Bangsticks, guns, other?

coyotekiller · Oct 4, 2004

Have some questions about underwater wepons, other then spearguns and knifes. I have pretty much just started my diving carrer. I was 15 when I started and am now 16 and qualified up to rescue. I do alot of hunting and love to eat what I shoot, and living in colorado I have an abundence of things to eat. My qustions were
1. What are bangsticks? I have heard my dad talking about carrying them in vietnam where he worked as an underwater demo man. He is not diving anymore due to ear problems when my family got certified for open water.
2.What about guns? I would image that it would be rather unpracticul because the salt would ruin a gun if it wasn't striped down and dryed, but then something like Navy seals come to mind and knowing that they carry there wepons through water so on I don't know. Would problems arise with pressuere as you go deeper? Or as you return to the surface. Acuracy underwater?
I know I may raise some eyebrows with these qusetsions, like people wondering why you would want a gun underwater. The way I see it, you don't go hiking around the woods with out some kind of protection. Or you don't go swiming around with out protection.
Thanks guys

scubasean · Oct 4, 2004

coyotekiller:
Have some questions about underwater wepons, other then spearguns and knifes. I have pretty much just started my diving carrer. I was 15 when I started and am now 16 and qualified up to rescue. I do alot of hunting and love to eat what I shoot, and living in colorado I have an abundence of things to eat. My qustions were
1. What are bangsticks? I have heard my dad talking about carrying them in vietnam where he worked as an underwater demo man. He is not diving anymore due to ear problems when my family got certified for open water.
2.What about guns? I would image that it would be rather unpracticul because the salt would ruin a gun if it wasn't striped down and dryed, but then something like Navy seals come to mind and knowing that they carry there wepons through water so on I don't know. Would problems arise with pressuere as you go deeper? Or as you return to the surface. Acuracy underwater?
I know I may raise some eyebrows with these qusetsions, like people wondering why you would want a gun underwater. The way I see it, you don't go hiking around the woods with out some kind of protection. Or you don't go swiming around with out protection.
Thanks guys

Dude, I think you need to examine your motives for carrying things like this...

Bangsticks are generally used for killing huge fish that are after you. But, your question about carrying a gun leaves your inquiry suspect...

Why do you feel you need to carry "protection" while diving? What is it that you feel you might need to shoot?

I think the seals only transport the gun underwater...I believe the gun is used above water...But, I could be wrong.

SuPrBuGmAn · Oct 4, 2004

A bangstick is basically a speartip with a shotgun shell on the end from what I understand. Never seen one, never wanted to either. I'm pretty sure they are illegal just about everywhere.

I'm pretty sure a few guns will work short-term underwater at shallow depths, but at depth I'd imagine the pressure would hinder the mechanics from working properly... not to mention the effort it would take to properly dry, clean, lube, ect in order to keep it working...

There isn't a need for either UW. You'd almost definately be safer without them.

eandiver · Oct 4, 2004

Not intending to be a smartass but here goes...........Protection? From what? (2)look to the physics of firing a "gun" ie Mini-14 or Super RedHawk under water.....what happens?.....(1) I have a 357 mag powerhead for emergencys, I used to have a 12ga bangstick a long time ago. Do an internet search on the differences. Oh and use spell check. It would make your questions a bit more believeable

TropicalDiver · Oct 5, 2004

Spearguns are used underwater - most common is where the acceleration is produced through kinetic energy of the diver pulling bands back - similar to that of a sling-shot. The bands, when released, propel the spear through the water.

Powerheads attach/screw onto the end of a speartip. They contain a bullet inside, which often needs to be covered with nailpolish or sealed/waterproofed in some way to prevent the powder from getting wet. It can be used, I believe, in INTERNATIONAL waters. Generally used only for large fish (over 50 lbs) or for protection from sharks (if seriously threatened/charged by one). Hearing one go off underwater can be very unsettling if unprepared. They can be very dangerous, as people who treat them without caution have been seriously injured by them in a variety of accidents - especially above the water where there's more hard surfaces to encounter.

If you are REALLY interested - take an UNDERWATER HUNTING course - that'll probably answer a lot of your questions.

MSilvia · Oct 5, 2004

coyotekiller:
The way I see it, you don't go hiking around the woods with out some kind of protection. Or you don't go swiming around with out protection.

A dive knife/shears and some exposure protection should be all you need.

If you really want to bring a gun underwater with you, you're asking for a maintainence nightmare, risking losing a valuable piece of gear I can almost promise you'll never need to use, reducing your streamlining and unnecessarily cluttering your gear by adding a holster for it, and those are just some of the problems you'll have if you don't fire it.

I've never really thought about firing a weapon other than my pole spear underwater, but remember what you learned in OW about sound travelling underwater? How close do you really want to be to an explosive going off while underwater?

Unless you have special training for it, and a real need for it, I'd say don't bother. Hiking in bear and mountain lion country and scuba diving are totally different things.

redacted · Oct 5, 2004

Assuming you had something smaller than a personal torpedo in mind, you might try:

http://www.securityarms.com/20010315/galleryfiles/2100/2153.htm

MSilvia · Oct 5, 2004

Cool! Gotta love the mechanical elegance of Russian designs.

Vie · Oct 5, 2004

check out http://www.hkpro.com/peleven.htm

humanFish · Oct 5, 2004

coyotekiller:
Have some questions about underwater wepons, other then spearguns and knifes. I have pretty much just started my diving carrer. I was 15 when I started and am now 16 and qualified up to rescue. I do alot of hunting and love to eat what I shoot, and living in colorado I have an abundence of things to eat. My qustions were
1. What are bangsticks? I have heard my dad talking about carrying them in vietnam where he worked as an underwater demo man. He is not diving anymore due to ear problems when my family got certified for open water.
2.What about guns? I would image that it would be rather unpracticul because the salt would ruin a gun if it wasn't striped down and dryed, but then something like Navy seals come to mind and knowing that they carry there wepons through water so on I don't know. Would problems arise with pressuere as you go deeper? Or as you return to the surface. Acuracy underwater?
I know I may raise some eyebrows with these qusetsions, like people wondering why you would want a gun underwater. The way I see it, you don't go hiking around the woods with out some kind of protection. Or you don't go swiming around with out protection.
Thanks guys

The only thing you'll need protection from while diving is your own judgement, the judgement of others, equipment failures, entanglements, etc.. None of which would require a gun.

keep training, keep diving....

A regular gun will allow the barrell to fill with water...even in a few feet of water you would essentially create a condition where the gun could blow up on you...don't even consider trying it. There are only a small handful of guns, very specially designed for underwater use, that I know of...and these are not available for purchase...

If you want to hunt, there are lots of resources online and clasess available to get you started.....

dive safe...

Bangsticks, guns, other?

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