that is too short ranged and underpowered to be a blue water gun and is just a bit too long for maneuverability for small fish in tight quarters around rocks or a reef.

But it is a decent size for an all round entry level gun depending as long as you dontl get carried away with what you shoot. Personally I think the Woody Magnum version would be a better way to go. I have never been a big fan of aluminum stocked guns and the Woody Magnums normally have 3 slings of slightly larger diameter than their 2 slinged Magnum counterparts.

Riffe guns are about as good as it gets for a production gun and the boss'es Riffe could be a great deal. But they come in several different lenghts from 27" to 60" so it is only a great deal if it is a gun that you can use.

Bandito makes a composite stocked Stalker (45") and Prowler (35"). They are the same guns as the Scuabpro Panthers that were marketed 20 years ago and make very nice rock and reef guns. They point well and are very accurate, they maneuver well with a mid handle, will accomodate 3 bands, have a very quiet saftey and nice trigger, are low maintenance and have an open muzzle design which facilitates rapid reloading and the gun is slightly negative when the shaft is loaded but will float up out of your way after you have shot your fish. I would not probably not consider buying any other Bandito guns, but the their Panther copies are very good if you need a gun that size and they run about $250-$300.

A friend of mine has a 48" Sea Hornet for sale...got some really good karma too...PM me if you are interested or want more info.

I'd go with a cheap gun for starters, Spearfishing Specialties or Sea Hornet, or AB Biller. Doesn't have to be new. I've seen/heard about guns being lost at sea quite often, so it'd not be a good thing to lose one off the side of the boat or by a large fish or some other reason. The MAIN thing is to get a larger gun than you'd originally go with...I'm a female, 5'8" and shoot a 48" gun...bands are longer than stock they came with, but gun length and spear length is needed for penetration of larger fish. Most people who go with a shorter gun end up quickly realizing they want a longer one very soon - either a 48 or 52/54 is a good place to start. Funny, looking at the SeaHornet Recruit (36" I think)I shot the first time I speared with - and abandoned after two trips for a larger one because the target length was only about - maybe 3-4 feet between spear tip to fish - otherwise it just spooked them when it gently touched them...that Recruit now looks like a CHILD'S TOY TO ME. Get a good sized gun and go shooting....

I forgot to add one tidbit. Someone who has offered to take me spearing on his boat in return for professional return(plumbing work), has (a)gun(s) that I would be able to borrow, so I don't need a gun for right now, but I will need a gun in the not so distant future. I am gatherring info & knowledge for a future purchase.

Tropical Diver, thanks much for your help on the other matter.

That's a very good idea as what is a good gun and a good size depends almost entirely on your location and on what you shoot. Some experience will go along way toward helping you detemine what will work for you in your location.

Which model Riffe Competitor does your boss want to sell? If it's the correct size to suit your purposes, and the conditions you spear in, that would be the way to go. The Competitors are the least expensive of the Riffe wood guns, but all Riffe guns use the same components as their biggest, most powerful mid-handle Bluewater. Riffes and Wongs are also widely regarded as having among the strongest, smoothest triggers in the industry which might be important later if you decide you need more power. When I went from using a polespear to a band gun I decided on the Riffe Competitor #3XS and shortly thereafter got #1 (then 11 yr. old son) a Comp #2S, rounding out this modest collection with a Metal Tech #1. It will work out being cheaper to get a top of the line gun, Riffe, Wong, Yokooji now, rather than getting something else and deciding to you want one of these later on down the road. One of the criteria I used when deciding on my first band gun was to go on E-Bay and see what other people were trying to get rid of. I didn't see any Wongs, Yokoojis or Internet Customs over there and not many Riffes.

The only problem I have with my Riffes is now I want to upgrade to Wongs, but can't justify it to myself. (boo-hoo )

http://www.riffespearguns.com/

http://www.wongspearguns.com/

http://ic_spearguns.tripod.com/

I haven't been able to find a web-site for Darian Yokooji's guns.

Riffe makes a real nice gun and they thought of some of
great innovations. I like my Riffe 2xs with a ice tip break away
tip and the three 9/16 x 20 amber bands with dyneema wish
bones. This gun is accurate and powerful. I stopped dead
a 40 pound plus AJ with an accurate shot from this gun.
This gun lets me take fish a few spear lengths away. A few
photos are posted on spearboard.com

Diver Tom

Just another question to ad,which is the more important length to look at,the overall length of the gun w/shaft or just gun itself.basically what I am curious about is if someone has a 48" gun for example,which are they refering to